Homemade Ice Cream Tutorial and Recipes

Easy ice cream tutorial and recipes, just in time to bring some summer quarantine happiness!Yay for homemade ice cream with simple ingredients you can trust and pronounce ;) 

Base Ingredients:

2 cups heavy cream*

1 cup milk (any %)

¾ cup white sugar

⅛ teaspoon salt

Place freezer bowl in a plastic grocery bag in deep freeze (at least 0 degrees F) for at least 24 hours. Be sure it is sitting on a level surface in the freezer.**

Dissolve sugar, extract, and salt in the milk by whisking, blending, shaking, or mixing with a hand mixer for 1-2 minutes. Put milk mixture and heavy cream into the freezer for 15-30 minutes to get very cold. Take the freezer bowl out of the freezer just before you are ready to add the ingredients. Assemble the ice cream maker and turn it on. Add milk mixture and cream to the ice cream maker at the same time while it is turning. Process for 15-20 minutes until expanded and thick. Add any additional add-ins and process for an additional 2-5 minutes. Store in freezer safe container in deep freeze for 4-24 hours before serving.***

Notes:

*If you want to vary the fat content or how creamy vs icy it is, you can use a lower percentage of milk (1% or skim) or reduce the heavy cream to 1.5 cups and increase the milk to 1.5 cups. Don’t reduce the heavy cream volume any more than 1.5 cups (50% of the base). I prefer to make it with 2 cups of cream and skim or 1 or 2% milk, since cream comes in a pint and I prefer not to have any leftover. With 1.5 cups of cream it will be a lot softer, more like a frosty starting to melt, right out of processing. With 2 cups it is much firmer.

**Do not store ice cream in the ice cream maker freezer bowl. Immediately rinse and wash out the freezer bowl, let water drain out, then wrap back in a plastic grocery sack and put it back in your freezer. If it hasn't completely thawed it should be good to go to make ice cream again by the next morning. If it has thawed it may take up to 24 hours of freezing time before you can make another batch. If your ice cream doesn't process correctly it means your bowl wasn't frozen long enough or your freezer isn't at low enough of a temperature.

***Right out of processing ice cream will be a soft serve consistency. Enjoy immediately if that's what you want or store in the freezer to harden. I find the best scooping consistency results when freezing the processed ice cream overnight or 24 hours :)

Equipment

Freezer storage containers (insulated containers that keep ice cream easy to scoop OR regular round freezer storage containers, will keep ice cream hard) DO NOT store your ice cream in the ice cream maker's freezer bowl.

Ice cream maker - I have the Cuisinart 1.5qt ICE-20 (these recipes will also work in a 2qt ice cream maker) 

Variations:

Vanilla or Vanilla Bean

2 teaspoons vanilla extract or 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

Add add beginning of processing

Chocolate

3 T cocoa powder

1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)

Mix in blender with milk, sugar, and salt for 30-60 seconds

Cookies and Cream

2 teaspoons vanilla extract or 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

12 small crunchy chocolate cookies, chopped or crushed (if using Oreos, remove the frosting layer first)

Add vanilla at the beginning of processing. Add cookies during the last five minutes. 

Mint Chip or Mint Oreo

½ teaspoon mint extract (I like Watkins brand)

2-6 drops green food coloring (optional)

Add into milk and sugar mixture. Add the chocolate below during the last five minutes of processing time. 

4 ounces semi-sweet or dark chocolate, finely chopped

OR 12 small crunchy chocolate cookies, chopped or crushed (if using Oreos, remove the frosting layer first)

Peanut Butter Cup

3 tablespoons peanut butter powder (like this)

⅔ cup white sugar

4oz chopped mini reeses cups

Fruit Swirl

6 oz fruit, crushed (like strawberry, raspberry, or mango)

Add to basic vanilla ice cream recipe

Mix ¼ cup of the sugar with the crushed fruit. (Make your ice cream base with the remaining ½ cup sugar.) I use a ground beef masher to crush the fruit.  Heat in a saucepan until simmering, stirring constantly, until sugar is dissolved. Add 1-2 teaspoons cornstarch dissolved in water .Continue to simmer and stir for approximately 5 minutes until mixture is thickened and fruit is fully cooked. Transfer to a small container and store in the fridge or freezer until cold (not frozen). When basic vanilla ice cream is processed add ⅓ of it to your freezer container and swirl in ⅓ of the fruit mixture with a spoon or knife. Repeat for the additional two layers.  (Note: I have tried adding raw fruit to the ice cream and it just froze into hard ice pieces, which is why I recommend cooking it first). 

