On Thu 08 Sep 2005 07:37:48p, wrote in rec.food.cooking:
> Hi, I'm sure this topic has been addressed in one form or another on
> the net. I've done some searching and found many threads about ice
> cream.
Yep, you're right. Ice cream has been discussed to death here, but then,
so has everything else. :-) We just keep doing it.
> The question I pose is pretty specific (in my mind) though. Does
> anyone else remember the vanilla ice cream that little old ladies made
> at church functions / social events? I can envision a certain taste, a
> certain texture that I still long for to this day. It's been at least
> 15 years since I had such an ice cream.
This might be a tall order. I mean, we weren't there. There are thousands
of recipes for vanlla ice cream, many of which made by the little old
ladies at the church. They made the recipe, their husbands and kids
cranked the freezers. When I've tried to perfect a recipe for something I
remembered from childhood, it has sometimes taken years. Be prepared! :-)
> In an attempt to recreate my childhood memory, I bought a "bachelor"
> ice cream maker, VillaWare brand, but it's just not the same. Maybe
> the maker has nothing to do with it.
The method or equipment for freezing the ice cream has far less to do with
the final product than the recipe. Still, the freezing method/equipment
can make some difference. I'd try to nail down the recipe first.
> I'm using a simple vanilla recipe from a Ben and Jerry's recipe book.
> Heavy whipping cream, milk, vanilla, sugar, eggs. Very
> straightforward, but it comes nowhere near the taste I'm looking for.
A very good recipe, but most likely very wrong. It's highly doubtful that
the ice cream you remember had any whipping cream in it, and very possibly
no eggs. One reason was economics, as canned milk products were less
expensive. Another is that many recipes including eggs required that they
be cooked into a custard with milk - time consuming.
More likely, those ice creams made for church socials were made with
evaporated milk, regular whole milk, sugar, and vanilla. Also, very
possibly, sweetened condensed milk. Remember, this wasn't gourmet ice
cream, although it tasted pretty darned good to most folks.
Here is one "no cook" vanilla ice cream that does use eggs, but note that
they are not cooked into a custard. This was very common years ago. If
you're worried about salmonella, you can use pasteurized eggs.
6 eggs
1 c. sugar
1 (14 oz.) can condensed milk
2 (13 oz.) cans evaporated milk
2 tbsp. vanilla
whole Milk to fill ice cream freeze
Beat eggs with mixer about 5 minutes. Gradually add sugar, then add
condensed milk and beat for another 2-3 minutes. Add evaporated milk and
vanilla. Mix thoroughly. Pour into ice cream freezer and add milk to
freezer line and freeze.
Here'a another that uses no eggs, and it does have some whipping cream in
it, but most of the dairy is from condensed,evaporated, and whole milk.
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 pint heavy cream -- (whipping cream)
1 can sweetened condensed milk -- (eagle brand)
1 can evaporated milk -- (carnation)
1 tablespoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
while milk -- to make 3 qts total
Add all ingredients except the milk to a mixing bowl and mix well. Pour
into ice cream freezer and add milk to make a total of 3 quarts (to fill
line in a 4 qt. mixer) of liquid.
> If there are any old church ladies who know how to help me, I
> appreciate it! If I need to buy an old hand cranking machine and take
> an hour to prepare the mixture, I'm willing to do it.
I think the key flavor you're missing is coming from the canned milks. If
you determined the ice cream freezer you bought isn't giving you quite what
you want, you can get units like the old hand cranked machines that use a
motor, or with the crank.
HTH
--
Wayne Boatwright *¿*
____________________________________________
My doctor told me to stop having intimate dinners for four,
unless there are three other people.
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