Saturday's Food Tip: Make Ice Cream in a Coffee Can

Did you know July is National Ice Cream month?

Make this delicious frozen treat yourself this month. You don't even need an ice cream freezer. You just need a couple of coffee cans. And, if your kids have run out of interesting things to do this summer, let them make tonight’s dessert. They'll be thrilled!



My sons loved to make this ice cream in a can when they were growing up. They still enjoy making it now that they’re adults (I do, too). There’s just something magical about putting a bunch of liquid ingredients into a coffee can and rolling the can around to create ice cream, I guess. Plus, there’s a real sense of accomplishment when you open the can to reveal a delicious frosty treat you made yourself, without an ice cream freezer or any other modern day convenience.

Actually, you need 2 coffee cans (with lids) to make this ice cream. The ingredients for the ice cream will be poured into a 1 pound coffee can. But you’ll need a 3 pound coffee can, too.

For enough ice cream for 4 to 6 people you’ll also need:

1 pint of half and half
1 egg, beaten (optional)
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Variations:
For chocolate ice cream, add 2 Tbsp. chocolate syrup
For strawberry ice cream, add 1/4 c. chopped strawberries

Help the children pour all of the ingredients into the 1 pound coffee can and mix well. Put the lid on the can and tape it shut with some duct tape. Place this coffee can into the 3 pound coffee can. Fill the remaining space in the 3 pound coffee can with ice and rock salt, then put the lid on this can, too.

Here’s the fun part for the kids. Have 2 children sit on the sidewalk (or the driveway) about 3 to 4 feet apart and roll the can(s) back and forth between them for about 10 minutes.

Open both cans and check to see if the ingredients in the smaller can are starting to freeze. The mixture probably won't be ready yet, but you can gauge about how much longer the children will need to roll the can(s).

Replace the lid and the tape on the smaller can, then shut the larger can and have the children roll the can(s) for another 8 or 10 minutes before checking the ingredients again.

It usually takes at least 20 minutes of rolling the can(s) back and forth for the ingredients to freeze solidly into ice cream.

Once the ice cream is fairly solid, spoon it into bowls or ice cream cones and serve. The children can garnish the bowls with fresh fruit or a sprig of mint if you're having company for dinner.