There’s nothing more delightful than sitting by the fire, sipping hot cocoa or tea while eating your favorite treat—ice cream!
You can also enjoy this classic wintertime dessert with a little twist.
- This recipe is for old fashioned snow cream, a traditional dessert made with fresh snow, cream, sugar, and vanilla extract.
What Is The Difference Between Old Fashioned Snow Cream And Other Snow Cream Recipes?
The following are some of the most popular snow creams around the world.
These aren’t all authentic recipes, but rather ones that have inspired others to create their own versions.
Old Fashioned Snow Cream Recipe 1 (Recipe Source)
Ingredients:
1 cup heavy whipping cream
4 egg yolks
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
¾ Cup granulated white sugar
Directions:
Combine cream in a large saucepan over medium heat until it reaches just below boiling point.
Meanwhile, whisk together the egg yolks.
When cream begins to boil, slowly pour into eggs while constantly stirring with a rubber spatula.
Continue to stir as mixture thickens.
When fully incorporated, transfer mixture back to pan.
Cook on low heat for another 2 minutes.
Remove from heat and continue to stir until frosting has cooled completely.
Add vanilla extract and then mix well.
Serve immediately.
Mango Chutney Frozen Yogurt Recipe (Recipe Source)
Ingredients:
5 cups mango puree
⅓ cup orange juice
½ cup honey
⅓ cup lemon juice
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 tablespoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon salt
Instructions:
Place mangoes and water in blender and blend until smooth.
In separate bowl combine remaining ingredients except yogurt base.
Heat fruit mixture over high heat until liquid starts to bubble up, about 5 minutes.
Reduce heat to low and cook for 10 minutes longer.
With mixer running, add yogurt base gradually, alternating with fruit mixture.
Return to heat when mixture becomes too cool to comfortably hold shape of spoon without cracking.
Cool completely and serve cold.
Cherry Vanilla Frozen Yogurt Recipe (Recipe Source)
Ingredients:
6 cups chopped pitted cherries
¼ cup cherry preserves
½ cup sour cream
¾ cup milk
⅛ tsp almond extract
⅛ tsp cinnamon
⅛ tsp nutmeg
⅛ tsp cardamom
⅛ tsp cloves
⅛ tsp ginger
⅛ tsp mace
⅛ tsp coriander
⅛ tsp cumin
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
Instructions:
Mix together cherries, preserve, sour cream, milk, extracts, spices, and cornstarch.
Transfer mixture to freezer container and freeze overnight.
Stir mixture every 30 minutes during freezing process.
After freezing, remove frozen mixture from freezer and beat with electric beater at high speed until creamy.
Gradually add confectioner’s sugar, beating after each addition until smooth consistency is achieved.
Serve immediately while still slightly soft.
Honey Lemonade Frozen Yogurt Recipe (Recipe Source)
Ingredients:
5 cups milk
¼ cup honey
¼ cup lemon juice
¼ cup lime juice
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
2/3 cup powdered sugar
Instructions:
Bring milk to a simmer in a small saucepan. In a mixing bowl, whisk honey, lemon juice, lime juice, vanilla extract, and salt.
Slowly pour the warm milk into the honey mixture while continuously whisking with an electric hand beater until combined.
Pour mixture through a fine mesh strainer and place in a refrigerator for several hours before serving.
How Do You Make Old Fashioned Snow Cream?
To make old fashioned snow cream, start with some good quality homemade ice cream.
If you don’t have any on hand, it’ll be easy to find in most grocery stores these days.
Once you have an ice cream base, add powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla bean paste (or just vanilla extract).
Stir well until everything is combined thoroughly.
Next, pour the mixture into a freezer safe container such as Tupperware.
Place it in the freezer overnight so that it hardens completely.
The next day, remove the frozen block of ice cream from the Tupperware, place it in the microwave for about 30 seconds, and then break up the ice cream into small pieces using a fork or knife.
Add the broken up ice cream back into the Tupperware, return it to the freezer, and repeat the process every hour for 8 hours total.
After eight hours of freezing, take out the Tupperware and let the ice cream thaw slightly before scooping.
Once you have the desired amount of ice cream ready, combine all of the remaining ingredients together in a large bowl.
