Homemade Ice Cream Treats

In 1984, Ronald Reagan designated July as National Ice Cream Month and the third Sunday of the month as National Ice Cream Day!

This week, we honor that - how can we not? Enjoy some fun, tasty, refreshing, and homemade ice cream treats!

Caramel Pull Aparts

Prep: 15 min

Cook: 18 min

Total: 33 min

Servings: 8

1/2 C. butter

1 C. ice cream

1 C. packed brown sugar

3 containers Pillsbury biscuits, cut into quarters 7.5 oz each

2 tsp. cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375°.

Grease a 9 x 13 pan with non-stick cooking spray. Place quartered biscuits in pan. Sprinkle biscuits with cinnamon.

In a small saucepan melt butter, ice cream and brown sugar. Bring to a boil. Pour over biscuits.

Bake biscuits in oven for 18 minutes are until they are golden brown and cooked through. Cool 5 minutes. Flip pan over onto serving platter.

Ice Cream Bread

Prep Time: 5 min.

Cook Time:  40min.

Total Time: 45 min.

Serves:  8

1 pint ice cream any full-fat flavor, softened

1-1/2 C. self-rising flour

baking spray

Preheat oven 350º. Spray a 9x5 loaf pan with baking spray. 

In a large bowl combine melted ice cream and self-rising flour. Beat with an electric mixer until well combined. Pour batter into loaf pan.

Bake 40 minutes. Insert a wooden toothpick in the center to check for doneness. Allow the bread to cool for 10 minutes and remove it from the loaf pan. Serve and enjoy. Try different flavors of ice cream to create new and exciting flavors!

NOTE: Use self-rising flour!

Ice Cream Cupcakes

Level: Easy

Total: 20 min.

Active: 10 min.

Servings: 1 cupcake

 Bittersweet chocolate 1 oz

cupcake liners

Ice Cream/any flavor

sprinkles

Brush melted bittersweet chocolate on the inside of a foil cupcake liner and freeze 10 minutes. Add 2 more layers of melted chocolate, freezing after each. (You will need 1 ounce of chocolate for each cup.) Peel off the liners and fill the cups with ice cream. Pipe whipped cream on top, decorate with sprinkles and return to the freezer.

Ice Cream Sandwich Cake

Prep Time: 30 min.

Additional Time: 30 min.

Total Time: 1 hr.

Servings: 12 

24 vanilla ice cream sandwiches, unwrapped

2 (8 oz.) containers whipped topping (such as Cool Whip®), thawed

1 (12 oz.) jar hot fudge ice cream topping, warmed

1 (12 oz.) jar caramel ice cream topping

1/4 C. chopped pecans

Arrange a layer of ice cream sandwiches in the bottom of a 9x13-inch dish; top with a layer of whipped topping, hot fudge topping, and caramel topping.

Repeat layering with remaining ice cream sandwiches, whipped topping, hot fudge topping, and caramel topping, ending with a top layer of whipped topping. Sprinkle with pecans.

Cover the dish with aluminum foil and freeze until set, about 30 minutes. Slice and serve with your favorite toppings!

Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream Bars

Level: Easy

Total: 6 hr. 35 min.

(includes freezing time)

Active: 35 min.

Servings: 16 

One (10-oz.) box shortbread cookies, such as Lorna Doone®

One (1.2-oz.) package freeze-dried strawberries 

2 T. light-brown sugar 

Kosher salt 

6 T. unsalted butter, melted 

One (14-oz.) can sweetened condensed milk 

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 

2 C. cold heavy cream 

One (18-oz.) jar strawberry jam  

Line a 9-by-9-inch metal baking pan with foil, leaving a 2-inch overhang on all sides.

Put 2 oz. of the shortbread cookies (about 8 cookies) in a resealable bag and crush into coarse crumbs with a rolling pin. Transfer to a medium bowl. Repeat with 1/2 C. of the freeze-dried strawberries. Add to the bowl with the crushed cookies. Mix to combine and set aside. 

Add the remaining 8 oz. of the shortbread cookies (about 32 cookies), the light-brown sugar and 1/4 tsp. salt to a food processor. Process until finely ground. Add the melted butter and process until the crumbs are coated. Press the mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. 

