ice cream scoops

Ice cream is a food that is cherished equally by people around the world, from children to the old. But did you know that originally, ice cream was considered the food of Gods, as an exquisite delicacy?

The first days of ice cream, as far as we know, dates back to 200 BC. Since those days, it has been one of the most sought-after foods across the world. While no specific individual has been credited for the invention of this food, the origin of ice creams seem to actually stem from China, where people discovered the taste and texture that occurred when mixing ice with milk, and the combination got frozen by being packed in snow. Since then, this has been a recipe that has been enjoyed by people worldwide, although for a long time only the rich knew its pleasure.

Today, however, ice cream is a favorite of many, even in remote villages in countries like Afghanistan. You have to look far and wide to find a civilization that doesn’t have some form of ice cream.

Brave Men Who Loved Ice Cream and Shared It

Many great men from history, good and bad, have said to have a weakness for ice cream, including The list Alexandar the Great and Emperor Nero. As a matter of fact, during the Roman era, ice cream was one of the most common dishes for special occasions, though the because of delicacy of the food, consumption was restricted to among the royals. Marco Polo is credited with introducing one of the recipes for ice cream, as it is known in today. Historians say that Polo introduced a few of the Chinese recipes to Italy during the 16th century and from there, it was produced and circulated across the world.

When “Common Man” Was Allowed to Enjoy Ice Cream

It was in the French soils that the classism surrounding ice cream was broken. During the 17th century, The Café Procope, in rue de l’Ancienne Comédie, 6th arrondissement, began to serve the delicacy to well-to-do men alson with their coffees. Procope, now the oldest restaurant of Paris in continuous operation, was opened in 1686. To this day, they still serve ice cream to the public.

Ice cream made its way to the United States in 1774 by way of a Scottish colonist by the name of Thomas Bladen. Since then, America has produced more ice cream than any country in the world, and with the advent of refrigeration, ice cream is pretty much accessible to everyone.

The Ice Cream You Know Today is Often Called “Philadelphia Style”

ice cream

Early ice cream wasn’t made the same way it is today, and that is very much a good thing. With today’s refrigeration techniques, it can be preserved longer, warding off nasty and dangerous bugs such as listeria, as long as there is proper handling from start to finish.

Ice cream made by simply churning milk, cream, sugar and flavorings is variously known as Philadelphia, American or New York style. It is far quicker and easier to prepare than French-style ice cream because it doesn’t require making a custard. It is a great choice for serving on ice cream cones.

In 1913, Sarah Tyson Rorer, a popular young chef educated in cooking at the New Century School of Cookery, Philadelphia, put out a book of frozen delicacies adequately titled, “Ice Creams, Water Ices, Frozen Puddings Together with Refreshments for all Social Affairs” featuring a shortlist of what she called “Philadelphia Ice Creams.”

These recipes are said to be not only a favorite of Pennsylvanians, but a few of them (including the accompanying frozen “water ices”) were also featured at the World Fair.

I have edited Ms. Rorer’s recipies for clarity. You also will need to know a bit about freezing from her. You’ll find this at the end of this article, as well as information on best practices for ice cream with fruits.

PHILADELPHIA ICE CREAMS

from Ms. Sarah Tyson Rorer, page 191

ice cream recipes

In this book, Philadelphia Ice Creams, comprising the first group, are very palatable, but expensive. In many parts of the country it is quite difficult to get good cream. For that reason, I have given a group of creams, using part milk and part cream, but it must be remembered that it takes smart “juggling” to make ice cream from milk. By far better use condensed milk, with enough water or milk to rinse out the cans.

Ordinary fruit creams can be made with condensed milk at a fraction of the cost a quart, which, of course, is cheaper than ordinary milk and cream.

In places where neither cream nor condensed milk can be purchased, a fair ice cream is made by adding two tablespoonfuls of olive oil to each quart of milk. The cream for Philadelphia Ice Cream should be rather rich, but not double cream.

If pure raw cream is stirred rapidly, it swells and becomes frothy, like the beaten whites of eggs, and is “whipped cream.”