Other Add in Options for Vanilla or Chocolate Ice Cream

- chopped heath bar

- chopped nuts

- marshmallows

- brownie bits

- fudge or caramel swirl

- chopped candy bars

Air Popped Kettle Corn

Warning! Potentially addictive recipe ahead ;) Quick, sweet and salty popcorn that you can make with your air popper! No need to shake a heavy pot over the stove or crisp in the oven, easy peasy! Perfect for movie night or to take to a party :)

---

1/2 cup unpopped kernels

¼ cup butter (room temp or cold is best, NOT FROZEN*)

¼ cup white sugar

¼-½ teaspoon salt

This recipe works best if you have a large container with a lid, with enough room for the popcorn to be well shaken, or a large paper bag. Pop popcorn in an air popper. 

Mix sugar, butter, and salt together in a small saucepan over low to medium low. Stir constantly until butter is melted, sugar is dissolved, and the mixture begins to simmer. Stir constantly for 30 seconds, the butter and sugar should be fully combined and creamy looking, and it should begin to thicken a little bit. Immediately drizzle over popcorn. Toss popcorn until evenly coated. Keep shaking/rotating the popcorn until it is cooled. This will prevent any large clumps from forming. Serve or keep in an airtight container.

*It’s best if your butter is as close to room temp as possible. If the butter is too cold or frozen it will take a long time to melt and the sugar will start cooking first with the butter taking too long to melt. This can result in some crystallization of the final product and a bad texture to the final coated popcorn.

Adapted from https://savorysweetandsatisfying.blogspot.com/2015/08/air-popped-kettle-corn.html?m=1

Rice Kristi Treats (Rice Krispie Treats)

My name is Kristi so I decided I will call them Rice Kristi Treats! I reveal the secrets to amazing rice krispie treat bars ... named brand cereal, more butter, more marshmallows, and a little bit of salt ;)

---

1/2 cup butter
10 oz mini marshmallows
1/4 teaspoon salt

6 oz crisped rice cereal (Rice Krispie named brand recommended for best flavor)

---

Melt first three ingredients in large pot over medium low, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat. Stir in cereal with large silicone scraper. Spread into greased 8x8 pan for tall bars or a 9x13 for shallow bars. Lightly press them down with greased spoon or fingers (don't over compress them). Let sit covered for 1 hour before cutting and serving. 

Adapted from original recipe here https://www.ricekrispies.com/en_US/recipes/the-original-treats-recipe.html

Easy Cream Cheese Danishes

Ingredients

1 can of refrigerated crescent roll dough (do not unroll)

Filling

4 oz (½ package) cream cheese

¼ cup sugar

2 teaspoons lemon juice

½ teaspoon vanilla

Glaze

½  cup powdered sugar

1/2 tablespoon milk

½ tablespoon soft butter spread

(may need to add a few more drops of milk or water to achieve desired consistency)

Directions

Using a ruler, mark ½ inch increments across the log of dough and cut slices with a sharp knife (I usually get 15-16 slices out of my roll). Lay out on parchment or silicone baking mat  lined cookie sheet. Use thumbs and forefinger to spread out dough edges a little and make an indent in the middle of the dough. 

Mix cream cheese, sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla with hand mixer until smooth and creamy. Scoop about ½ tablespoon of the cream cheese mixture into the middle of each slice. Spread out and flatten the cream cheese mixture with a small spoon if needed.  

Bake at 350 for 15 minutes or until lightly golden brown. 

Let cool for 10-15 minutes. Drizzle glaze over each danish. Serve immediately. 

 

ONE Fruit Cobbler

So easy to make! If you can remember the number ONE then you can make this recipe! Options for fruit are endless :) Makes a shallow cobbler in a 9x13, deeper cobbler in an 8x8, or 6 largish ramekins.

---

fruit (fresh or frozen), any of the below or mixture:

berries

peaches

cherries

canned apples

1 cup flour

1 cup sugar

½-1 teaspoons cinnamon (optional)

½-1 teaspoon salt (depending on if your butter is salted or not)

1 egg

¼ - ½ cup (½-1 stick) of butter, melted

Ice cream or whipped cream for serving

Preheat oven to 350 and grease a 9x13 (thinner topping), an 8x8 (thicker topping), or 6-1 cup sized ramekins. Fill bottom layer with fresh or frozen fruit. Combine flour, sugar, cinnamon (optional), salt, and egg. Stir with a danish whisk or long fork or hands until even crumbles form. Sprinkle evenly over the fruit. Pour melted butter (¼ cup for 8x8 pan or ½ cup for 9x13 pan)  evenly over topping. Bake 9x13 or 8x8 for 40-50 minutes until bubbly and topping is medium golden brown. Ramekins may be done in 30 minutes. Let cool for 20 minutes before serving. Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

Kristi's Kitchen Hacks #1 - Easy and Fast Way to Frost Sugar Cookies

Kristi's Kitchen Hacks #1 - Piping the frosting is the easiest and fastest way I've found to decorate sugar cookies when making for a party or event!

