peppermint stick ice cream
a sweet treat for busy elves
Happy Christmas week! We made it!
We are heading to Pittsburgh (wish us luck in the car for 7 hours today with a one year old!) where we’ll spend the holiday with my parents and family.
My mom and I were menu planning for Christmas Day dinner last week, and she suggested, as she does almost every year, that we have peppermint ice cream and hot fudge for dessert.
Years ago, we got peppermint ice cream from Bruster’s, the ice cream spot near where I grew up in Pittsburgh. More recently, we’ve searched for it at the grocery store, with varying results, and I still haven’t been able to find one that hits the mark: bright, peppermint flavor with pieces of peppermint candy throughout. The crushed candy is key - it’s crunchy at first but gets a little melty and chewy as the ice cream softens.
This year, I took matters into my own hands and came up with a simple homemade peppermint ice cream recipe. It’s so much better than store bought and the perfect way to make good use of those holiday candy canes.
Normally, I make ice cream the traditional way, with an egg-based custard, but around the holidays, time is of the essence. This recipe is for a “no-churn” ice cream, which means it comes together in minutes, without any special equipment. The secret is using a combination of sweetened condensed milk and whipped heavy cream to create ice cream with a fluffy texture and smooth, scoop-able consistency.
The best way (and only way, if you ask my mom!) to serve peppermint ice cream is to top it with lots of hot fudge. She’d probably call it gilding the lily, but if you really want to go all out, make homemade brownies to serve as the base of a peppermint brownie sundae, and top each one with a generous sprinkle of crushed candy canes.
I hope you enjoy this recipe, and more importantly, I hope you enjoy some cozy quality time with your friends and family this week. Sending lots of love and warmest holiday wishes!!!
xoxo
Lidey
No-Churn Peppermint Stick Ice Cream
serves 6 to 8
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened, condensed milk
¼ cup crushed candy canes or other peppermint hard candy, plus more for serving
½ teaspoon peppermint extract
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
1 pint (2 cups) heavy cream
Warmed hot fudge sauce, for serving
Place a 9x5-inch loaf pan in the freezer to chill.
In a large bowl, combine the sweetened, condensed milk, crushed candy canes, peppermint extract, vanilla extract and kosher salt and mix until smooth.
Pour the heavy cream into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium-high until the cream forms firm peaks.
Working one large spoonful at a time, gently fold the cream into the sweetened, condensed milk mixture. Transfer to the chilled loaf pan, smooth into an even layer and freeze until firm, at least 5 hours. Serve immediately, or cover the surface of the ice cream with plastic wrap or parchment paper and freeze for up to 1 week for best results.
Serve, topped with hot fudge and more crushed candy canes.
Do you have a good hot fudge sauce recipe you can share in comments?
Try McConnell’s peppermint stick. So good!