To prevent this in making Philadelphia Ice Cream, one-half the cream is scalded, and when it is very cold, the remaining half of raw cream is added. This gives the smooth, light and rich consistency which makes these creams so different from others.

1. BURNT ALMOND ICE CREAM

  • 1 quart of cream
  • 1/2 pound of sugar
  • 4 ounces of sweet almonds
  • 1 tablespoonful of caramel
  • 1 teaspoonful of vanilla extract
  • 4 tablespoonfuls of sherry

Shell, blanch and roast the almonds until they are a golden brown, then grate them. Put half the cream and all the sugar over the fire in a double boiler. Stir until the sugar is dissolved, take it from the fire, add the caramel and the almonds, and, when cold, add the remaining pint of cream, the vanilla and the sherry. Freeze two quarts of cream should for ten minutes; it takes a minute or two longer for larger quantities.

This quantity will serve eight persons.

2. APRICOT ICE CREAM

  • 6 ounces of sugar
  • 1 quart of cream
  • 1 can of apricots or 1 quart of fresh apricots

If you use apricots, also use an extra quarter of a pound of sugar. Put half the cream and all the sugar over the fire in a double boiler and stir until the sugar is dissolved; take from the fire and, when cold, add the remaining cream. Turn the mixture into the freezer, and, when frozen fairly stiff, add the apricots after having been pressed through a colander. Return the lid, adjust the crank, and turn it slowly for five minutes, then remove the dasher and repack.

This quantity should serve ten persons.

3. BANANA ICE CREAM

  • 1 quart of cream
  • 6 large bananas
  • 1/2 pound of sugar
  • 1 teaspoonful of vanilla

Put half the cream and all the sugar over the fire and stir until the sugar is dissolved; take from the fire, and, when perfectly cold, add the remaining half of the cream. Freeze the mixture, and add the bananas mashed or pressed through a colander. Put on the lid, adjust the crank, and turn until the mixture is frozen rather hard.

This quantity will serve ten persons.

4. BISCUIT ICE CREAM

  • 6 wine biscuits*
  • 1 quart of cream
  • 1/2 pound of sugar
  • 1 teaspoonful of vanilla

Grate and sift the biscuits. Scald half the cream and the sugar; when cold, add the remaining cream and the vanilla, and freeze. When frozen, remove the dasher, stir in the powdered biscuits, and repack to ripen.

This quantity will serve six persons.

*Editor’s note: A “wine biscuit” was a sweet cracker, now called a cookie. Use your choice.

5. APPLE ICE CREAM

  • 4 large tart apples
  • 1 quart of cream
  • 1/2 pound of sugar
  • 1 tablespoonful of lemon juice

Put half the cream and all the sugar over the fire and stir until the sugar is dissolved. When the mixture is perfectly cold, freeze it and add the lemon juice and the apples, pared and grated. Finish the freezing, and repack to ripen.

The apples must be pared at the last minute and grated into the cream. If they are grated on a dish and allowed to remain in the air they will turn very dark and spoil the color of the cream.

6. BROWN BREAD ICE CREAM

  • 3 half inch slices of Boston Brown Bread
  • 1 quart of cream
  • 1/2 pound of sugar
  • 1 teaspoonful of vanilla or 1/4 of a vanilla bean or a teaspoonful of vanilla extract

Dry and toast the bread in the oven, grate or pound it, and put it through an ordinary sieve. Heat half the cream and all the sugar; take from the fire, add vanilla, and, when cold, add the remaining cream, and freeze. When frozen, remove the dasher, stir in the brown bread, repack and stand aside to ripen.

Put the brown sugar in a frying pan over the fire, shake it until it melts, burns and smokes. Take it from the fire and add two tablespoonfuls of water; heat until the sugar is again melted, put it in a double boiler with the milk and all the sugar, stir until the sugar is dissolved, and stand aside to cool. When cold, add half the cream and the vanilla, and freeze. When frozen sufficiently stiff to remove the dasher, stir in the remaining pint of cream whipped to a stiff froth, repack and stand aside for three hours.

This quantity will serve ten persons.