My cookie recipe here and my frosting recipe here!

Cream Puff Shells

So easy to whip up, I'm almost afraid to share the recipe :) Filling options are endless! The perfect dessert for special events, book club, or to share at a dinner party!

---

1/2 cup butter

1 cup water

1/2 tablespoon sugar

1 cup flour

4 eggs (room temp*)

---

Preheat oven to 375 and line cookie sheets with parchment or a silicone baking mat. Combine butter, water, and sugar in large nonstick saucepan over medium heat stirring frequently. Once it comes to a boil remove from heat and stir in flour. Bring pot back to burner on medium heat and stir constantly for 2 minutes with a spatula or wooden spoon, the dough should start forming a ball. Transfer dough to mixing bowl and let cool for 5 minutes. Turn on stand mixer or hand mixer and beat at low to medium speed adding one egg at a time until each is well blended in. Once all eggs are incorporated continue to beat for 30 seconds or until the dough is smooth and glossy.

Use a small to large cookie scoop to form cream puff shells on parchment or silicone baking mat lined cookie sheet. Make sure each shell is about 2 inches apart. If desired smooth any bumps on the top with a wet finger. Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. If you are cooking two trays, switch halfway through. Turn the oven off and open the door to release the heat and steam. Let the shells dry in the oven with the door closed for an additional 10 minutes. Transfer shells to cooling rack to cool completely. Store in airtight container until ready to serve. Fill with fillings options listed below. Can be spooned into after cutting a hole out of the top or piped in with a pastry bag.

Filling Options:

• chopped fruit
• sweetened whipped cream
• sweetened whipped cream mixed with cocoa powder or crushed freeze dried berries
• lemon curd

*Quickly get eggs to room temperature by immersing uncracked eggs in a bowl of warm water or cracking the eggs into a bowl and letting them sit for a few minutes.

Adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe: http://www.melskitchencafe.com/amazing-mini-cream-puffs/

Kristi's Pretty Dang Good Chocolate Chip Cookies

Rarely do I include a long introduction to my recipes … but this one deserves an exception, as I believe there are many of you out there that will relate! For over eight years, I've been longing to conquer a good chocolate chip cookie recipe, and in those eight years I haven’t made ANY progress. Why is the most classic and simple American cookie recipe so complicated to make?!?!? About once a year I decide I’m going to try again and I try a new recipe which is perfect pictures online and then every time it fails and they get worse and worse. They usually turn out flat, with greasy burned edges … and then I get mad and swear off trying again. Every time I come to the conclusion it’s a mystic voodo art that I will never achieve success at.

Well, a few weeks ago I got the urge again. While buying chocolate chips at Aldi, I ran into my friend Alice, dumped my cookie making woes on her, and she told me it took her about 18 years! She gave me some tips and encouraged me to keep trying. So at that moment I was fully motivated and decided the biggest problem with every recipe I’ve tried is that they never call for enough flour, but I didn't know what that magic amount of flour was.

Also, I am very picky. The perfect chocolate chip cookie will not only taste perfect, but look perfect, and it has to adhere to my standards for ingredients. It must be crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside, no flat edges, and uniformly thick with lots of nooks and crannies It must be made with butter (absolutely no shortening or Crisco sticks), the dough should not require refrigeration before baking, not make a huge batch, and not have weird numbers of measurements for the ingredients.

I started with the "Joy of Cooking" cookbook’s recipe, and after it turned out to make the worst, flattest, most greasy cookies ever, I literally had to double the amount of flour. I have no earthly idea how everybody (including every recipe I've tried from the internet with decent pictures) is making chocolate chip cookies with so little flour!!!

It took me about two weeks and over a dozen batches. I also gained 5 pounds in the process ... so you are welcome for that! Besides the flour, I tweaked the ratio of sugars, the amount of salt, and added a touch of cornstarch to stabilize the cookie and give it a little lift without adding too much flour. I feel that I have now achieved the best possible cookie that my hands and my kitchen can make, using unsalted butter as the only fat. I sure hope this recipe works for others too, because it is quite simple and easy to memorize.

