I was raised on the sun-kissed, ivory sands of Florida’s Gulf Coast. However, prior to my family’s relocation down south when I was seven, we resided in the northern reaches of Indiana. There, a whole distinct form of ivory substance frequently blanketed the earth. And it served as the crucial element for a special winter delight, crafted by my father: snow ice cream.
After composing several pieces detailing the succession of winter storms that many of you have encountered this month, I reached out to my three elder sisters via text to inquire if any of them possessed the formula for snow ice cream. Their response was a resounding “There is no formula.” Nonetheless, my sister Missy did impart this advice: “Bear in mind to only employ white snow!! Yellow snow will not impart a lemon essence!”
I can vividly recall Dad extending his hand out the window to gather a generous bowl of snow, haphazardly sprinkling a blend of sugar, vanilla, and perhaps milk on top, mixing it all together, and handing me a spoon.
Numerous snow ice cream recipes are circulating, but the one presented below from the University Of Alaska Museum of the North appears to be the most “genuine” in my eyes. Although the recipe enumerates several dairy alternatives, I am quite certain you can swap in whatever suits your preference. Additionally, you can enhance it by incorporating ingredients like cocoa, flavored syrups, sprinkles, or fruit.
Just like the finest snow day, snow ice cream operates devoid of constraints.
**Ingredients for Snow Ice Cream:**
– 8 cups lightly compressed clean snow (safely gathered from the top of a deep heap after several hours of snowfall)
– 1 cup of any of these dairy alternatives, or a blend:
– Milk: dairy or non-dairy (e.g., rice milk)
– Half and half
– Heavy cream
– Sweetened condensed milk
– Sugar to taste (recommended: 1/3 cup; no sugar required if employing sweetened condensed milk)
– 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract
**Instructions for Snow Ice Cream:**
1. Combine the dairy/non-dairy ingredient and sugar (if applicable) in a bowl.
2. Pour the dairy mixture and vanilla extract over the snow.
3. Blend with a spoon or spatula until you achieve an ice cream-like consistency.
4. Serve with your preferred toppings.
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