National Vanilla Ice Cream Day

Classic, creamy, and ever so delicious… who doesn’t love vanilla ice cream? You can have it with chocolate cake, apple crumble, sprinkles, strawberry sauce… the list goes on! Of course, it’s just as delightful on its own.

A dessert as scrumptious and versatile as this deserves to be celebrated, and National Vanilla Ice Cream Day gives you the perfect excuse to do so! National Vanilla Ice Cream Day gives you the perfect excuse to indulge in this sweet treat and to experiment with different ways of enjoying it.

Like most ice cream flavors, vanilla ice cream was created originally by cooling a mixture of vanilla, sugar, and cream above a container of salt and ice. The sort of vanilla that is used to flavor ice cream varies based on located. In Ireland, more of anise-like flavor is chosen. In North America, a smoky flavor is more desirable.

History Of Vanilla Ice Cream

So, who do we have to praise for this tasty and incredible creation? Well, you need to start by understanding the origins of both vanilla and ice cream first! Ice cream can be traced back to the 14th century. There is evidence that ice cream was served during the Yuan period in the Mogul Court.

The idea of using a mix of salt and ice for the refrigerating effect, though, began in Asia. The method then spread when the Moors and Arabs traveled to Spain, between 711 and 1492. The Italians became involved in making ice cream once this method had spread to Europe. By the early 18th century, there were recipes for ice cream in France as well. The French added egg yolks or egg to the recipe to create a richer and smoother food.

Vanilla was first used amongst people from Mexico. By the 1500s, Spanish conquistadors, who were exploring present-day Mexico, had come across Meso-American individuals who were consuming vanilla in their foods and drinks. Because of this, the conquistadors brought vanilla back to Spain.

In Spain, they started using vanilla to flavor a chocolate drink that consisted of honey, water, corn, vanilla, and cacao beans. The drink eventually spread to England and France, and then the rest of Europe by the early 1600s. In 1602, the apothecary of Queen Elizabeth I, Hugh Morgan, suggested that vanilla should be used separately from cocoa.

When this happened, the French really started to use vanilla in drinks and foods without cacao, and they started to flavor ice cream with it. When Thomas Jefferson discovered vanilla ice cream in France, he brought the recipe back to the United States with him, where the natural color of the ice cream was brown.

How To Celebrate Ice Cream Day

Of course, the best way to observe National Vanilla Ice Cream Day is to have a go at creating your own vanilla ice cream. However, most recipes are going to require you to have an ice cream machine. Don’t worry, though, we will give you a great recipe that you can make without a machine so that you’ve got a helping hand!

Ingredients

• Two teaspoons of vanilla extract
• One cup of sugar
• Two cups of half-and-half cream
• Two cups of heavy whipping cream

How to make vanilla ice cream

• Firstly, you will need to prepare your pan. Freeze an empty freezer-safe shallow pan or bowl.
• Now, grab a large bowl, and mix all of the ingredients together until the sugar has dissolved. It is important to make sure that all of the sugar has fully dissolved before you freeze the mixture, as this is going to create the smoothest texture.
• Once everything is mixed, transfer the mixture to the cold pan, and put it back in the freezer for around 30 minutes. Once that time has passed, take a good look at your creation. If the edges of it have begun the freezing process, you should take the mixture out of the freezer and use a hand mixer to beat it. Breaking up the ice cream in this way is what will help to make it creamy and smooth. However, don’t go overboard! You don’t want to beat the mixture too much!
• You should then return the mixture to the freezer. Around every 30 minutes, you should repeat the process of beating the mixture. Keep doing this until the ice cream has frozen completely. This will usually take around four or five sessions of beating the ice cream. If you have noticed that the ice cream has become too hard at any point, simply put it in the fridge until it becomes soft enough to beat again.
• Store the ice cream in your freezer in a covered container until you are ready to eat it.

Other Ways To Observe National Vanilla Ice Cream Day

Make your own ice cream sundae creation! There are so many different ways you can use vanilla ice cream. Why not grab a mason jar and create your own ice cream sundae creation? The toppings that go with vanilla ice cream are never-ending. You can add in broken up cookie pieces. Or, what about drizzling in toppings, like toffee, dark chocolate, or melted caramel? You can also mix in pieces of your favorite candy bars. Or, if you really want to switch things up, why not try unexpected flavors, like maple syrup and chilli chocolate?

Get your friends and loved ones around to try the vanilla ice cream that you have created. They will definitely be impressed to learn that you have created your own vanilla ice cream from scratch! You can serve it with a homemade dessert or you can get everyone else in on the fun of creating their own sundaes.

Create your own vanilla ice cream cocktail – There are so many amazing cocktail recipes that involve vanilla ice cream. Why not make your own boozy ice cream cocktail in order to mark the occasion? One of our favorites is the Blackberry gin Fizz Float. Combine blackberry puree, vanilla ice cream, gin, ginger ale, fresh mint, and lime juice! This is a refreshing and luxurious cocktail, and you will be wondering why you have never had it before!