Ice Cream in a Bag or Coffee Can

July 9, 2008

What better way to cool off on a hot summer day than with some homemade ice cream? Have the kids make it themselves for the treat to be even sweeter. Here are two very easy ways for your children to have fun making it.

Ice Cream In A Bag

This no-cook recipe for vanilla ice cream makes about eight half-cup servings.

Ingredients:

2 cups heavy whipping cream
2 cups half-and-half cream
1/2 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 bag crushed ice
4 cups coarse salt

For each kid you’ll need:

2 pint-size resealable plastic freezer bags
1 gallon-size resealable plastic freezer bag
Gloves or towel to protect fingers

Directions:

1. In a pitcher or large measuring cup, stir together the whipping cream, half-and-half, sugar, and vanilla extract until sugar has dissolved.

2. Pour about 1/2 cup of mixture into a pint-size plastic bag and seal carefully, squeezing out extra air. Place each sealed bag into a second pint-size bag, again squeezing out extra air. Seal carefully.

3. Fill each gallon-size plastic bag about halfway with ice and add 1/2 cup coarse salt. Place one sealed small bag into the large bag, squeeze out most of the air, and seal the large bag.

4. Wear mittens or thick gloves, or wrap the bag in a towel to protect hands against the extreme cold. Shake and massage the bag for about 5 minutes or until mixture thickens into ice cream. Add more salt and ice to the outer bag if ice cream hasn’t formed after 10 minutes of continuous motion.

5. Remove the outer pint-size bag before you open the inner bag so you don’t get any of the salty ice on your ice cream!

Coffee Can Ice Cream

The other option is to use two coffee cans instead off bags.

You will need:

Two clean, empty coffee cans. Make sure one is smaller than the other one and will fit easily inside.
The above recipe

DIrections:

Place the ice cream mixture in the smaller coffee can (make sure it’s clean) and seal with the lid on tightly.
Place the smaller can in the larger can. Pour the ice and salt around the smaller can making sure it is more or less in the center.
Seal the larger can with its lid tightly and roll it around for about a half hour. Let them sit on the floor and roll the can between them or let them play kick the can with it. When it’s done you’ll have a nice container to keep the ice cream in!