The Secret to Perfect Homemade Ice Cream

I have a problem. It's a serious problem, one that has cursed my thighs and waistline since I was five.

I am Robin King and I am an ice cream-aholic. 

There. I said it. I love ice cream. Cones, sundaes, shakes, with or without toppings, it doesn't matter. I love it. My favorite ice cream of all time is HOMEMADE! My problem is so bad that I currently have 3 different ice cream makers and I'm always on the lookout for another.

Luckily, our Delicious Reads book this month, The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker, gives me the perfect excuse to pull out my ice cream makers and gain a few pounds. One of the characters in the book, Mahmoud Saleh is an itinerant ice-cream vendor in 1899 New York. Now we all don't need to be old school like Saleh with an old fashioned ice cream churn, but EVERYONE can have successful homemade ice cream.

An old-fashioned wooden ice cream churn
like Saleh used in The Golem and the Jinni (source).

Since I've been around the block a few times when it comes to homemade ice cream, I'm going to give you my best kept SECRET to the perfectly creamy homemade ice cream. It's not the mixer. It's not the cream or sugar. It's not the milk or the vanilla. It's the . . .

SALT!!

Yes, I said SALT. 

Now I'm not talking about the pinch of salt that you add to the actual ice cream. I'm talking about the ROCK SALT that you use with your ice in your ice cream maker. The salt isn't as important as how you use it. In fact, to save money, I buy one of those big 50 pound bags of water softener rock salt for about $5 and keep it in a 5 gallon bucket. It keeps for years and you don't have to worry about how much you use. Because the real key to homemade ice cream is all about using A LOT of rock salt.

All of you science geeks out there know that the reason we use rock salt is to lower the freezing point of the ice to freeze the cream. Now every ice cream maker is a little different, but here is my rule: for every 3 inches of ice, add 1/2 cup of rock salt.  Just keep layering until you reach the top of your canister, but don't cover it.

If you pack the salt and ice correctly (and add a layer as the ice melts), you should get perfectly creamy ice cream in 30-45 minutes for a 4-6 quart canister. Just follow the instructions that come with your ice cream maker!! If you want ice cream that works for a cone, don't forget the RIPENING & HARDENING STEP. This just means that you remove the beater, put the top back on, cork/plug the hole at the top, put more ice and salt around the canister, and cover with a towel.

Here's a good guide as to how much ice and salt you need:

Freezer Size	Ice for Making	Ice for Ripening	Rock Salt Making	Rock Salt Ripening
4 qts.	10 lbs.	5 lbs.	2-1/2 cups	2-1/2 cups
5 qts.	15 lbs.	5 lbs.	3 cups	3 cups
6 qts.	20 lbs.	5 lbs.	3-1/2 cups	3-1/2 cups

Now you may be thinking this all sounds a bit complicated, but once you've done it once, it is super easy and fun. And yummy! 

But, Robin, you may be asking, what about for those of us that are too scared or lazy to use ice and salt. Can we still enjoy homemade ice cream? Why, yes. Yes, you can. In fact, one of my favorite ice cream makers is a 1.5 quart ice cream maker that requires no ice or salt. The bottom part stays in the freezer until you are ready to use it. It has a special solution that freezes perfectly every time. All you have to do is put in your ingredients. It is ready in 20-25 minutes and makes enough for 2-3 people.

My favorite no-ice-no-salt Ice Cream Maker!

So what is my secret for using an ice cream maker like this? Use the instructions that comes with it!! I have found that if I use the recipes that come with my maker and follow it to a T, the ice cream is perfect every time.

My favorite recipe is this one (I double, triple or quadruple this one depending on the machine I use:

Easy Vanilla Ice Cream

(for 1.5 Quart Capacity)

1 1/2 cup whole milk

3/4 cup sugar

dash salt

1 cup half and half

1/2 cup whipping cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine milk and sugar. Stir with a wire whisk until sugar is dissolved. Stir in half and half, whipping cream and vanilla. Pour into canister and freeze. 

**If you want to do an Oreo or Candy Bits flavor, just add 1-2 cups AFTER the mixture is thick (I usually do it the last 2-3 minutes). For fruit flavoring, like Strawberry, I like to add 2 cups of pureed fruit at the beginning and then at least 1 cup of chunks AFTER as well. For chocolate ice cream, combine 3 ounces of chopped semisweet chocolate with the milk and sugar, put in the microwave for 2 minutes and stir. Return to microwave in 30 second intervals until the chocolate is melted. Then stir in the half and half, whipping cream, and vanilla. You may want to refrigerate it before using the ice cream maker.

