How to Make Homemade Ice Cream for Summer

Ice cream is one of summer's greatest pleasures, and to be sure it's as natural and healthy as possible, it's best to prepare it at home with flavors we prefer.

Learn how to make homemade ice cream and other frozen desserts!

Ice cream is one of the most highly consumed desserts in the world. In Scandinavian countries, ice cream is considered to be a nutritional food that provides energy and therefore it’s consumed year-round. In Mediterranean countries, however, ice cream is mainly consumed during the summer.

European Artisanal Gelato Day is celebrated on the 24th of March. Additionally, there is a special dietetic ice cream for those with diabetes. This ice cream is low in fat and is made with fructose instead of sugar, so it has fewer calories.

You can also find ice cream that’s made with soy milk, instead of cream or dairy milk, which is suitable for vegans and for those with lactose intolerance. 

Here you will find recipes for different kinds of homemade ice cream for summer.

See also Foods You Can Freeze

Homemade Hazelnut Ice Cream

• 10 ounces of toasted hazelnuts
• 8 ounces of condensed milk
• 6 tablespoons of hazelnut liqueur
• Half a pint of cream
• Mint (for decoration)

This hazelnut ice cream recipe serves approximately four people. To prepare, put the hazelnuts, liqueur, and condensed milk in a blender and mix.

Transfer the mixture to a bowl. Whip the cream, then add it to the mixture. Finally, mix everything together well, cover it with plastic wrap and place it in the freezer. Enjoy your homemade ice cream!

Homemade Ice Cream Cones

• 1.7 ounces of flour
• 1.5 ounces of powdered sugar
• 2 ounces of melted butter
• Two egg whites

To prepare: mix in the ingredients in a bowl until the dough is homogeneous, place small amounts of the dough on a parchment lined baking tray, and flatten each ball out with a spoon. 

Bake for seven minutes at 390 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove the baking tray from the oven, and while the cones are still hot, shape as desired. Let them cool and fill them with your favorite homemade ice cream.

Frozen Yogurt with Fruit Recipe

• Five plain yogurts
• 14 fluid ounces of cream
• 14 ounces of powdered sugar
• Eight strawberries
• One slice of pineapple
• One kiwi
• Two tablespoons of honey
• Homemade ice cream cones

To prepare, pour the chilled cream into a bowl and whip it slightly with an electric mixer. Add the powdered sugar and whip it a bit more, but not completely.

In a bowl, whisk the yogurts with two tablespoons of honey, and add it to the whipped cream. Then, cut the strawberries, kiwi and pineapple into small chunks and add it in to the mixture. Finally, pour the mixture into a rectangular mold and leave it in the freezer, until it is completely frozen.

Endless Flavors for Ice Pops

Making homemade ice pops is very simple. You just need a mold for the pops, and a freezer. If you don’t have a mold, you can prepare the popsicles in a glass (freezer safe). Put them in the freezer for one to two hours and poke a popsicle stick through the center of each pop.

Here are some ingredients that you can use to prepare these ice pops, which are ideal for summer and perfect for children to enjoy too.

• Yogurt: any kind of yogurt will do. Both plain and flavored yogurts, Greek yogurt, yogurt with chunks of fruit, and custards can also be used. If you prefer, you can make ice pops solely out of yogurt, which will require one yogurt per ice pop.
• Juice and other beverages: you can make ice pops out of juice, blended fruit and milk. You can also mix these with yogurt for creamier ice pops. 
• Fruit: take full advantage of fruits that are in season for your homemade pops. You can also mix fruit chunks with yogurt or juice. 
• You can add other ingredients, such as cream, cream cheese or milk to make the pops creamier. 
• If you have a sweet-tooth you can sweeten the ice pops by adding chocolate chips or marmalade.

It’s important to leave the ice pops in the freezer at least three to four hours. If you’ve used creamy ingredients such as cheese, cream or Greek yogurt, they need to be left for at least five hours in the freezer.

When you take them out of the freezer, you can run the molds under hot water for a few seconds, so that it’s easier to release the ice pops from the mold.