7. BISQUE ICE CREAM

  • 1 quart of cream
  • 1/4 pound of almond macaroons
  • 4 kisses (Hershey’s still sells them)
  • 1/2 pound of sugar
  • 1 slice of stale sponge cake or 2 stale lady fingers
  • 1 teaspoonful of caramel
  • 1 teaspoonful of vanilla *If you use it, 4 tablespoonfuls of sherry

Pound the macaroons, kisses, lady fingers or sponge cake, and put them through a colander. Put half the cream and all the sugar over the fire in a double boiler; when the sugar is dissolved, stand the mixture aside to cool; when cold, add the remaining cream, the caramel, sherry and vanilla. Turn the mixture into the freezer, and, when frozen, add the pounded cakes; stir the mixture until it is perfectly smooth and well mixed, and repack. Bisque ice cream is better for a three hour stand.

This quantity will serve six persons.

8. CHOCOLATE ICE CREAM

  • 1 quart of cream
  • 1 pint of milk
  • 1/2 pound of sugar
  • 4 ounces of chocolate
  • 1 teaspoonful of vanilla or
  • 1/4 of a vanilla bean
  • 1/4 of a teaspoonful of cinnamon

Grate the chocolate, put it in a double boiler with the milk; stir until hot, and add the sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and one pint of the cream. When cold, freeze; when frozen, remove the dasher and stir in the remaining pint of the cream whipped to a stiff froth.

This will serve ten persons.

9. COFFEE ICE CREAM

  • 1 quart of cream
  • 1/2 pound of pulverized sugar
  • 4 ounces of Mocha coffee

Grind the Mocha rather coarse, put it in the double boiler with one half the cream, and steep over the fire for at least ten minutes. Strain through a fine muslin or flannel bag, pressing it hard to get out all the strength of the coffee. Add the sugar and stir until dissolved; when cold, add the remaining pint of cream and freeze.

This will serve six persons.

10. CURAÇAO ICE CREAM

  • 1 quart of cream
  • 1 wineglassful of curaçao
  • 1/2 pound of sugar
  • 2 tablespoonfuls of orange blossoms water
  • Juice of two oranges

Put the sugar and half the cream over the fire in a double boiler. When the sugar is dissolved, take it from the fire, and, when cold, add the curaçao, orange juice and orange blossoms water; add the remaining cream, and freeze.

This will serve six persons.

11. GINGER ICE CREAM

  • 1 quart of cream
  • 1/4 pound of preserved ginger
  • 1/2 pound of sugar
  • 1 tablespoonful of lemon juice

Put the ginger through an ordinary meat chopper. Heat the sugar, ginger and half the cream in a double boiler; when the sugar is dissolved, take it from the fire, and, when cold, add the lemon juice and remaining cream, and freeze.

12. MARASCHINO ICE CREAM

  • 1 quart of cream
  • 1/2 pound of sugar
  • 1 orange
  • 2 wineglassfuls of maraschino
  • 2 drops of Angostura Bitters, or 1/2 teaspoonful of extract of wild cherry

Put the sugar and half the cream in a double boiler, and stir until the sugar is dissolved. When cold, add the remaining cream, the juice of the orange, the bitters or wild cherry, and the maraschino, and freeze.

Serve in parfait glasses to six persons.

13. LEMON ICE CREAM

  • 1 quart of cream
  • 9 ounces of powdered sugar
  • 4 tablespoonfuls of lemon juice
  • Juice of one orange
  • Grated yellow rind of 3 lemons

Mix the sugar, the grated rind and juice of the lemons, and the orange juice together. Put half the cream in a double boiler over the fire; when scalding hot, stand it aside until perfectly cold; add the remaining half of the cream and freeze it rather hard. Remove the crank and the lid, add the sugar mixture, replace the lid and crank, and turn rapidly for five minutes; repack to ripen.

This will serve six people.

15. ORANGE ICE CREAM

  • 1 quart of cream
  • 10 ounces of sugar
  • Juice of 6 large oranges
  • Grated rind of one orange

Put the sugar, grated yellow rind of the orange and half the cream in a double boiler over the fire; when the sugar is dissolved, take from the fire, and, when very cold, add the remaining cream, and freeze. When frozen rather hard, add the orange juice, refreeze, and pack to ripen.