Gently fold the whipped cream into the mix until everything is evenly incorporated.
Pour the finished product back into the Tupperware and transfer the entire thing back to the freezer.
Let it freeze solid again overnight and serve immediately when you wake up.
What Are The Ingredients In Old Fashioned Snow Cream?
Old fashioned snow cream is a delicious frozen treat that has been around since the 1800s.
It was originally served as a sweetened cream topping on top of ice cream but now we have moved away from using ice cream altogether.
The creamy texture of the whipped cream makes this a perfect alternative to ice cream.
If you don’t want to use cream, you can substitute milk instead.
- 1 cup powdered sugar (or 1/4 cup granulated sugar)
- 3 cups heavy whipping cream (I used heavy whipping cream)
- A pinch of salt
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- Freshly grated nutmeg
How Long Does It Take To Make Old Fashioned Snow Cream?
In general, making homemade ice cream takes about 20 minutes from start to finish.
The first step is melting the ingredients together and then cooling them down into their respective forms before churning out that delicious ice cream.
Old fashioned snow cream requires some slightly different steps.
It starts off by mixing the milk, eggs, heavy whipping cream, and sugar together using a stand mixer (or hand whisk) as well as adding in the vanilla extract.
Then, you will have to wait until the mixture freezes completely before scooping it up and putting it back in the freezer so it hardens properly.
The process of making old fashioned snow cream is not difficult if you follow the instructions carefully.
However, there are several variables that may affect its final outcome.
For instance, the temperature at which you mix all the ingredients could impact whether or not they freeze properly.
If the mixture is too warm, it won’t be able to cool down enough to set correctly.
In addition, the amount of time you allow the mixture to sit after freezing can determine how firm the end result is when you eat it.
If you want to learn how to make old fashioned snow cream, we’ll walk through each step of the process below.
1.Mix the Milk, Eggs, Heavy Cream, Sugar, and Vanilla Extract Together
You don’t need any special equipment to whip the milk, eggs, heavy whipping cream, and sugar together in order to create old fashioned snow cream.
A standard kitchen electric mixer or handheld blender will do just fine.
To begin, combine one cup of cold water, 1/4 cup of granulated white sugar, 2 tablespoons of corn syrup, 3 cups of whole milk, 4 large egg yolks, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, and 1 tablespoon of butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
Bring everything up to a simmer and continue cooking the mixture for four minutes, stirring constantly.
Once the mixture has reached 160 degrees Fahrenheit, remove it from the heat and let it cool for five minutes before transferring it to a bowl.
2.Add the Salt and Ice Cubes To Your Mixture
Once the liquid mixture has cooled down, add two teaspoons of salt and 1/2 cup of crushed ice cubes to it.
Stir the mixture thoroughly so that it absorbs all of the salt and ice cubes evenly throughout the entire mixture.
Do not stir too much because you still want the ingredients to remain separated.
3.Freeze the Mixture Until It Freezes Completely
After combining your mixture, place it back in the refrigerator for an hour.
After an hour has passed, transfer the mixture to a container with an airtight lid and put it back into the freezer overnight.
Make sure to leave plenty of room between the container and the top of the fridge because once the mixture thaws, it expands quite a bit.
4.Churn the Frozen Mixture Into Snow Cream
When you wake up the next day, it’s finally time to churn away.
Remove the frozen mixture from the fridge and give it a good shake to break up the chunks of ice.
Pour the mixture into the bowl of your stand mixer or use a handheld blender to blend everything together until smooth.
Next, attach the attachment on your mixer and turn it on high speed until the mixture thickens.
Once it reaches the desired consistency, stop blending and pour the mixture into a storage container.
Place the container in the freezer again and chill for another six hours before serving.
Can You Make Old Fashioned Snow Cream Without A Machine?
Yes, you can easily make old fashioned snow cream at home using just four ingredients (or five if you count the milk).
All of these recipes are simple enough that even kids can help out.
The first step in making ice cream is melting the frozen dairy products.
Once all of the ice has melted, add the remaining ingredients and stir continuously until everything is completely combined.
Then pour into an airtight container and freeze overnight.
The next day, remove from freezer about 20 minutes before serving.
