Ice Cream

Is there anything more delightful on a sweaty summer afternoon than ice cream? When I was a child, my family would make a yearly pilgrimage to the local, nearly legendary ice cream stand in our town, and perform our summer ritual of enjoying our usual orders (mine was always a dipped vanilla cone - simple, classic.) Ice creams in hand, we would meander over the nearby bridge that spanned the river, make a long, lazy loop, and return to the ice cream stand, the sun sinking behind us, with sticky fingers, full of ice cream and satisfaction.

The ice cream recipe that follows is quite a different experience, dear reader. This ice cream is home-made, quaint, and charming, recalling well-scrubbed kitchen tables, jam jars, and crisp gingham aprons. There are no fancy dips or extravagant waffle cones - this ice cream doesn’t need them. It sings all on its own. You will notice, if you embark on this recipe, that it is quite an undertaking: Victorian cooking was serious business! You will also notice that it uses a fair amount of hardware, particularly bowls. For the Victorian home cook, ice cream required skills, patience, a little muscle, and someone to do the washing up afterwards! For your entertainment, dear reader, I have included some historical notes along with the ingredients and instructions to delight you while you toil. Those practiced cooks and chefs among you will likely spot that this is essentially a recipe for custard, with the additions of whipped cream and whipped egg whites to lighten it and give it extra protein structures to keep it from freezing solidly - which, really is exactly what ice cream is, at the end of the day: a kind of frozen custard. I hope that if you try this recipe and its results, you do so on a summer day that is sun-soaked and sweet. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

2 c (475 ml) whipping cream
2 tsp gelatin
1/4 c (60 ml) cold water
1 c (235 ml) whole milk
1/2 c (100 g) sugar
3 tbsp (65 g) corn syrup
1 tsp all-purpose flour
Pinch salt
1 large egg
1 tbsp (15 ml) vanilla extract

Instructions:

Place the whipping cream, electric beaters, and a large mixing bowl in the fridge to chill (this is where a Victorian cook would have to rely on their icebox or ice house!)
Add about 2 inches (5 cm) of water to the bottom of a double boiler and begin to boil.
Add the gelatin and cold water to the top pot of the double boiler. Let the gelatin soften for five minutes away from the stove.
Meanwhile, pour the milk into a small saucepan and place it over medium-low heat. When tiny bubbles form around the edge of the pot, the milk is ready.
To the gelatin in the top pot of the double boiler, add the hot milk, sugar, corn syrup, flour, and salt. Place over the bottom pot of the double boiler containing the boiling water.
Stir constantly with a wooden spoon until the mixture thickens, about fifteen minutes.
Put the lid on the double boiler and cook the mixture over boiling water for another ten minutes.
Meanwhile, break the egg and separate the yolk and white into two small bowls. You can use a fancy tool for this, or pass the yolk between the two eggshell halves, or just use your hand to remove the yolk. Set aside the egg white for later.
Beat the egg yolk with a fork. When the ten minutes are up, stir the egg yolk slowly into the mixture on the top of the stove. Cook and stir for another minute.
Pour the hot ice cream mixture through a strainer into a large mixing bowl - but not the chilled one from the fridge.
When the ice cream mixture has cooled to room temperature, beat it with the electric mixer until it is light and creamy, about five minutes. A 19th century cook would have to do this by hand with a whisk, for a lot longer than five minutes!
In the chilled large mixing bowl, whip the cold whipping cream with the electric mixer and chilled beaters until it forms soft peaks.
Rinse the beaters thoroughly with hot water, then beat the egg white until it is stiff and glossy, but not dry.
Very gently, with a spatula, fold first the whipped cream, then the egg white, into the ice cream mixture. Gently stir in the vanilla extract.
Spoon the mixture into a metal bowl or pan and place in the freezer. Freeze for about three or four hours, until firm.
Gobble up your ice cream by itself or with fruit, preserves, and any toppings that make your heart happy. For an extra, historically-accurate experience, serve it in small glass cups or dishes, with a spoon - no waffle cones need apply!

Jennifer