My version of Auntie Laima’s Super Easy Vanilla Ice Cream

I know there are a lot of people out there new to making homemade ice cream. I wanted to share a super easy technique I came across that would make anyone tentative about ice cream become an ice-cream-making-freak like I have apparently become.

This recipe is inspired by my mom’s sister Laima (right in the middle). Here we are waiting to be seated at Mandarin.

When I was a kid when went to visit Auntie Laima and she was going to make homemade ice cream for us. I did not know you could even do that! Make it by hand? Crank it in this big bucket thingy and make it for real? I was amazed!

That vanilla ice cream was so good, I was a total convert. Nothing that came from a store could compete. It was so simple, so pure and real. I did not know until my last visit to Toronto that she intended to make the traditional custard-size ice cream but had to switch plans due to dietary issues of a guest. I am so glad she did because I became a huge fan of simple creamy ice cream. Soooo easy!

The Recipe

In a large mixing bowl add 2 cups of 3% fat milk (or something close to it).

Add 1 cup + 2 tbsp of sugar.

Whisk together until sugar is dissolved. Around 1-2 minutes.

Stir in 2 cups of heavy cream.

Add 1 1/2 tbsp of vanilla, I used vanilla bean paste. Stir together.

Slowly pour mixture into completely frozen ice cream maker base. Let churn for around 20 minutes, until the churning sounds a little laboured.

I love vanilla bean paste and getting to see all those little seeds through the ice cream! But you can definitely use vanilla extract instead.

This actually made a little more ice cream than I intended but that is not a bad thing! Yes, food is messy.

Foodie Results

No custard, no syrup… This is a no-cook method to make a beautiful vanilla ice cream. So fast and easy, it’s dangerous!

Health Note

Ice cream is one of those things that is so much better for you homemade because store-bought is filled with additives. One night I mostly finished off a carton of what I thought was a more natural ice cream and left it in the sink overnight, thinking it would have all melted by the morning. It hadn’t! OK, that freaked me out.

As you can see from the photo above, REAL ice cream melts.