Pearl's Homemade Ice Cream

My mother was a woman of simple means. She was a farmer's wife and her days consisted of hard work on the farm and more hard work in the house. Despite her labors with milking cows and every other chore that presents itself in a life of farming she still found time to cook and sew.  My mother was an amazing woman! With that being said, I should tell you she was not a woman who whipped up gourmet dishes, her cooking was small and simple just like her life.....  but, what ever my mother prepared in the kitchen, some how no matter what it was or how simple, it tasted divine.  It's peach canning season and I miss her. Peaches remind me of her. Check out her Mid-Winter Peach Cobbler pie. If you can handle the stress of her delicate crust , you will be close to heaven when you feast upon it.

Today though I'm sharing her Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream.  It's long been a Blanch and now a Crowther favorite! If you want to add peaches to it, go right ahead. In fact, add any fruit you like and I think it would taste good.  My family loves it plain or with peaches when they are in season and no matter the season, they will not allow me to make any other ice cream recipe.


*NOTE: THIS RECIPE IS FOR A 6 QUART ICE CREAM MAKER. Adjust some for a 4 Quart machine.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 Cup Sugar
2 TB lemon
2 TB Vanilla
2 Cans Eagle Brand Sweeten Condensed Milk
1 12 oz Can of Canned Milk
1 7oz Can of Canned Milk
9 Eggs
1 Pint Whipping Cream
Whole Milk added as needed to fill to the line
Generous Pinch of Salt

Three to four bags of crushed or cubed ice
About a 1/2 a gallon of rock salt. The kind you would add to a water softener. NOT TABLE SALT!

Whip the eggs, sugar, salt, lemon, vanilla, sweeten condensed milk, and canned milk together. Add remaining ingredients (EXCEPT for the WHOLE MILK) and whip together. Place whipped mixture in your Ice Cream container. Now add the Whole Milk! Add enough Whole Milk to bring the mixture to the FILL LINE on your container. Mix the whole milk into the completed mixture with a tall spoon. Your ingredients should now be to the fill line on your container. Now your mixture is ready for turning in your machine.

The trick to ice cream is how you add the rock salt to the crushed ice as the container spins. Add too little and your mixture will not thicken, add too much and your mixture will freeze up. I add about a two inch layer of ice, sprinkle the rock salt add another layer of ice sprinkle the salt, etc. until the ice is to the top of your container. Do not allow the ice to spill onto the top lid of the container. Your ice should not be taller than the container. Just keep it even with the height of your ice cream container. As the ice melts add more ice and sprinkle more rock salt.

I can't tell you exactly how long it takes to thicken. I would estimate between a half hour and an hour. I need to make it to remember. When the motor on your machine seizes up and the container won't turn anymore it's done. Unplug your machine, open the lid and take your paddle out of the container. Be careful not to let any of the salt water in. Once the paddle is out, top with ice, cover and let stand for fifteen min and then serve. By the way, we never pack it with ice and let it stand. No one has the patience to wait. We eat it thinner than letting it set up more. That's the law of the hungry beast. ha ha

NOTE! Never leave your machine unattended in the churning process. NEVER Always listen for the motor and stay close by, checking it frequently. Once your motor seizes up you've got to be right there or you will burn your motor up. I make mine in my laundry room sink so the salty mess is in my giant sink. This room is next to my kitchen, so I can hear my machine and keep an eagle eye on it in the churning process.

Enjoy! Think of my mom when everyone is devouring it!