THE ORIGINAL ‘RECEIPT’

Strawberry Ice Cream.

Rub a pint of ripe strawberries through a sieve, add a pint of cream, and four ounces of powdered sugar, and freeze it.

~Miss Beecher’s Domestic Receipt-Book. New York: Harper & Brothers, 1858.

THE UPDATED RECIPE

• 2 c. strawberries
• 4 oz. granulated sugar (roughly 1/2 cup)
• 2 c. whipping cream.

Wash, hull and slice the strawberries, and force them through a colander or sieve, to form a puree.

Add the sugar to the puree, and mix well to dissolve the granules.

In a mixing bowl, whip the cream until it forms soft peaks, using a whisk or a beater.

Gently fold the sweetened puree into the whipped cream, and put the mixture immediately into an ice cream maker.

Freeze the mixture, agitating it regularly, until the ice cream is of the desired firmness.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings.

This has a rich, intense berry flavour, and is light and fluffy. Making it can even be part of the entertainment, at a casual summer picnic.

Raspberry Ice-cream.

Make it after the same recipe as strawberry ice cream and add the juice of one lemon.

Cutter, Sarah J. Palatable Dishes. Buffalo: Peter Paul & Bro., 1891.

A note from Patricia: This ice cream is so easy to make and is so light and airy and creamy…. it’s the best ice cream I’ve ever had. It feels a bit naughty with the whipping cream, but it also felt clean – I knew I wasn’t eating all of the strange ingredients that are often in store-bought ice creams.