If you can, please try this recipe out in your kitchen! Please follow it "to the T" the first time you make it (including ingredients, directions, and equipment), send me pictures, and let know how they turned out. If you have to make any changes, including type of pan or oven, higher altitude, etc., let me know those details too! I really want to know if this recipe is repeatable in other kitchens and altitudes. Please carefully read the entire recipe including all the instructions, notes, and thoughts. Chocolate chip cookie baking really is a science and there are so many variables, so I am trying to control for as many as possible with my instructions. Let the great chocolate chip cookie making challenge begin! 

Kristi's Pretty Dang Good Chocolate Chip Cookies (makes approx. 24 cookies)

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, naturally softened to room temperature
⅔ cup light brown sugar, packed
⅓ cup white sugar

1 large egg
½ tablespoon salt (1.5 teaspoons)
½ tablespoon vanilla (1.5 teaspoons)

2 cups unbleached flour (240 grams) (presifted is preferable)***
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cornstarch

1 cup regular size semi-sweet chocolate chips, chilled or frozen

Directions
Preheat oven to 375. Whisk together flour, cornstarch, and baking soda in a small bowl and set aside. In a medium bowl use hand mixer to combine butter and sugars on low speed until well creamed together, 1-1.5 minutes.

Add egg, salt, and vanilla. Mix with hand mixer on low for 20-30 seconds or until well combined. Add flour mixture and mix on low speed until all flour is incorporated and dough starts to pull together, about 20-30 seconds. Stir in chocolate chips by hand with a wooden spoon. Dough should not stick to your hands at all.

Measure 1.5 tablespoons of dough for each cookie (I have a small springed cookie scoop that measures 1 tablespoon, so I just overfill it a bit). Shape into rounded ball between hands, and place area with most chocolate chips clustered together on top. If there isn't an area with at least 3-4 chocolate chips clustered together, pull some chocolate chip from bottom, stick them next to some other ones, and reform the rounded ball.

Place on parchment paper lined aluminum baking sheets and bake one sheet at a time at 375 for 8-10 minutes, until tops just barely start showing blushing spots of golden brown. My oven take 9-9.5 minutes. Remove from oven and they will still be a little puffy. Let cookies sit on the tray for 3 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack, and they will flatten out with some nice nooks and crannies.


MUST DO’s

• ***If you don't have a scale to measure the flour to 240 grams, then be sure to stir the flour container well, spoon it into your measuring cup with a dinner or soup spoon, then level off the top with the handle of the spoon. This will ensure that your flour is measured correctly and you aren’t adding too much. 
• Let butter sit out on counter until room temp, soft. Place out night before or morning of if needed. Do not try to gently microwave it, just be patient and let it slowly soften itself on the counter. 
• Use chilled or frozen chocolate chips 

TIPS

• Refrigerate dough balls at cookie sheets for at least 10 minutes if kitchen is warm. (Since it is Spring right now, I have not made this recipe during the summer months yet). 
• If you want to make the cookies larger, use approximately 2 tablespoons of dough, roll into rounded ball, and flatten slightly after putting on baking sheet. 
• I have read that different flours may vary in their protein content, and that it could affect the outcome of your cookies, so that is something to keep in mind. I have read that King Arthur flour is very consistent, though I have not tried it yet. I used Walmart brand all purpose unbleached, presifted flour for these cookies. 
• These taste best about 15-20 minutes after coming out of the oven :)
• Try baking 1 or 2 cookies first, let them cool completely, evaluate, and then add more flour if needed. If they are too dry or thick, or don't flatten properly after cooling, try making them again and omit the cornstarch or reduce the flour by 1/4 cup. 

SUMMERTIME CONSIDERATIONS

• If you live somewhere where it is hot in the summer you may have problems with your butter being too soft and the cookies turning out flatter. In this case don't let the butter set out overnight, maybe just an hour or two.
• Also, you may need to refrigerate the dough before or after forming the balls. 
• However, I have found that the proper softness of the butter results in better cookies than refrigerating the dough alone.

EQUIPMENT

• 2 beater hand mixer 
• Electric oven (no convection capabilities). 
• Pans I used, so if you use a different type of pan they may turn out vastly different: Large jelly roll style aluminum cookie sheets (13x18 - 18 gauge aluminum). 
• Cookie sheets were lined with good quality parchment paper (Sam’s club brand). 

