How to Make 3-Ingredient Homemade Ice Cream (No Ice Cream Maker Required!)
Homemade ice cream is within your reach, even without an ice cream maker, thanks to cookbook author Stef Ferrari. She shares her favorite homemade toppings, too, for a bespoke sundae bar that's a lot easier than it looks.
Photo: Paul Sirisalee
If homemade ice cream sounds appealing but too ambitious, you're in luck: With this dead-simple three-ingredient method from Stef Ferrari, author of Ice Cream Adventures, you can create the soft-serve of your childhood—no ice cream maker required.
Sweet Cream Softer-Serve
Makes 1½ quarts
Ingredients
Directions
Total time: 5 minutes, plus freezing overnight
In a large bowl, gently fold together whipped topping, sweetened condensed milk, and heavy cream, taking care not to deflate the air from the whipped topping. Once well integrated, store in an airtight container and freeze overnight.
Bourbon Ganache
Makes 1¼ cups
Ingredients
Directions
Total time: 5 minutes
In a medium glass bowl, combine chocolate and heavy cream. Microwave on high for 30 seconds, then stir to combine. Repeat until chocolate is melted. Add bourbon (or other spirit of your choice) if desired, and stir until mixture is smooth and creamy. Allow to cool completely and store, refrigerated, in an airtight container.
Honeyed Peanut Butter Sauce
Makes 2½ cups
Ingredients
Directions
Total Time: 5 minutes
In a medium glass bowl, place peanut butter and honey. Microwave on high for 30 seconds, then stir to combine. Repeat two more times until smooth. Pour in heavy cream and stir to combine. Allow to cool completely and store, refrigerated, in an airtight container.
Sea-Salted Whip
Makes 2 cups
Ingredients
Directions
Total time: 5 minutes
Using a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, combine heavy cream, sugar, and sea salt. Beat mixture until stiff peaks form, 2 to 4 minutes. Serve immediately.
Cherry on Top
For Ferrari, there's no substitute for Italian Luxardo maraschino cherries. The savvy bartender's staple—which bears practically no relation to the neon-bright, almond-flavored kind you'd find in a Shirley Temple—has a deep red color and a rich sweet-tart flavor. Bonus: The syrup is just as delicious. Drizzle it on ice cream or mix it in a cocktail. ($20 for 12.7-ounce jar; williams-sonoma.com)
Sweet Cream Softer-Serve
Makes 1½ quarts
Ingredients
- 12 ounces whipped topping
- 1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
- ¾ cup heavy cream
Directions
Total time: 5 minutes, plus freezing overnight
In a large bowl, gently fold together whipped topping, sweetened condensed milk, and heavy cream, taking care not to deflate the air from the whipped topping. Once well integrated, store in an airtight container and freeze overnight.
Bourbon Ganache
Makes 1¼ cups
Ingredients
- ½ cup very finely chopped chocolate
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- 1½ Tbsp. bourbon (optional)
Directions
Total time: 5 minutes
In a medium glass bowl, combine chocolate and heavy cream. Microwave on high for 30 seconds, then stir to combine. Repeat until chocolate is melted. Add bourbon (or other spirit of your choice) if desired, and stir until mixture is smooth and creamy. Allow to cool completely and store, refrigerated, in an airtight container.
Honeyed Peanut Butter Sauce
Makes 2½ cups
Ingredients
- 1 cup smooth peanut butter
- 1 cup honey
- ½ cup heavy cream
Directions
Total Time: 5 minutes
In a medium glass bowl, place peanut butter and honey. Microwave on high for 30 seconds, then stir to combine. Repeat two more times until smooth. Pour in heavy cream and stir to combine. Allow to cool completely and store, refrigerated, in an airtight container.
Sea-Salted Whip
Makes 2 cups
Ingredients
- 1 cup cold heavy cream
- 3 Tbsp. turbinado sugar
- ¾ tsp. flaked sea salt
Directions
Total time: 5 minutes
Using a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, combine heavy cream, sugar, and sea salt. Beat mixture until stiff peaks form, 2 to 4 minutes. Serve immediately.
Cherry on Top
For Ferrari, there's no substitute for Italian Luxardo maraschino cherries. The savvy bartender's staple—which bears practically no relation to the neon-bright, almond-flavored kind you'd find in a Shirley Temple—has a deep red color and a rich sweet-tart flavor. Bonus: The syrup is just as delicious. Drizzle it on ice cream or mix it in a cocktail. ($20 for 12.7-ounce jar; williams-sonoma.com)
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