No-churn vanilla ice cream is possibly the fastest and most effective way to get the ice cream of your dreams, as soon as possible. A handful of ingredients and a freezer is just about all you need. Get ready to make ice cream every day, for the rest of the summer.
Adapted from Dana Pollack | Dana’s Bakery | Page Street Publishing, 2021
Vanilla bean ice cream was and still is a staple in my house. The vanilla base can be transformed into any flavor, savory or sweet, to match your mood or whatever you’re pairing it with!–Dana Pollack
HOW DOES NO-CHURN ICE CREAM WORK?
It would be lovely to live in a world where ice cream machines were inexpensive, easy to store, and didn’t require you to plan ahead. No-churn ice cream has all of those things and is pretty darn delicious too but it works in a slightly different way. Sweetened condensed milk helps get the smooth consistency we all want in our frozen treats. Added sugar brings down the freezing point which helps to keep the ice cream from freezing rock hard, and because it’s been cooked, sweetened condensed milk has less water content, so you don’t get a lot of ice crystals in your finished product. Finally, making sure to give it a really good mixing before freezing is key. An ice cream maker constantly churns the cream, adding air to make it light and fluffy. With no-churn ice cream, this happens when you use your electric mixer—and it happens a lot faster.
No-Churn Vanilla Ice Cream
Not everyone has an ice cream maker lying around, so I adapted this recipe so that it can be made anywhere and at any time! Start with vanilla bean and work your way through other flavors.
-
In a food processor, combine the granulated sugar, vanilla seeds, and the empty vanilla bean pods. Pulse until the pods break down. Sift to remove any excess pods and measure out 1/4 cup (50 g) of vanilla sugar. You’ll have additional vanilla sugar that you can store in an airtight container and use for a different recipe.
-
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip the cream with the 1/4 cup of vanilla sugar on medium-high until small to medium peaks form, about 8 minutes.
To avoid being sprayed with whipped cream, cover the edge of the bowl while the cream is being whipped.
-
In a separate bowl, combine the whole milk, vanilla extract, salt, and condensed milk. Gently whisk the whipped cream into the milk mixture.
-
Pour the mixture into a 9-by 5–inch (23-by 13–cm) loaf pan. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze until the ice cream is fully set, at least 4 hours. Serve immediately from the freezer.
Serving: 0.5cupCalories: 297kcal (15%)Carbohydrates: 37g (12%)Protein: 2g (4%)Fat: 16g (25%)Saturated Fat: 10g (63%)Polyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 58mg (19%)Sodium: 33mg (1%)Potassium: 87mg (2%)Sugar: 36g (40%)Vitamin A: 649IU (13%)Vitamin C: 1mg (1%)Calcium: 73mg (7%)Iron: 1mg (6%)
Originally published July 21, 2021
If you make this recipe, snap a photo and hashtag it #LeitesCulinaria. We’d love to see your creations on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
