Kids Week: Hand-Tossed Ice Cream

I think I speak for both Sara and myself when I say that we have been completely overwhelmed by the response to our theme this week! It’s so much fun for us to hear from all of you, especially those of you who have been lurkerlicious up until this point! However…I have to say that I feel a bit of trepidation because so many of you have talked about how excited you are to see some kid-friendly meals and, to be totally honest, we only really have one real-food post planned this week. Oh, well–I guess that’s why we’ll have to do this again really soon!

Anyway, in case you hadn’t noticed from the thread title, this is NOT the real food thread. This is another frozen treat. However, I feel that in the throes of summery awfulness, you can probably count ice cream (AND pudding pops) as real food. More than anything, though, this is something fun you can do with your kids. For these pictures, I borrowed commandeered my friend Tara’s house, kitchen, and children because a) my kids are on the small side and b) this is something that’s definitely more fun with more people. There was some hesitation on their part, including when we added the rock salt to the ice and when the ice cream bags landed on the ground a couple of times. But once the kiddos got situated with their ice cream adorned the way they wanted it, we had a few moments of complete silence followed by amazed exclamations of, “This is the best ice cream EVER!”

Hand-Tossed Ice Cream

INGREDIENTS
2 c. 2% milk
2 c. whipping cream
1 c. sugar
1 1/4 tsp. vanilla
Desired ice cream toppings and mix-ins (we used sugared strawberries, blueberries, and crushed or chopped Butterfingers, Twix Bars, York Peppermint Patties, Reese’s PB Cups, and Skor Bars)

SUPPLIES
2 1-quart Ziploc freezer bags (I used Walmart brand and wished I’d sprung for the big guns)
2 1-gallon-sized Ziploc freezer bags (ditto on the name brand)
10 lb. ice
2 c. ice cream salt
Waterproof tape (like duct tape)
Gloves (optional, but I don’t think anyone would have minded a pair today!)

1. In a large bowl, combine sugar, milk, whipping cream, and vanilla. Have one of your larger little helpers hold open one quart-sized bag and pour half of the mixture into the bag and zip shut, squeezing out all the air. Use duct tape to tape the opening shut (we actually, in a pinch, used electrical tape and it was fine!). Repeat with second bag.

2. Place one filled bag inside one gallon-sized bag and sprinkle 1 c. of ice cream salt around each smaller bag. Add as much ice as you can comfortably fit into the gallon-sized bag, squeeze to remove excess air, and zip shut. Maneuver the ice around to make sure there’s ice on all sides of the smaller bag inside. Place in freezer while you repeat the process with the second bag.

3. When the second bag has been prepared, head outside. Be sure to bring the leftover ice and rock salt because you’re probably going to need to drain some of the salty water and replenish the ice supply while you’re tossing the ice cream. Let each kid take a turn (or a couple) tossing the bags of ice cream into the air or to each other. It gets C-O-L-D, so a pair of gloves won’t hurt anybody!

4. After about 10-15 minutes, remove the quart-sized bag and rinse off the saltwater. Cut a hole in one corner of the bag and squeeze the ice cream into individual dishes. Let everyone add their desired toppings and have at it! It might be a little melty, but I promise, not a single person will complain! 🙂

Other Posts from Kids Week:
Homemade Hot Pockets
Frozen Pudding Pops
Edible Playdough and Finger Paint
Giveaway