Now pull out that ice cream maker (or borrow one) and make at least one batch of ice cream this summer. Your spouse will thank you, your kids will lick their bowls, and your waistline, well, it will keep you warm in the winter.

Source

XoXo, Robin

P.S. For those awesome people that made it to the bottom of this post, you get to be the first to know that I will be doing a COVER REVEAL next week for my book Remembrandt which will be coming out Fall 2014!!

I Have an Announcement

No, I'm not pregnant. We're not moving. I'm not going back to school (yet) and no one is graduating from anything.

But...

I have butterflies in my stomach just thinking about it. Are you sitting down? 

I just signed my first writing deal! A publisher wants to publish my 1st book, Remembrandt (a young adult romantic suspense novel). Whoo hoo!!

I sent Walnut Springs Press my manuscript over 18 months ago and a few months back they contacted me asking if it was still available. Three weeks later I signed the contract!

Now before you all think I'm going to be famous and have movie deals or clothing lines and a fan club, let me clear it up for you. It is a smaller publisher. The book will be available online in print or electronic form (Amazon and Deseret Book) and at local bookstores, mostly Deseret Book, Costco and any others that accept books from Brigham Distributing.

I am hoping this is a step in the right direction in my writing career (can I call it that yet?). I'm just super excited that a publisher actually liked my book and wants to get it out there for me. If things go well, they would also like to publish more books in this series.

The past few weeks have been a little crazy with meeting the publisher, going over contracts, and helping prepare sample covers and ideas (all while taking care of 5 kids, no biggie). I even did a photo shoot for the book cover.  The next few months will be filled with revisions and grueling edits.

My First EVER manuscript all printed out, crisp and clean.
From what I hear, it will soon be plastered with pen marks, pages ripped and torn out, and tears shed.

If all goes as planned, Remembrandt should come out this November. THIS NOVEMBER! It's all a little fast and I am really nervous, but it's my foot in the door and I'm hoping it will open up my writing opportunities for the future.

Wish me luck!

Robin

Delicious and Healthy 4th of July Foods

As you all know by now, writing and reading are two passions of mine. I also LOVE food. I've always believed there is a healthy relationship between books and food. Palatable pages and delectable foods, one cannot exist without the other. Or can they?

With Independence Day around the corner, family and friends coming over to celebrate the big day, you may not have time to pull out The Goldfinch to finish those last few pages (Delicious Reads June book) or crack open The Golem and the Ginni (I get to moderate this book for our July book club!). But you HAVE to make time for that 4th of July food that will make everyone's mouths water. Now I know you want to wow your guests with your PATRIOTIC creativity without adding extra pounds. Here are some of my favorites:

Who doesn't like a salad that has a burst of flavor and color? This Red, White, and Blue Summer Salad is a crowd favorite and light on the calories.

Aren't these Red, White, and Blue Deviled Eggs fabulous looking? Everyone loves a classic deviled egg--adding some food coloring to make these into a bright holiday food will delight your guests and your mouth.

Blue Berries & Watermelon

Simple, fast, and healthy!

You can't have a 4th of July meal without the "rockets red glare." Not only are these Rocket Dogs tasty, but you can use turkey hot dogs (I love the Sara Lee brand!) and low fat Pillsbury dough to make these on the healthy side.

Use your cookies cutters and turn your watermelon into stars for a Patriotic Fruit Salad.

Or make them into 4th of July Wands. I know my daughter would love to wave these around before eating them up!

Why not make your vegetable tray fit the holiday as well? There are plenty of red and white vegetables that would make this American Flag Vegetable Tray perfect for your table. Make your own dill dip with fat free sour cream, light mayonnaise, and fat free cream cheese to keep the calorie count down. Or just buy a premade dip to make this fast and easy.

No one can resist this Festive Fourth of July Trifle from Craftaholics Anonymous. To make it even healthier, use fat-free sour cream and sugar-free jello. 

**Start this one a day or two in advance so each layer can set up properly**

There are so many healthy salsas out there. Why not make it red, white, and blue too? This Blueberry, Strawberry, and Jicama Salsa will add a little spice to your party. Buy some blue corn chips or multigrain baked chips from Costco. You can also make your own healthy chips by cutting corn tortillas with a pizza cutter, spray lightly with cooking spray, sprinkle with salt, and place them in a 400 degree oven for 8-12 minutes.

 I hope you enjoy your Independence Day this Friday and if you do have time, check out some recommendations of Summer Reads from my friend Brooke to make your day perfectly delicious.

Robin