Homemade Old Fashioned Snow Cream Recipe #1
Ingredients:
4 cups whole milk
(Or 3 ½ cup skim)
⅓ cup granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Directions:
Place 4 cups of cold whole milk in a large saucepan over medium heat.
Stir occasionally as it heats up until small bubbles form around the edges.
Add the sugar, salt, and vanilla extract and whisk well.
Continue stirring constantly until the mixture thickens slightly.
Remove from heat and cool completely.
Refrigerate overnight.
It will thicken further after refrigeration.
Serve immediately or transfer to an airtight container and freeze for later use.
Homemade Old Fashioned Snow Cream Recipe #2
Ingredients:
½ gallon whole milk
6 tablespoons powdered sugar
¾ cup heavy whipping cream
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions:
In a 2 quart glass measuring jug, combine the milk, sugar, and heavy whipping cream.
Refrigerate overnight to allow flavors to develop.
In the morning, remove the jug from refrigerator and place on countertop.
Using a hand mixer, beat the contents until soft peaks form.
Sprinkle in the vanilla extract and continue beating until stiff peaks form.
Transfer to an airtight container and freeze overnight.
Homemade Old Fashioned Snow Cream Recipe #3
Ingredients:
5 cups half-and-half
3 cups whole milk
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Directions:
Combine 5 cups of cold half-and-half and 3 cups of cold whole milk in a large saucepan over medium heat.
Whisk continually until small bubbles appear around the edge of the pan.
Slowly pour in 1/4 cup granulated sugar and then gradually sprinkle the cornstarch over top, being careful not to clump together any lumps.
Continue stirring until smooth and creamy.
Once smooth, stir in the salt and vanilla extract.
Cook over low heat for another minute or two.
Set aside to cool.
Once cooled, pour mixture into a 2 quart glass jar and cover tightly.
Place in fridge and chill overnight.
To serve, run under warm water until softened.
What Is The Best Way To Serve Old Fashioned Snow Cream?
Old Fashioned Snow Cream has been around since before refrigeration was invented.
The first mention of it in print appeared in 1869 in an article about the “frozen delights” that were being served at the time.
Today, it remains one of America’s most popular ice creams.
The name comes from its resemblance to the Old World tradition of “snowballs” made with shaved off crystals of frozen water and flavored ice.
It takes a bit of time (and patience) to prepare, but once you have all ingredients on hand, you will be able to whip up a batch quickly.
If you are looking for something different and unique, try out these recipes for some delicious alternatives.
1.Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream
You may not think of cookie dough as ice cream, but that doesn’t mean you can’t add it into any flavor of ice cream.
If you want to take it even further, use chocolate chip cookies instead of plain oatmeal raisin ones.
To make this special treat, combine two parts of heavy whipping cream, 1/4 cup granulated white sugar, 4 tablespoons brown sugar, 2 cups half-and-half, 1 teaspoon salt, and 3 large egg yolks.
Bring mixture to just under a boil, then remove from heat.
Slowly stir in melted chocolate chips until combined.
Chill mixture thoroughly, and then pour into your ice cream maker according to manufacturer instructions.
Let cool and freeze overnight before serving.
2.Baked Alaska
Baked Alaska is perhaps the best known dessert of all time.
It involves layers of meringue, whipped cream, and fruit topped with a scoop of ice cream.
But did you know there’s another type of baked Alaska? One that uses ice cream as its base rather than meringue?
For this version, start by baking a sponge cake using a simple recipe like this one.
Once cooled, cut the cake horizontally into thirds so each piece is about 5 inches long.
Place one third of the cake onto a plate, top with an equal amount of ice cream, and repeat twice more.
Top the final layer of cake with a small dollop of whipped cream and garnish with berries.
3.Frozen Popsicles
Popsicle making is a great activity for kids of all ages, but if you don’t already own popsicle molds, you might want to invest in them now.
They’re cheap, easy to clean, and can be used again many times over.
All you need is a bowl, a stick blender, and popsicle sticks.
Start by adding 1 tablespoon corn syrup per pint of liquid.
Then blend together the remaining ingredients (except for the popsicle sticks) until completely smooth.
Now fill the molds with the mixture, insert popsicle sticks, cover with plastic wrap, and place in freezer for three hours.
After that, they should be ready to eat.
How Do You Store Old Fashioned Snow Cream?
