Summer Scoops: Homemade Ice Cream

There’s nothing like a delicious scoop of ice cream on a hot summer day, and one of my absolute favorites is Salt & Straw. They have some of the most creative and mouth-watering flavors I’ve ever tasted. Their ice cream base is incredibly versatile, making it the perfect blank slate for coming up with unique flavors at home.

Some of my go to flavors are pistachio and coffee, which are both fantastic homemade. But, if I’m going through the effort of making homemade ice cream I want it to be unique.

The Salt & Straw ice cream base is the perfect inspiration for creating your own unique flavors at home. I recommend making a double batch of this base and spending some time daydreaming about fun and flavorful combinations for your next frozen treat. For some inspiration see below for a few of my favorite creations using this versatile base.

Salt & Straw Ice Cream Base Recipe

Here’s the fantastic ice cream base recipe from Salt & Straw.

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Salt & Straw Ice Cream Base

This is one of the best ice cream bases ever!

Servings 3 cups

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tbsp dry milk powder
• 1/4 tsp xanthan gum
• 2 tbsp light corn syrup
• 1 ⅓ cups whole milk
• 1 ⅓ cups heavy cream

Instructions

1. In a small bowl stir together the sugar, milk powder, and xanthan gum.

2. Pour the corn syrup and milk into a medium pot, whisking constantly, add the sugar mixture and stir until combined and smooth. Set over medium heat and cook without simmering just until the sugar is dissolved, about 3 minutes.

3. Remove the pot from the heat and whisk in the cream. Pour the mixture into an airtight container and refrigerate until well chilled. This is best done a day in advance. Store for up to a week in the fridge.

Recipe courtesy of Salt & Straw.

Inspired by the Salt & Straw ice cream base and those nostalgic after school snacks, I’ve created two unique ice cream flavors that bring back the joy of summer days and carefree afternoons along with a classic favorite flavor chocolate mint, upgraded with the addition of Junior Mint candies.

Playful and Unique Ice Cream Flavors

1. Ants on a Log Ice Cream – A delightful treat inspired by the classic snack, featuring a celery ice cream with swirls of peanut butter and raisin jam.
2. Apple Ice Cream with Peanut Butter and Nutella Swirls – A nostalgic flavor reminiscent of after school snacks, combining apple ice cream with rich swirls of peanut butter and Nutella.
3. Mint Chocolate Ice Cream with Smashed Junior Mint Candies – Because every once in a while you just need a classic with a kick, try this refreshing minty treat that’s double the flavor by adding smashed Junior Mint candies.

Stay tuned for these recipes and more! Have a great summer, stay cool!