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When you think of summertime fun and precious childhood memories, can you not help but dream of sweet, cool ice cream? My girls have been making yummy ice cream in a bag all summer long.  It's not only a fun cooking project  but it is a cool science lesson, too....and we all know here at FGC that "Smart Girls Rock", so we had to share this with you!

Photo courtesy of CCLoves2Bake

How to make Vanilla Ice Cream in a Bag

This no cook recipe makes approximately 8 half-cup servings of vanilla ice cream.

Ingredients

• 2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 2 cups half-and-half cream
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 bag crushed ice
• 4 cups coarse salt

Supplies need for each child

• 2 pint-size resealable plastic freezer bags
• 1 gallon-size resealable plastic freezer bag
• Towel to protect fingers

Instructions

1. Using a pitcher or pourable bowl stir together the whipping cream, half-and-half, sugar, and vanilla extract until sugar has dissolved.
2. Pour approximately 1/2 cup of mixture into a pint-size plastic bag and seal carefully, squeezing out the extra air. Place each sealed bag into a second pint-size bag, again squeezing out the extra air. Seal both bags carefully.
3. Fill each gallon-size plastic bag about halfway with ice and add 1/2 cup coarse salt. Place one sealed small double bag into the large bag, squeeze out most of the air, and seal the large bag.
4. Wrap the bag in a towel to protect hands from the cold bag (it gets really cold!). Shake and massage the bag for about 5 minutes or until mixture thickens into ice cream. Add more salt and ice to the outer bag if ice cream hasn’t formed after 10 minutes of continuous motion. Did I mention it's a work out, too?
5. Be sure to remove the outer pint-size bag before you open the inner bag . This will keep you from getting any of the salty ice on your ice cream!
6. Dish it up and sprinkle as you wish~enJOY! 

A few fun tidbits to share with your kiddos as they're shaking things up

• Salt lowers the freezing point of the ice and creates an extra-cold brine that absorbs heat from the milk mixture, causing the mixture to freeze.
• Shake the bag like crazy, why? The motion creates smoother ice cream by breaking up large ice crystals and allows the ice cream to freeze uniformly, PLUS you can break out into a dance party in your kitchen...win-WIN!

Helpful hint for mommies

If you're wanting to add some yumminess to your vanilla ice cream, like cookie crumbles, diced fruit, small candies or even cocoa to make chocolate ice cream, be sure to add these to your small inner bag before shaking.  If you add them afterwards, you'll likely end up with ice cream soup, no thanks, right?!

Lastly, we have even used our regular lowfat milk and this recipe has worked just fine.  It was an experiment, but my girls didn't complain at all.  I think they were busy having too much fun shaking their bags and watching the ice cream form, exciting stuff!!

Wishing you all lots summertime fun and sweet childhood memories!

xoxo

Embracing Girlyhood,

Rachel