16. PINEAPPLE ICE CREAM

  • 1 quart of cream
  • 12 ounces of sugar
  • 1 large ripe pineapple or 1 pint can of grated pineapple
  • Juice of one lemon

Put half the cream and half the sugar in a double boiler over the fire; when the sugar is dissolved, stand it aside until cold. Pare and grate the pineapple, add the remaining half of the sugar and stand it aside. When the cream is cold, add the remaining cream, and partly freeze. Then add the lemon juice to the pineapple and add it to the frozen cream; turn the freezer five minutes longer, and repack.

This will serve eight or ten persons.

17. GREEN GAGE ICE CREAM

  • 1 quart of cream
  • 4 ounces of sugar
  • 1 pint of preserved green gages, free from syrup

Press the green gages through a sieve. Add the sugar to half the cream, stir it in a double boiler until the sugar is dissolved; when cold, add the remaining cream. When this is partly frozen, stir in the green gage pulp, and finish the freezing as directed on page 7.

If the green gages are colorless, add three or four drops of apple green coloring to the cream before freezing.

18. RASPBERRY ICE CREAM

  • 1 quart of cream
  • 1 quart of raspberries
  • 12 ounces of sugar
  • Juice of one lemon

Mash the raspberries; add half the sugar and the lemon juice. Put the remaining sugar and half the cream in a double boiler; stir until the sugar is dissolved, and stand aside to cool; when cold, add the remaining cream, turn the mixture into the freezer, and stir until partly frozen. Remove the lid and add the mashed raspberries, and stir again for five or ten minutes until the mixture is sufficiently hard to repack.

This will serve eight or ten persons.

19. STRAWBERRY ICE CREAM

Make precisely the same as raspberry ice cream, substituting one quart of strawberries for the raspberries.

20. PISTACHIO ICE CREAM

  • 1 quart of cream
  • 1/2 pound of sugar
  • 1/2 pound of shelled pistachio nuts
  • 1 teaspoonful of almond extract
  • 10 drops of green coloring

Blanch and pound or grate the nuts. Put half the cream and all the sugar in a double boiler; stir until the sugar is dissolved and stand aside to cool; when cold, add the nuts, the flavoring and the remaining cream, mix, add the coloring, and turn into the freezer to freeze.

If green coloring matter is not at hand, a little spinach or parsley may be chopped and rubbed with a small quantity of alcohol.

This quantity will serve six persons,

21. VANILLA ICE CREAM

  • 1 quart of cream
  • 1/2 pound of sugar
  • 1 vanilla bean or two teaspoonfuls of vanilla extract

Put the sugar and half the cream in a double boiler over the fire. Split the vanilla bean, scrape out the seeds and add them to the hot cream, and add the bean broken into pieces. Stir until the sugar is dissolved, and strain through a colander. When this is cold, add the remaining cream and freeze. This should be repacked and given two hours to ripen. Four would be better.

This will serve six persons.

22. WALNUT ICE CREAM

  • 1 quart of cream
  • 1/2 pound of sugar
  • 1 teaspoonful of vanilla
  • 1 teaspoonful of caramel
  • 1/2 pint of black walnut meats

Put the sugar and half the cream over the fire in a double boiler; when the sugar is dissolved, stand it aside to cool. When cold, add the remaining cream, the walnuts, chopped, and the flavoring, and freeze.

This will serve six persons.

USE OF FRUITS

Use fresh fruits in the summer and the best canned unsweetened fruits in the winter. If sweetened fruits must be used, cut down the given quantity of sugar. Where acid fruits are used, they should be added to the cream after it is partly frozen.

TIME FOR FREEZING

The time for freezing varies according to the quality of cream or milk or water; water ices require a longer time than ice creams. It is not well to freeze the mixtures too rapidly; they are apt to be coarse, not smooth, and if they are churned before the mixture is icy cold they will be greasy or “buttery.”

DIRECTIONS FOR FREEZING

Philadelphia Ice Creams are not good if frozen too quickly.

The average time for freezing two quarts of cream should be ten minutes; it takes but a minute or two longer for larger quantities.

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I hope you enjoyed this article! We have plenty of other ones you should explore on the right-hand column. So do it! — Melissa