Frugal New England Kitchen: Homemade Ice Cream with Half and Half | Ice Cream Maker

For a cool summer treat, try making your own homemade ice cream or frozen yogurt. It's healthier, frugal and cost-saving too!

Homemade Ice Cream Mint Chocolate Chip with Dash Mug Ice Cream Maker

Have you seen the price of ice cream and frozen yogurt in the grocery stores? Or, have you gone to an ice cream shop to treat your family or grandkids and fallen over when going to pay? (I know, it's still worth the memories being made.)

For years I've been making homemade ice cream in the summer when the grandkids over. Always on the lookout for healthier choices, I'm now trying it with half and half rather than heavy cream. The cost of food has skyrocketed these last few years.

My favorite is a Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker which makes 1.5 quarts.

I recently got a Dash Mug Ice Cream Maker that comes with 2 mugs, since it's just the two of us now. I save the Cuisinart for when the kids are over, or want to send them home with a homemade treat.

Using the Dash is perfect for when you only have a hankering for a special flavor, or only want a small taste and portion control. The two mugs work out well when each person wants a separate flavor. They're small enough not to take up much room in the freezer when pre-chilling the bowls.

I picked up some Crofton ice cream containers for the freezer at Aldi. They were in sets that were cup size, pint size, and 1.5 quart size. The cup size is great for portion control and the quart size is perfect for when I have a crowd.

Check out my other recipes for Homemade Chocolate Ice Cream, Strawberry Rhubarb Ice Cream and Copycat Dole Pineapple Whip

Easy kitchen cleanup with Handmade Kitchen Dish Cloths from Moomettes Crochet Shop !

Here's my adapted Ice Cream Recipe made with Half and Half cream:
(For the Dash Mug, follow manufacturer's directions)

Homemade Ice Cream Using Half and Half

Ingredients

2 cups half and half (chilled)

¾ cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon xanthan gum

1 tablespoon vanilla extract (or 1 vanilla bean, split) (or extract of your choice)

Pinch of salt (optional)

Steps

Whisk together half and half and sugar: In a large bowl, whisk together the chilled half and half and sugar until the sugar dissolves completely.

Incorporate xanthan gum: Slowly whisk in the xanthan gum, making sure there are no clumps.

Add vanilla and salt (optional): Stir in the vanilla extract (or scraped vanilla bean seeds) and a pinch of salt for extra flavor (optional).

Chill the mixture: Cover the bowl and refrigerate the ice cream base for at least a few hours, or ideally overnight. This allows the xanthan gum to fully activate and thicken the mixture.

Churn the ice cream: Once chilled, follow your ice cream maker's instructions to churn the mixture. This process can take 15 to 20 minutes depending on your machine.

Freeze and enjoy! After churning, transfer the ice cream to an airtight container and freeze for at least 4 to 6 hours before scooping.

Notes

Using good quality vanilla extract or a real vanilla bean will significantly enhance the flavor of your ice cream.

For a richer ice cream, you can substitute some of the half and half with heavy cream.

Enjoy!

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Homemade Ice Cream with Half and Half | Ice Cream Maker | Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

Homemade Ice Cream Using Half and Half