No Churn Vanilla & Cardamom Ice-cream Two Ways | Root Beer Floats + Cherry Compote Topping

Hello friend,

It’s been scorching out here in the Midwest. The sun’s ray beat down brutally. The temperature steadily rises above comfort levels. The sidewalks sizzle like oil in a hot iron skillet. The air is thick and heavy like breathing oatmeal. Heartbeats flutter faster as the air condition blows harder. Sweat drips down spines and tongues become dry and dehydrated. It’s the kind of weather fit for staying indoors, listening to jazz music on a record player, sipping on a tall glass of cold sweet tea, and enjoying the day away from the tumultuous weather. It’s time for ice cream.

As a broke college student slash developing food blogger, I, unfortunately, cannot acquire some of the more upscale and fancy culinary tools and accessories for some recipes. Growing up, Momma Crawford never owned a full-sized food processor or a Kitchen Aid. As a kid, my parents were starting their company from scratch, so we didn’t have a great amount of extra cash on hand. Every recipe that went through her kitchen was usually made by hand or with more minimal equipment and techniques. Cold butter for pie crust was always cut in by hand. Graham crackers placed in a large sandwich bag and crushed by the force of a wooden rolling pin.  And egg whites were repeatedly whipped by hand or with an electric hand mixer. Momma taught me that not all food needs fancy equipment to get the job done, you need ingenuity and determination.

In conclusion, I suffer from a lack of an ice cream machine. Let me take a moment to weep about my hashtag ‘first world problems’. I discovered the beauty of no churn ice cream after watching a video by non-other than Buzzfeed towards the start of summer. With just two base ingredients, an acceptable substitute for ice cream was achieved. When I first discovered this, I was flooded with mixed emotions. Excitement for the potential of finally being able to make ice cream at home without a machine and fear of it being a complete and utter flop.  Luckily, it was a total success. This no churn recipe is creamier than regularly churned ice cream but has a sense of lightness to it as well. The whipped cream combined with the sweetened condensed milk are a match made in frozen dairy heaven. 

No-Churn Vanilla & Cardamom Ice-cream Two Ways: 

                        Root Beer Floats + Cherry Compote Topping

Ice-cream base recipe by Buzzfeed & Cherry compote recipe adapted from The Minimalist Baker

Vanilla and cardamom are a pair for the ages. That balance of simplicity and refinement. There is just something enticing about taking that first bite into a freshly scooped cone of vanilla ice-cream and getting that subtle hint of cardamom flavor. It’s a much-needed addition to the traditional vanilla flavor. Paired with the root beer, it elevated the flavor to a new, highly complex level. The perfect blend of childhood memories and grown-up pleasures. If you’re going for a fruitier contract, the cherry compote is an exquisite choice. I used the cherries from my cousins I discussed in my Galette post. Adding a dash of cinnamon and nutmeg truly change the flavor profile of the compote. Its flavors hint at autumn while still highlighting the tastes of mid-summer.

Ingredients

• 2 cups Heavy Cream
• 1 (14oz) can Sweetened Condense Milk
• 2 tablespoons Vanilla Exact
• 1 teaspoon Cardamom
• A quality root beer
• 3 cups cherries, pits and stems removed 
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons grape juice
• 3 teaspoons sugar
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 tablespoons water + 1 tablespoon cornstarch

Directions

Pre-step: Begin by grabbing yourself a big spoon because it’s #NationalIceCreamDay

1. For the ice-cream: Place a metal mixing bowl and metal whisk into the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes. Add the heavy cream and mix on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form, about 7-8 minutes.
2. Add the sweetened condensed milk and mix with a large wooden spoon or baking spatula until fully combined. Stir in the vanilla extract and cardamom. Transfer to a 9x13 baking pan. Place in the freezer until set, about 6 hours.
3. For the root beer floats: In a chilled glass, add 3-4 scoops of the vanilla & cardamom ice cream. Pour in enough root beer that it reaches the top of the glass. Add a straw and enjoy.For the cherry compote: Place fruit, sugar, spices, and juice in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat slightly and, using a wooden spoon, muddle and mash the fruit. Continue cooking over medium-low heat for 10-12 minutes, muddling the fruit from time to time.
4. In a small bowl, stir together the water and cornstarch until combined. Add the mixture to the compote and stir to combine. Let cook until compote begins to thicken. Remove from heat and transfer to a clean jar or container to cool thoroughly. Store in the fridge.