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The best homemade ice cream recipe we’ve ever tried is the Salt and Straw ice cream base

This Salt and Straw ice cream base can be turned into almost any flavor imaginable.

Lindsay Parrill
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Variety of ice cream scoops in cones with chocolate, vanilla and strawberry
fahrwasser / Adobe Stock

There is no better summertime indulgence than that of homemade ice cream. Once you’ve made (and then, by no fault of your own, devoured) this special treat, it will be hard to ever go back to the boxed grocery store brand. It’s like returning to premade refrigerated cookie dough after making your mother’s scratch-made recipe. You just can’t. It feels wrong somehow. When you know something can be so delicious, you know what a disservice you’re doing yourself by not having the most authentic, best version possible. Ice cream is very much that way. And the wonderful thing is that homemade ice cream is a breeze to make, unlike so many other decadent desserts. The one issue can be finding the perfect homemade ice cream recipe. And that all starts with the ice cream base.

What is an ice cream base?

Made with just a few simple ingredients, an ice cream base is the foundation upon which all other flavors are built. And if you have a great one, you can build your layers of flavor in absolutely any way that tickles your fancy. Ice cream can take on flavor and texture with just about anything you please — extracts, fruits, candies, syrups, nut butters, and chocolate chips are just a few ideas to get you started. Just be sure to allow the ice cream base to cool before adding your own touches of creativity. Once you’ve added your flavorings to the ice cream base, simply churn and enjoy.

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The incredibly delicious ice cream base recipe below is from the always amazing Salt and Straw. This popular ice cream brand has, in our opinion, some of the best ice cream on the planet, so we were ecstatic to learn how to create their fantastic ice cream base at home.

Salt and Straw Ice Cream
Salt & Straw

Salt & Straw ice cream base recipe

(From Salt & Straw)

This ice cream base can be stored in the refrigerator for a week or in the freezer for up to three months. When you’re ready, simply add your favorite flavorings and pour them into your ice cream maker.

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/3 cups whole milk
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
  • 2 tablespoons dry milk powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
  • 1 1/3 cups heavy cream

Method:

  1. Combine the milk, sugar, corn syrup, dry milk, and xanthan gum in a medium pot and stir to combine. Cook over medium heat, stirring until the sugar has dissolved, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Add the cream and whisk until fully combined.
  2.  Transfer the mixture to a sealed container and refrigerate for 12 hours. The base can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
  3. Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker and churn according to your machine’s instructions.

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Lindsay Parrill
Lindsay Parrill
Contributor
Lindsay is a graduate of California Culinary Academy, Le Cordon Bleu, San Francisco, from where she holds a degree in…
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