Pour the jam over the crust and spread into an even layer. Cover and freeze while preparing the ice cream. 

Pulse the remaining 1 C. freeze-dried strawberries in a spice grinder until finely ground. Transfer to large bowl. Add the sweetened condensed milk, vanilla and 1/4 tsp. salt and stir to combine. 

Whip the cream with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until firm peaks form, about 2 minutes. Fold about 1 C. of the whipped cream into the condensed milk mixture with a rubber spatula until combined, then fold the lightened mixture into the whipped cream until well blended.  

Pour the cream mixture over the jam and spread evenly. Top with the crushed shortbread-strawberry mixture. Cover and freeze until solid, at least 6 hours and up to overnight. 

Using the foil overhang as handles, lift the ice cream out of the pan and cut into 16 pieces. 

The Frozen S’more

Level: Intermediate

Total: 4 hr. 50 min.

(includes freezing time)

Active: 50 min.

Servings:  9 

Vegetable oil, for brushing

2-1/2 C. vanilla ice cream

4 C. mini marshmallows

3 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped

1 tsp. light corn syrup

1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Kosher salt

1/3 C. heavy cream

9 graham crackers, split into 18 squares (1 sleeve)

Preheat the broiler and brush a baking sheet with some vegetable oil. Let the ice cream sit at room temperature until soft. Chill a medium stainless-steel bowl in the freezer.

Scatter 2 C. of the marshmallows on the prepared baking sheet and broil, rotating the pan as needed, until very dark and toasted, 3 to 4 minutes. Let cool. Scrape up the marshmallows, transfer them to a cutting board and roughly chop (lightly oil the blade of your knife to help keep the marshmallows from sticking). Transfer the soft ice cream to the frozen bowl, add the chopped marshmallows and stir to combine. Transfer the ice cream to a resealable container and freeze until solid, about 3 hours. 

Put the chocolate, corn syrup, vanilla and a pinch of salt in a medium bowl. Heat the cream in a microwave-safe bowl in the microwave until very hot, about 1 minute. Pour over the chocolate and let sit for 2 minutes. Stir until all the chocolate is melted and smooth. Pour into a small baking dish and refrigerate until set, about 25 minutes (the chocolate mixture should still be soft and scoopable). 

Lay the graham crackers out on a baking sheet in a single layer. Spoon a teaspoon of the chocolate mixture onto each graham cracker and gently spread it out to the edges, being careful not to break the cookies.

Let the ice cream soften slightly at room temperature. Top a graham cracker with about 1/4 C. of the ice cream. Sandwich with a second graham cracker, chocolate-side down, and press some of the remaining untoasted marshmallows into the sides to decorate. Repeat with the remaining graham crackers and immediately freeze until solid, about 1 hour. Once frozen solid, wrap individually and freeze for up to 1 week.

Chai Tea Ice Cream Recipe

Prep Time: 5 min.

Cook Time: 15 min.

Chill Time:  4 hrs.

Total Time: 4 hrs., 20 min.

Servings: 8 

2 C. heavy cream

1 C. milk

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ginger powder

1/2 tsp. cardamom powder

1/4 tsp. star anise powder

1/4 tsp. clove powder

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 tsp. salt

6 egg yolks

3/4 C. white granulated sugar

Combine the cream and milk in a small pot and add the chai spices, vanilla extract, and salt. Bring to a simmer, then remove from heat.

Mix egg yolks and sugar in a mixing bowl, and continue stirring until it turns pale yellow. Slowly add one-third of the hot cream mixture into the eggs and sugar while whisking continuously. Then, return the pot to medium-low heat and whisk the yolk mixture back into the pot with the cream.

Continue stirring frequently and cook gently, for about 5-7 minutes, until a custard forms. An instant-read thermometer will read 170°F. Otherwise, you’ll know it’s thick enough when the mixture coats the back of your spoon and a clean line remains in the custard after swiping a finger across the top.

Strain hot custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Let it cool to room temperature before covering it with plastic wrap and setting it in the freezer to chill for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Finally, transfer to an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Quote of the Week:

“Don’t let your ice cream melt while you’re counting someone else’s sprinkles.” 

~ Akilah Hughes