Ooohs, aaahs and mmmmmmms filled my kitchen this afternoon, finally broken by my teenager’s question, “Do we have to save some for Pez?” J.S., who was asking, had also been the one to make the ice cream we were enjoying. Unlike the times when he helps make other food in the kitchen, he volunteered to do it. Practically begged.
Pez would be home from kindergarten in about 15 min
utes – plenty of time to finish off the rest of the ice cream and hide the evidence. Then again, he’d probably smell it the minute he came in. Darn.
So I did the grownup thing and said that we had to share.(Too bad I didn’t think of just airing the house out.)
Root beer ice cream became an instant favorite at our house after I first experimented with making it. I had a tiny vial of root beer extract that had been sitting on my shelf since I’d picked up at Wal-mart the Christmas before, and thought that instead of spending time making root beer and ice cream for floats I would try combining the two.
It was a hit.
Unfortunately, that was the last time I ever saw root beer extract for sale in our town.
Anywhere.
Finally, during my vacation in Utah last month, I hit the jackpot. I was at the grocery store with my mom, and happened to look up and see a shelf full of beautiful bottles of root beer extract. Bless the Utahans.
I quickly grabbed four of them to pack home (bottles, not Utahans), crossing my fingers that they wouldn’t leak all over the books that nearly filled the rest of my suitcase.
I hope they last until my next visit.
(The bottles, I mean. There’s no way the books will last that long.)
Next on my list is to come up with a dairy-free version. I generally use coconut milk for dairy-free ice cream, but I don’t think coconut and root beer would make a good combination. When I find something that works, I’ll let you know.
Meanwhile, I’ll take pity on you and quit my rambling to share the actual recipe.
Warning: do not attempt to make this unless you have access to a ready supply of root beer extract. You have been warned.
Fabulicious Root Beer Ice Cream
- 3 C whole milk* (or 2 C milk and 1 C cream)
- 3/4 C sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 1/2 tsp root beer extract
Combine all ingredients in a bowl, and mix well. Freeze according to your
ice cream maker’s instructions.
(I use the Cuisinart ice cream maker pictured at right, which
I highly recommend. The ice cream is ready to eat in
about half an hour, and no
rock salt or ice are needed.)
*I use raw, organic whole milk, which has an abundance of cream.
Have a great summer!
