Nearly 60 Years of Homemade Birthday Ice Cream with My Dad
Having a birthday close to the holidays can be hard. But in the mid-1960s, my dad found a way to make his December 23 birthday special by hosting a party and making homemade ice cream with his family and friends.
I hadn’t given much thought about how the tradition started or how long he’s been doing it until recently. I’m almost 51 years old and I don’t recall ever not having homemade ice cream on his birthday (other than the years a blizzard delayed it).
We just always know to plan for ice cream at dad’s two days before Christmas.
When I was young, he made ice cream with the old-style hand crank maker but now he uses this electric Rival one. He bought it years ago when the local Walmart was offloading inventory before they moved into a new building.
Here’s a photo from the 1980s making ice cream in the basement.
So I made plans with my dad, Ron Perry, to talk about it on a Funeral Potatoes & Wool Mittens podcast episode this past December 2022 and publish it on his birthday.
However, there was a blizzard and we couldn’t get together. But I was determined to share his story with you so here it is, just a few weeks later. I would love if you listen to this episode, which you can listen from wherever you get your podcasts, or play it on my Podcast page on my website, or click the play arrow below.
My dad shares a funny story about why my sister Heidi thought the ice cream might taste like slough water. And now I know who turned the crank on the ice cream maker in the earlier years.
He gave me his vanilla and rocky road ice cream recipes to share with you (see below).
If you like ice cream, try layering it with a pan of brownies and hot fudge sauce like in my chip and mint brownie ice cream dessert.
How do you celebrate birthdays close to the holidays?
Listen to this podcast episode on my website or wherever you get your podcasts. Search for Funeral Potatoes & Wool Mittens.
Sweet birthday wishes,
Dad’s Vanilla Ice Cream
Equipment
- electric ice cream maker
Ingredients
- 6 eggs
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 quart real cream
- whole milk
- 2 tablespoons real vanilla
- 1 dash salt
Instructions
- Pour all ingredients into the freezer, adding enough whole milk to finish filling the freezer to the fill point.
- Pour the mixture in a mixing bowl and beat on medium-low with an electric mixer.
- Pour the mixture into a large heat-proof bowl or pot. Place the bowl into a SMALLER pot of boiling water on the stovetop. (to create a double boiler) The bowl or pot with the ice cream mixture should NOT touch the boiling water.
- Heat the mixture to 175°F. Place the the bowl or pot with the hot mixture into a smaller bowl with cold water or ice water to cool it down quickly. (Don't get water in the ice cream mixture.)
- Pour the mixture into the ice cream freezer drum and place in refrigerator overnight.
- The next day, put the ice cream drum in the maker and follow the machine's instructions. When the machine is finished, place the ice cream in the freezer.
Notes
- 9 eggs OR 1 pint eggbeaters
- 3 cups sugar
- 3 pints cream
- whole milk (enough to finish filling the freezer to the fill point, usually 1/2 gallon or less)
- 3 tablespoons vanilla
- dash of salt
All text and images © Staci Mergenthal • Random Sweets
Rocky Road Ice Cream
Equipment
- ice cream maker
Ingredients
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- 14 ounce sweetened condensed milk
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup half & half
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- ½ cup chopped pecans
- 1 cup mini marshmallows
Instructions
- In a saucepan over medium-low heat, put in cocoa and sweetened condensed milk. Whisk until combined, cooking over low heat and whisking constantly until slightly thickened and cocoa is dissolved. (about 5 minutes) Remove from heat.
- Pour the mixture in a mixing bowl. Add the heavy cream, half and half, and vanilla. Beat on medium-low with an electric mixer.
- Pour the mixture into a large heat-proof bowl or pot. Place the bowl into a SMALLER pot of boiling water on the stovetop. (to create a double boiler) The bowl or pot with the ice cream mixture should NOT touch the boiling water.
- Heat the mixture to 175°F. Place the the bowl or pot with the hot mixture into a smaller bowl with cold water or ice water to cool it down quickly. (Don't get water in the ice cream mixture.)
- Pour the mixture into the ice cream freezer drum and place in refrigerator overnight.
- The next day, put the ice cream drum in the maker and follow the machine's instructions.
- Once the ice cream maker stops, stir in the chopped pecans and mini marshmallows. Place the ice cream in the freezer.
All text and images © Staci Mergenthal • Random Sweets
