I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream for HOMEMADE Ice Cream! (review and giveaway)

Disclosure / Disclaimer: I received this product, free of charge, from Wilks PR, for review purposes on this blog. No other compensation, monetary or in kind, has been received or implied for this post. Nor was I told how to post about it.

Did you know that July is National Ice Cream Month?

Sorta makes sense doesn't it?

Especially since more than 90 percent of the US population regularly enjoy ice cream during this hot Summer month!

We were recently sent a bottle of  Madagascar Bourbon pure vanilla to try to make our own ice cream recipe to help with the 'I'm Boreds" and to showcase what a SUPREME vanilla can do to even a simple recipe! Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract is used in gourmet restaurants around the world and is known for it's wonderful flavor. 

The vanilla is made from premium, hand-selected beans, that are cultivated on the Bourbon Island of Madagascar (hence the name!). Nielsen-Massey uses their own special cold extraction process to gently draw out and preserve the vanilla's over 300 flavor compounds (who knew?). The result is a sweet, creamy, mellow flavor with velvety after-tones, perfect for cooking and baking both sweet and savory dishes. An exceptional "all-purpose" vanilla, and one tablespoon of this vanilla extract is equivalent to one vanilla bean-making it perfect for 'gourmet recipes. that call for vanilla beans!

We don't have an ice cream maker, so we opted instead for the shake a bag method, which is great for keeping the kids occupied on a hot Summer day, and amazing them with your science skills! It's also a great chance to discuss how ice cream is made and how the shake a bag method works, while they are enjoying their ice cream!

Here is the simple Vanilla Ice Cream recipe:

Ingredients:

Ice cubes (enough to fill each gallon-size bag about half full) 
1 cup half and half
1/2 cup salt (Kosher or rock salt (ice cream salt) works best, but table salt will work, but make take longer to freeze up.)
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon Massey's vanilla extract
1 pint-size ziplock bag
1 gallon-size ziplock bag
Your favorite mixins such as chocolate chips, cereal pieces, or fresh fruit.

Directions: 
1. Combine the sugar, half and half, and vanilla extract in the pint-size bag and seal it tightly. 

2. Place the salt and ice in the gallon-size bag, then place the sealed smaller bag inside as well. 

3. Seal the larger bag, and hold with a towel (it gets VERY cold) and shake the bags until the mixture hardens (about 5 minutes). 

4. Feel the small bag to determine when it's done (should be like soft serve ice cream)

5. Take the smaller bag out of the larger one, add mix-ins, and eat the ice cream right out of the bag. Easy cleanup-just toss the bags!

Alternatives: You can substitute chocolate, strawberry or caramel syrup for the vanilla. You can also add 1/4 cp fresh fruit that has been finely chopped.


Want another fun way to make the Vanilla ice cream?


Try the Ice Cream in a Can, or Kick the Can method- Put ice cream base in a small coffee can, which rests in a larger coffee can, surrounded by rock salt and ice. Seal the tops and roll the can around. The kids really LOVE this method. You can also use jars instead of cans, but you just have to be more careful!

Now ready for an adult ice cream?

Coconut Vanilla Ice Cream

Ingredients
½ cup heavy cream
¾ cup caster sugar* (baker’s sugar- Caster sugar can be difficult to find. To make a superfine sugar, add granulated sugar to a mini food processor bowl and pulse until sugar is a superfine, but not a powdery consistency.
1 tablespoon Nielsen-Massey Pure Vanilla Extract
½ cup sweetened flaked coconut, toasted (garnish).

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. On a small rimmed baking sheet, evenly spread coconut; place in oven and toast, about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, as coconut will toast quickly.
2. In a small bowl, whisk cream, sugar and vanilla extract until combined; set aside.
3. Add coconut milk to a large glass measuring cup; add cream-sugar mixture and stir.
4. You can make via stove and freezer, or in ice cream maker-
a. Make the custard base above and then store in the freezer in a plastic container. Every half-hour, give the ice cream a vigorous stir, until you have an ice-cream-like consistency.
b.Assemble ice cream maker and pour ice cream mixture through filling hole. For the perfect ice-cream follow the manufacturer’s appliance directions.
.


 Our pure vanilla extracts have a nearly unlimited shelf life as the alcohol within the products helps preserve them. In fact, they will continue to mellow and develop flavor as they age just as a fine wine or liquor would. If, over time, the extract starts to look cloudy or you see sediment at the bottom of the bottle, this is because the flavor matter has dropped out of suspension. This is normal, and you just need to shake the bottle to put the flavoring material back into suspension.

You can purchase the vanilla at your local gourmet store, or online or via mail. Check out the store locator for your local store!



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