As long as it doesn’t melt in direct sunlight, old fashioned snow cream will keep just fine for several days if stored properly.
If you plan on making a large batch of snow cream, consider freezing some extra portions at home so that you have them available when needed.
Storage Methods
Store your freshly made snow cream in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use.
To avoid melting, don’t let the ice cream sit out too long because once melted, it loses its texture and becomes runny.
If you want to freeze leftovers (or make a larger amount), you should transfer your leftover snow cream into a freezer-safe bag or container before sealing up tightly.
Once frozen solid, pop the containers back into the fridge to thaw slowly overnight.
What Are Some Flavor Ideas For Old Fashioned Snow Cream?
The possibilities of what to put in your snow cream are endless.
There are many different ways to make it unique and interesting, but here are three simple recipes that will help get you started.
1.Chocolate Snow Cream
If chocolate is one of your favorite flavors, then you know how much fun making homemade ice cream can be.
It doesn’t even have to be frozen if you don’t want it to.
Just add two tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder to 1 cup of heavy whipping cream and let sit until cooled.
Then mix in a few drops of vanilla extract and pour into bowls to serve.
2.Vanilla Bean Snow Cream
For something really special, try adding a couple teaspoons of freshly ground vanilla bean seeds.
If you can find them, freeze them overnight so they become easier to grind when you need them.
Once you’ve done this, combine 2 cups of heavy whipping cream with 3/4 cup powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract.
Mix well and chill before serving.
3.Meringue Mushrooms
A mushroom cloud may not be the most realistic way to describe this tasty creation, but it sure looks cool.
To create these delicious treats, start out by preparing homemade meringues.
Start off by combining four egg whites (and yolks) with an equal amount of granulated white sugar and beat on high speed until stiff peaks form.
Next, fold in half of the whipped egg whites along with a pinch of salt, vanilla extract, and cornstarch.
Continue folding until all ingredients are combined.
Now comes the hard part.
Using a piping bag fitted with a large star tip, pipe small mounds onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes and allow to cool completely.
Once ready, fill each meringue with whipped cream using a pastry bag.
Decorate with sprinkles and edible gold leaf as desired.
How Do You Decorate Old Fashioned Snow Cream?
The first step in creating an old fashioned snow cream is to find yourself a big bowl of ice and snow.
If there isn’t any around, you can use frozen water instead.
After that, grab your cream and sugar (or honey), stir them together well, then add the vanilla extract.
Once mixed, pour it into the bowl of “fresh snow” and freeze until solid.
Once the mixture has hardened up, take out the bowl, break off pieces of the ice cream, and place on a serving tray.
To complete the look, sprinkle powdered sugar all over the top so that each piece looks like a perfect mountain peak.
What Are Some Common Mistakes People Make When Making Old Fashioned
When it comes to making homemade ice cream, there are two main ways to go about it: in an electric machine or using a hand crank.
If you have an electric freezer, then that’s what I recommend.
But if you don’t want to invest in one of those fancy machines, then you can still get good results by hand cranking your own ice cream.
One thing most people forget when they’re making their own ice cream at home is how long it takes to freeze your mixture properly.
It may seem like a short amount of time but it will take quite a bit longer than you think.
The reason for this is because the ice crystals need to grow to be large enough so they can trap all the air bubbles from the milk solids and prevent them from forming any holes in your finished product.
So, in order to achieve this perfect texture, you must allow your mixture to freeze completely before scooping out the ice cream into containers.
Another mistake people often make when trying to make old fashioned snow cream (or any other type of homemade frozen desserts) is adding too much water to the mix.
This causes your ice cream to become runny instead of creamy.
Adding less water will help keep your ice cream smooth as well as help prevent it from freezing unevenly.
Also, avoid overmixing your ice cream after you add the liquid ingredients.
Just stir gently until everything is combined.
Equipment
- Bowl
Ingredients
- 4 cups fresh snow
- 1 cup cream or milk
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Place snow into a large bowl.
- Pour milk over the snow and add vanilla.
- Mix to combine.
- Serve immediately in bowls.
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Nutrition
My blog is all about creating delicious meals with ingredients that are easy to find in your local grocery store. I’m passionate about making yummy meals that I can share with my friends and family.