Arlene Wright-Correll

How to Make Really Good Mint Ice Cream©



Posted: Friday, August 29, 2008

by
http://www.learn-america.com

I find it really hard, in my old age, to find really good ice cream. I live in an area of rural KY where one cannot find some of the brand names I like. I also have found that today's ice cream, at least in my own personal opinion or should I say taste buds, is either too gummy, too icy, too much fat content or whatever.

Fortunately for me I have been an ice cream maker for many years. It was fun making it when the kids were little as it was a group project. It also became a project for the grand children.

An ice cream maker is not expensive and the electric ones are very convenient and easy to use. One can get them at any one of the super discount centers or even find them in garage sales. New ones cost about $39.00 and used ones are less.

There is something on the plus side of finding the time in one's life to do something that makes one pay less attention to the demands on one's life and taking the time to make one's own ice cream is a good way of doing it.

I also found it to be a festive way to do something special on the 4 th of July or Labor Day outings especially if they were held at home. I could start the ice cream once the grand kids came in, have it going while the visiting and bar-b-queing was going on by their parents and have the hardening going on during the eating and visiting. By then everyone was waiting for whatever ice cream the grandkids and I had made.

The only other things I needed besides the ingredients below was an electric ice cream maker, a large bag of ice cubes, and a big box of Kosher salt or a small bag of rock salt.

I have always thought that anyone can do anything and I certainly knew that I could do anything I put my mind too. So go into your garden, pick some fresh mint and make some of Arlene's Really Good Vanilla Mint Ice Cream

First I take 2 cups of whipping cream, 2/3 cup of sugar and 3/4 cut of fresh mint leaves and put them in a stainless steel sauce pan and cook over medium heat (stirring constantly) just until the mixture begins to boil.

Then I remove from the heat and cover the pan and steep for 1 hour letting the mint leaves infuse the cream with their wonderful flavor.

Now I strain and throw away the mint leaves and add 1 cup of whole milk infusing the cream mixture.

I cover the whole thing and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or even overnight until the mixture is completely chilled.

Now I pour it into the container of my ice cream maker and run the ice cream maker according to my manufacturers direction. Once done I can add some optional mint chocolate chips, plain chocolate chips, or anything else I want and mix it gently in by hand.

Now I take the finished ice cream out of the manufactuer's container and put it into a 1 quart plastic container and set it into my freezer to allow it to ripen according to the manufacturers directions. Ripen means to allow the ice cream to come to maturity in order to obtain the best aroma, color, texture and flavor. Ripening usually takes about 1 to 2 hours.

When I am ready to serve I scoop it into dessert dishes and sprinkle with fresh mint or a sprig of fresh mint leaves. This recipe makes one quart of delicious ice cream.

"Tread the Earth Lightly" and in the meantime May your day be filled with

Peace, Light and Love,

Author's note: This article was originally written for GreenThumbArticles.com

About the Author & Artist. Arlene Wright-Correll (1935- ___), popular American award winning Artist, published author, columnist, & is the resident art instructor for Avalon Stained Glass School, at the age of 68, decided to pick up her paint brushes again after 54 years and paint.  She is a cancer and stroke survivor who is able to strive forward each and everyday to welcome the beauty of this small planet.  She also is a China & Porcelain painter, Sandblasting & Etching, Stained Glass & fused glass Artisan. She is one of the six KY Artists who worked 6 months to create the dolls for Journey Jots in 2006 and a Smithsonian Institute art exhibit in 2008. Her published books can be found here . She is also a featured writer for GreenThumbArticles.com and teaches Art Vacation Holidays at Avalon Stained Glass School and Creativity Center.

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