What's better than ice cream? Homemade ice cream of course, and if it there's an easy way to get different delicious flavours, then all the better for it. Try this cheat's method and then tell us it's not the bomb!
We have an ice cream machine here at home. And just quietly, it’s a pain in the be-hind. You gotta make the custard base, cool it down, add the flavours and other yummy bits and then wait while it churns then sets: TME (too much effort). Well, it is nowadays. Before we had a child it was another one of those time-consuming things I loved to do which I fear I may never do again …
Anyhoo, it is still possible to put your own unique spin on a plain ice cream base with far less fuss. All you need is a tub of the best quality vanilla ice cream that you can afford, softened to room temperature … and an imagination!
I bought two litres of vanilla ice cream and divided it into three portions to make the following flavours:
1. Apricot and coconut ice cream
Ingredients
- 600ml vanilla ice cream, softened
- 1/2 cup dried apricots, finely diced
- 1/4 cup desiccated coconut
- 1/3 cup coconut cream
2. Pepita, peppermint and choc-chip ice cream
Ingredients
- 600ml vanilla ice cream, softened
- 1/4 cup pepitas
- 50g Lindt milk chocolate, pulsed into a fine meal
- 1/2 tsp natural peppermint essence
- 5 drops green food colouring (optional)
3. Chocolate peanut butter with Smarties
Ingredients
- 600ml vanilla ice cream, softened
- 1/4 cup Mayver peanut cacao spread
- 2 tbsp chia seeds
- 1/4 cup Smarties
Method
Stir the flavour additions in to the softened ice cream really well until it reaches a uniform consistency and even distribution of ingredients. Transfer to either individual serving containers or a shallow container and freeze until firm.
Fold a piece of sandwich wrap over the top and secure with a rubber band.
Notes
- You can use 1/4 cup of regular peanut butter and 1 tbsp of cocoa instead of the Mayver peanut cacao spread.
- Provided the ice cream doesn’t become too soft (runny) it should reset well. It won’t, however, be the original smooth texture – it will be a little grainier on the tooth but this is overshadowed by all the yummy extra bits inside!
- Anything heavy such as apricots, Smarties or chocolate pieces will sink to the bottom of the container you set it in. But if you like, you can peel away the paper cups and serve them on a dessert plate upside down.
- For bigger kids or grown-ups I filled standard-sized paper party cups, for little kids or just a delicate taster I filled cupcake patty cases and I also poured one entire batch into a shallow container which I turned out and sliced as you would an ice cream cake.
- Any of the following would make delicious combinations: chopped or pulsed nuts, linseeds or sunflower seeds; sultanas, currants, finely diced dates, prunes or figs; a ‘caramel’ made from stewed dates mashed and swirled through; fresh fruit or stewed fruit and, of course, assorted chocolates!
- Arrange a line up of ingredients for the kids to choose from and perhaps tell them they need to select at least one each from the nuts/seeds, fruit and chocolate for a healthy balance.
What’s your favourite ice cream flavour combo?
More ice cream recipes
Ice cream recipes from everywhere else
- Homemade ice cream recipes from Real Simple
- 18 creamy ice cream flavours you can make at home from Babble
- Ice cream recipes from Taste
- For more recipes click here to download E-book recipes
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