One thing I remember growing up was making ice cream on the Fourth of July. We made it every year. Our ice cream churn was hand cranked, and I would sit on the top while my dad cranked it to hold it down. The cranking took forever and as the ice cream froze it became harder and harder to crank. Dad would replace the melted ice every so often and add a little more rock salt to the churn. When we got an ice cream churn with an electric crank to do the cranking It was not as much fun. Once it was done, we would immediately eat it. It was the best soft serve ice cream. Sweet, full of vanilla, and melted quickly. The closest store bought I have found is Chick Fil-a’s ice dream.
This week’s recipe is for that ice cream. My mom got it from our preacher in Toledo, Ohio. Summer meant Sunday evening ice cream socials at the church. There would be 8 or 9 ice cream churns cranking away in the church yard while we kids ran around getting our church clothes dirty. Every family had their own recipe. Some were made with eggs in a custard base, and some were flavored with fruits or chocolate chips. My family always made vanilla. My mom would smash up strawberries to put on top when it was finished. Our churn was a 6-quart churn that used rock salt and ice to freeze the ice cream base. Modern countertop ice cream makers have a 1.5 to 2 quarts insert that you freeze before churning the ice cream base. I have included the amounts for both sizes in this recipe.
Vanilla ice cream –1 quart, (4-6 quart)
4 cups (10 cups) half and half -Do not use fat free ½ & ½.
¾ cup (3 cups) granulated sugar
1 Tablespoon (3 tablespoons) vanilla extract
1 pinch (¼ teaspoon) salt
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the half and half and sugar until the sugar is dissolved. Stir in a pinch of salt and the vanilla. Pour into ice cream maker and churn according to the directions of your machine. The ice cream will have a soft texture immediately after churning, similar to soft serve. It’s delicious that way, but I like it even better after 2+ hours in the freezer. Use a spatula to transfer the soft ice cream from the ice cream maker into a quart-size airtight container. If you like, press a piece of plastic wrap or foil into the top of the ice cream to prevent ice crystals from forming. Freeze for at least 2 hours and for up to a month. The ice cream will be easy to scoop on the first day, but after that, you may need to let it sit at room temperature for several minutes before you scoop it. It gets firmer after more time in the freezer. Always use full fat half & half; it’s the fat content that makes the ice cream creamy.
