Vanilla Ice Cream

I have been making homemade ice for many years.  I remember as a kid making it using a hand-crank ice cream maker and snow.  I'm so glad someone invented the electric ice cream maker!  However, it was a lot of fun sitting on the kitchen floor and taking turns churning, even though Dad did most of the work.  I use Eggbeaters instead of real eggs because I do not cook my ice cream on the stove and I don't want to risk anyone getting sick.  

Eggbeaters equivalent to 6 eggs
2 1/4 cups sugar
6 cups heavy whipping cream
3 cups whole milk
1 1/2 tsp vanilla

Whisk Eggbeaters until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Slowly, whisk in the sugar.  Whisk until blended, about 1-2 minutes.  Add cream and milk.  Blend.  Pour into ice cream maker and churn per instructions for your maker.

After the ice cream is done churning, add any additional candies etc. that you like. 
Ice cream will be soft.  Freeze overnight before serving.

Some of our family favorites are:  Chocolate Heath Bits, Mini Chocolate Chips, Mint Chocolate Chip, Butterfinger candy bars, Recess Peanut Buttercups, Chocolate Chip Cookie dough (I called Pillsbury and they said their refrigerated dough is safe to eat raw), caramel and/or chocolate fudge Smucker's ice cream topping swirled into the ice cream. 

For the Butterfinger I use 10 of the .75 oz bars or 12 of the .65 oz size bars for a 1/2 gallon of ice cream. (break the candy bars into pieces)
For the Recess Peanut Buttercups I use about 12 Peanut Buttercups (cut into pieces) for a 1/2 gallon of ice cream.
For the Heath Bits, I use about 8 oz for a 1/2 gallon. 
For Mint Chocolate Chip, I use 2 cups Mini chocolate chips,  2 tsp peppermint extract and 1/2 tsp green food coloring for 1 gallon. (add the extract and food coloring before you place into the electric ice cream maker.  Fold in the chocolate chips after the ice cream is finished churning).

**The picture above is vanilla ice cream with Smucker's Caramel swirled into the churned ice cream.  I place the ice cream in the Tupperware container and gently swirl the caramel throughout the ice cream with a spoon.  The caramel tends to sink to the bottom more than the chocolate fudge does so you may need to remove the ice cream from the freezer after about 2 or 3 hours or so and gently fold the caramel throughout the ice cream again so it isn't all sitting on the bottom of the container.


Makes 1 gallon
 
Source:  Ben and Jerry's Homemade Ice Cream & Dessert Book 

Janice