Homemade Ice Cream

For many dessert lovers, it's the ultimate summer treat!

Each summer, Ben and Angela Farrell of Wilcox, Mo. (pop. 60), make homemade ice cream with their four children. It’s an old-fashioned treat for the Farrells and a family tradition that evolved with the invention of the hand-cranked freezer more than 160 years ago.

When Angela was growing up in nearby Burlington Junction (pop. 632), making ice cream was one of the simple pleasures that her family enjoyed and a highlight of the summer. Having dinner with her extended family and making ice cream went hand-in-hand.

"My birthday is July 8, and my folks would have my party for the Fourth (of July)," she says. "We always had homemade ice cream then."

Ben associates ice cream with summer holidays and church socials. Each family would bring their own homemade ice cream to the church along with their favorite toppings, such as fresh fruit.

"We made ice cream on special occasions," Ben recalls. "I can remember having a strawberry ice cream social at (Wilcox United Methodist) church."

Angela’s family made ice cream with an electric freezer. The women and the men had specific jobs.

"The girls—my mom, sister, grandma and aunts—would visit while we mixed up the ingredients in the kitchen, and then the men would take it from there," Angela recalls. "You had to listen. When the motor geared down that meant it was done. Now ours just shuts off when it’s done."

Ben’s family made ice cream with a hand-cranked freezer.

"We didn’t have ice cream a lot, simply for the fact we had to crank it," says Ben, laughing. "It took several guys a half-hour to an hour. It was done when you couldn’t crank it anymore."

Let’s make ice cream

On a hot, sunny summer day, the Farrell children, Jessica, 14, Cain, 10, Clayton, 7, and Drew, 5, gather around as their mom directs the ice cream making. Cain pours the sugar into a large metal bowl, and Drew helps open the boxes of pudding. Each child takes a turn with the wire whisk as the eggs, sugar, evaporated milk and instant pudding turn into a thick, yellow mixture.

"We’re messy cooks," says Angela when a drip darkens the tablecloth.

As Angela pours the mixture into the tall stainless steel canister, Clayton sneaks a taste by quickly sticking his finger into the stream of pudding. His mother scolds. Cain pours in the whipping cream as everyone watches intently. Angela adds just the right amount of vanilla and stirs the mixture with the large paddle. After the milk is added, Angela covers the canister and sets it in the redwood bucket. Ben fastens the motor on top. He pours in two bags of ice and sprinkles a layer of rock salt around it.

"If you put too much salt, it will freeze the outer layer, but not the inner layer," Angela says. "As we add more ice, we add more salt."

The ice cream motor hums. Jessica holds Drew on her lap as she swings on a tree swing hung on a high, sturdy branch. Cain rides a motorcycle around the perimeter of the large yard. The adults visit, talking loudly to be heard over the noise of the churning motor. About every 10 minutes Ben and Angela add more ice and salt. After 45 minutes, the motor stops automatically, and the peaceful country atmosphere is restored.

"Oh, looky there. It worked," says Angela as she lifts the lid.

The boys clap with enthusiasm. The kids don’t want to wait the extra hour until the ice cream has set up, so Angela removes the paddle and dips the soft ice cream with a long handled metal spoon. The kids drizzle chocolate syrup on top, sit down and dig in.

Without hesitation, Jessica says the cold, creamy frozen treat tastes "Great!"

Ice Cream & America - A History

 

In George Washington’s day, ice cream was made by what was called the "still pot" method. Milk, cream and sugar were put in a pewter bowl, and the bowl was set in a larger pot that was surrounded by ice and salt. It was stirred occasionally and took about four hours to harden. In the 18th century, ice and sugar were scarce and expensive.

"So ice cream was a food that was not enjoyed too often by too many," says Ed Marks, an ice cream historian in Lititz, Pa. (pop. 9,029).

In 1843, Nancy Johnson invented and patented the first hand-cranked ice cream freezer. The machine reduced freezing time significantly, from several hours to about 20 minutes.

"Suddenly, there was all kinds of (hand-cranked) freezer competition and a proliferation of stores selling ice cream," Marks says. "But basically, it was a retail business. You made it there and sold it there."

The process of making ice cream has changed greatly since the days of the hand-cranked freezer. Nowadays, a small ice cream shop can mix up 40-quart batches, while commercial manufacturers use a "continuous-freezer process" that can make several thousand gallons of ice cream a day with one freezer.

Significant Dates in Ice Cream History

1843—Nancy Johnson invents and patents the hand-cranked ice cream freezer.

1851—Jacob Fussell of Baltimore opens the world’s first wholesale ice cream factory.

1878—William Clewell of Reading, Pa., invents the first ice cream dipper. Before that ice cream was not dipped or scooped, but spooned.

1892—Chester Platt, owner of Platt & Colt’s Pharmacy in Ithaca, N.Y., pours cherry syrup over vanilla ice cream for a customer, who names the creation a Cherry Sunday, for the day on which it was served.

1896—New York City street vendor Italo Marchiony creates the ice cream cone and has it patented.

1904—Pharmacist David Strickler creates the first banana split in Latrobe, Pa.

1905—Walkers Ice Cream in Warren, Pa., discovers how to use an ammonia brine to operate its freezer, eliminating the need for ice.

1919—Prohibition arrives and beer makers become ice cream makers. Their advertising dollars promote American interest in ice cream.

Vanilla Ice Cream

• 6 eggs or 3 4-ounce packages of
• Egg Beaters
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 12-ounce can evaporated milk
• 3 3.4-ounce boxes instant vanilla pudding
• 2 tablespoons vanilla
• 1 pint whipping cream
• 1 quart of whole milk
• 2 cups rock salt
• At least 30 pounds of crushed ice

Mix eggs, sugar, evaporated milk and pudding in a large mixing bowl. Pour into 6-quart ice cream freezer canister. Add vanilla and whipping cream. Stir with paddle, and center paddle in can. Add milk just to fill line. Cover. Pack ice cream freezer bucket with ice and sprinkle rock salt on top. Follow manufacturer’s directions that came with ice cream freezer. When ice cream is done, remove paddle and replace cover. Discard ice. Place canister back in bucket, repack ice and salt, cover with a towel and let ice cream harden about 1 hour before serving.

Ice Cream Making Tips

• For the best volume and texture, make the ice cream mixture the day before and refrigerate overnight.
• Allow three hours for preparation, freezing and hardening.
• Keep the overflow hole in the ice cream freezer bucket clear so water doesn’t get into canister.
• Don’t add too much salt or the ice will melt too quickly.
• Take into account the heat of the day: the hotter the day, the more ice you will need.
• Add fruit or nuts after freezing, but before hardening.
• To prevent corrosion, clean salt off the metal parts of the ice cream freezer after use.

Amy Houts is a freelance writer in Maryville, Mo.

Upload Your Own Stories, Photos and Videos

Every week, American Profile magazine brings you stories that celebrate the people and places that make America great. Now we want to hear your stories and see your photos, videos and even audio.

 Start Uploading Now!

 

Discuss this Article