KITCHEN CONDITIONS

• Kitchen temperature was around 71 degrees. 
• I have a regular electric oven (no convection capabilities). 
• Elevation approximately 700 feet 
• Cookies were cooked one sheet at a time with the rack set in the middle of the oven. 

OPTIONAL VARIATIONS

• Sub semi-sweet chocolate chips for butterscotch, white, etc. 
• Add ½-¾ cup chopped pecans 
• For large bakery style cookies, measure out 3 tablespoons of dough. Roll it into a ball and flatten it into a hockey puck shaped disc. Bake for 9-11 minutes.

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 24
Amount per serving
Calories	138
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 6g	8%
Saturated Fat 3.5g	17%
Cholesterol 18mg	6%
Sodium 36mg	2%
Total Carbohydrate 19.4g	7%
Dietary Fiber 0.8g	3%
Total Sugars 11g
Protein 1.9g

Acknowledgements
My lab mate Melissa in grad school who got me started on this quest! My husband, kids, school teachers, bus drivers, neighbors, and friends that were "forced" to eat the test batches. My friend Alice who gave me tips and encouraged me on that fateful day in the baking aisle of Aldi. And my friend Apple, who ate the very cookies that are featured in these pictures ;) 

Inspired by Joy of Cooking, 75th Anniversary Edition, Chocolate Chip Cookies, page 766.

Sugar Cookies (Perfect Cutout Sugar Cookies)

This is the perfect dough, not sticky at all, doesn’t need to be refrigerated, and the cookies hold their shape when baked. They bake perfectly without browning. See notes below for extra tips. Also, one batch of my cream cheese buttercream frosting is just the right amount to frost this recipe.

---

1 cup butter, softened to room temp

1.5 cups powdered sugar

1 large egg

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

3 cups flour

---

Combine butter and sugar with paddle in stand mixer or with hand mixer until smooth. Add egg, vanilla, baking powder, and salt and mix until combined. Add flour and mix until dough starts coming together and forming a ball.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll out dough on lightly floured parchment paper. Thinner cookies will be on the crunchier side, thicker on the softer side. Cut out and transfer to parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 9-10 minutes at 350. Cool on cookie sheet or transfer to a cooling rack.

Makes 24-32 cookies (approximately 2.5 inches in diameter). Once cooled, frost with one batch of my cream cheese buttercream frosting

Notes:
- Be sure the butter is at room temp, set out the morning or night before to ensure it softens sufficiently.

- When measuring the flour be sure to stir the flour, spoon it into the measuring cup, and level it off to make sure you are adding the correct amount of flour.

- The final dough should not be sticky at all and should roll out easily on parchment paper with only a small amount of flour on the paper and rolling pin. If your dough turns out too sticky, something went wrong and if you have to add a lot more flour the cookies may turn out brittle.

- To keep cookies soft, store frosted or unfrosted in an airtight container. To make them crunchy leave them open on the counter for a day or so (that's how I like them ;))


Slightly adapted from CreatedBy-Diane.com Sugar Cookie Recipe.

https://www.createdby-diane.com/2011/07/sugar-cookie-recipe.html

Layered Tres Leches Cake

Easy but fancy dessert. Perfect for summer dinner parties and potlucks.

---

5 eggs, separated

1 cup sugar

1/3 cup milk (2% or whole)

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup flour

1/2 tablespoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 can evaporated milk

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 cup heavy cream

2-3 tablespoons sugar, to taste

fresh chopped strawberries (or other berries)

---

Preheat oven to 350. Generously spray 2 - 8 or 9 inch round cake pans with cooking spray (I use silicon pans). Beat egg whites on high until stiff peaks form, set aside. Beat egg yolks and sugar on high until pale yellow. Stir in milk and vanilla.

Stir flour, baking soda, and salt together and add to the yolk mixture, stir to combine. Gently fold in egg whites to rest of batter until just combined. Gently spread into the two pans. Bake for approximately 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and inserted toothpick is clean. Remove from oven, let cool, and poke holes all over each cake with a fork.

Combine evaporated and sweetened condensed milk in a pourable measuring glass and stir. Pour half of it over each cake (about 1 1/4 cup for each cake). Let cakes sit for about 20 minutes or until all the milk is absorbed. At this point you can also cover the cakes with plastic wrap and store in the fridge for up to one day.

Meanwhile, beat heavy cream and sugar on high until stiff peaks form. Spread layer of whip cream between the two layers of cake and on top. Sprinkle chopped strawberries over the whip cream. Serve immediately (room temperature is preferred).

Adapted from http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/tres-leches-cake/