A Half Gallon of Ice Cream Twenty-Five Years in the Making

It was one of those "antique" stores that looked more like a depository for junk. Old rusted signs all over the outside, "stuff" spilling out of the doors and all along the walkway, and it didn't say "Come on in." To me, that is. To Ron, it beckoned. He insists that these kinds of stores are full of hidden treasures. And in this store, he found this little half-gallon ice cream freezer. 

That was about twenty-five years ago.

Last weekend Ron decided that we needed to try it out.

So we put in this and that, and we cooked and stirred and Ron churned our inaugural batch! 

Strawberry ice cream was on the menu. Yum!

I sort of used Pioneer Woman's recipe for Vanilla Bean Ice Cream. Except I am out of vanilla beans so I used vanilla extract. And I halved the recipe. And I added some mashed, lightly sugared strawberries. But it was kind of the same thing. 

Can you tell how small this freezer is? (Can you tell how pleased Ron is? He is all about homemade ice cream!) 

Smooth and creamy and refreshing on a humid Sunday afternoon. 

I opened up my package of strawberry napkins from Target's Dollar Spot and we had a little party. Just the four of us. 

A party that was twenty-five years in the making. 

STRAWBERRY ICE CREAM

makes one half-gallon*

Ingredients:
1½ cups half-and-half

1 cup sugar

4 egg yolks

1½ cups heavy whipping cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup sliced, lightly sugared strawberries, mashed


Directions:

In a heavy-bottomed sauce pan, heat half-and-half and sugar over medium heat, turning off when fully heated.

In stand mixer, beat egg yolks until pale yellow and slightly thick.

Temper egg yolks by slowly pouring some of the hot half-and-half mixture into the eggs while the mixer is running. Then pour the egg yolks into the saucepan of half-and-half mixture.
Cook on medium low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is very thick and custardy.

Pour hot custardy mix into the can of the ice cream freezer.
Add heavy whipping cream and vanilla.
Add mashed strawberries. (These were already capped, sliced, lightly sugared and allowed to macerate in the fridge.)

Place dasher in the can; attach lid.

Surround the can with crushed ice and rock salt; crank until firm!
(Or follow the manufacturer's instructions for your electric freezer.)

(It would have been prettier with a few more strawberries on top, but we didn't wait for that! It was a hot day and we were trying to eat it before it melted!)

*Double ingredients for a one gallon ice cream freezer.