Chocolate Ice Cream in a Can
For kids, there’s something really satisfying about making a gourmet treat themselves. Making homemade ice cream is right up there on the list of can’t-be-beat-homemade-goodness, but unless you have an ice cream maker (and even if you do!) it might seem too complicated to attempt. But with a few empty cans and simple ingredients, you can be on your way to homemade chocolate ice cream.
My daughter had a mini ice-cream maker for her American Girl doll, and despite its miniscule size, it really worked. I used to be surprised that she wanted to make the ice cream, because it took a while and a lot of work to get about a tablespoon of ice cream. But she loved making it. Your kids will love this method even more, because they won’t have to share just a spoonful of ice cream, and they can all take turns in the process.
My friend gave me this recipe for making chocolate ice cream in a coffee can. There are additional recipes for making ice cream in a coffee can at www.makeicecream.com Click on “Ice Cream Making for Kids.”
Chocolate Ice Cream
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup light cream
1/2 cup sugar
4 tablespoons cocoa
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/8 tsp. salt
1. Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl and pour into a one-pound coffee can. Seal the lid with packing or duct tape. Make sure it is completely sealed, or you’ll get a mess.
2. Put this can inside a 3-pound coffee can. Pack ice and 1 cup salt around the smaller can. Seal the lid on the big can with tape.
3. Now is the fun part. Roll the can around for about 15 – 20 minutes. If you have a grassy space or hill outside, all the better, but you can also roll it around on the floor. (Put a plastic tablecloth or beach towel down first in case of leaks.)
4. Open large can and pour out the salt, ice and water. Open the small can and stir up the ice cream. Seal the lid again and repeat step 2.
5. Roll it around for about 10 more minutes and your ice cream should be ready!