Philadelphia-Style Ice Cream Base Recipe (2024)

Ingredients

Yield:1½ quarts

• 3cups heavy cream
• 1cup whole milk
• ½cup granulated sugar
• ½cup/167 grams light corn syrup or substitute ⅓ cup agave syrup or honey
• ½teaspoon fine sea salt
• Your choice of flavoring (see note)

Preparation

1. Step

   1

   In a saucepan, combine cream, milk, sugar, corn syrup and salt, and bring to a simmer. Continue to simmer until sugar dissolves, then transfer mixture to a container and refrigerate until very cold, at least 4 hours and preferably overnight.

2. Step

   2

   See Also

   Best Vegan Chocolate Ice Cream Recipe!Butterbeer Ice Cream RecipeHomemade Vegan Ice Cream Recipe – 3 Ways25 Best Desserts You Can Make In 5 Minutes - Top Recipes

   Churn in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions. Serve immediately or transfer to an airtight container and freeze until hard.

Tips

• Here are 16 ways to flavor your ice cream.
• Vanilla, Coffee, or Green Tea: If making vanilla ice cream, slice 2 vanilla beans in half lengthwise and scrape down the sides. Add seeds and pods. For coffee ice cream, add ½ cup whole coffee beans ground coarsely in a grinder or food processor. For green tea, add ¼ cup green tea leaves to the cold cream and milk mixture. Steep off the heat for 30 minutes before straining. Chill.
• Mint or Basil: In a food processor, pulse together 1 cup of clean and dry mint or basil leaves with ½ cup granulated sugar until pulverized and bright green. Use herb sugar instead of plain sugar to make the base. Steep off the heat for 30 minutes before straining. Chill.
• Cinnamon: Break a 4-inch-long cinnamon stick (preferably a fragrant variety like Ceylon or canela) into a food processor. Add ½ cup granulated sugar and pulse until finely ground. Use cinnamon sugar instead of plain sugar to make the base. Steep off the heat for 30 minutes before straining. Chill.
• Lemon or Lime: In a food processor, pulse together the zest of 3 lemons or limes with ½ cup granulated sugar until smooth and brightly colored. Use citrus sugar instead of plain sugar to make the base. Steep off the heat for 30 minutes before straining, and stir in the juice of 1 lemon or lime. Chill.
• Strawberry or Raspberry: Make the base without the milk. In a blender, purée 1 pound berries, 3 tablespoons sugar, ½ teaspoon lemon juice or balsamic vinegar and a pinch of salt. Taste; add more sugar and/or lemon or vinegar if necessary. The purée should be on the sweet side, with some underlying tartness. Stir into the base before chilling. Strain before churning if using raspberries.
• Peach or Apricot: Pit and dice 1½ pounds peaches or apricots (no need to peel them). In a medium pot over medium heat, gently simmer fruit with ¼ cup sugar until fruit is tender, about 10 minutes. Purée in a food processor or blender. Make the base without the milk. Stir the purée into warm base, along with ½ cup crème fraîche and a few drops almond extract, if desired. Chill.
• Cherry: In a medium pot over medium heat, simmer 3 cups pitted cherries (from about 1 pound) with two to three tablespoons sugar (to taste) until cherries are very soft, about 10 minutes. Purée in a food processor or blender. Make the base without the milk. Stir the purée into the warm base, along with ½ cup crème fraîche and a few drops kirsch, if desired. Chill.
• Banana: In a blender, purée 4 very ripe medium bananas, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 teaspoon lemon juice and a pinch of salt until smooth. Make the base without the milk. Stir purée into warm base, along with ½ cup crème fraîche. Chill.
• Chocolate: In a small pot, bring ¾ cup cream and 3 tablespoons Dutch-processed cocoa powder to a simmer. Put 1 cup chopped chocolate in a mixing bowl. Pour hot cocoa cream over chocolate and stir until melted and smooth. Make the base using ¾ cup cream and ¾ cup milk, ½ cup corn syrup, ⅓ cup sugar. Stir chocolate mixture, ¾ cup crème fraîche or sour cream and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract into the base. Strain and chill.
• Chocolate Hazelnut: Make the base with 2½ cups milk, 1½ cups cream and 2 tablespoons corn syrup. Whisk 1 cup chocolate hazelnut spread (such as Nutella) and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract into warm base. Chill.
• Salted Caramel: In a medium pot over medium heat, melt ¾ cup sugar with 3 tablespoons water, swirling pan frequently, until sugar turns mahogany brown in color (almost but not quite black). Continue making base in the same pot, using ¼ cup sugar and ¼ cup corn syrup. Sprinkle ¼ teaspoon flaky sea salt (such as Maldon) into base during the last 2 minutes of churning.
• Butterscotch Bourbon: In a medium pot over medium heat, melt ½ cup sugar with 3 tablespoons water, swirling pan frequently, until sugar turns reddish brown in color. Stir in 1 tablespoon of bourbon before chilling.
• Almond: In a medium pot over medium heat, cook ½ cup sliced almonds with 2 tablespoons sugar (add a pinch of salt, if making nondairy version) until deep golden and caramelized, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate; reserve. In the same pot, toast 1 cup sliced almonds until deep golden, 5 minutes. Proceed with base recipe in the same pot; let the mixture steep off the heat for 1 hour before straining (press down hard on the solids). Add ¼ teaspoon almond extract to base before chilling. Break reserved nuts into pieces, and add to the base during last 2 minutes of churning.
• Pistachio or Hazelnut: Make the base using 2½ cups milk and 1½ cup cream. Whisk 1 cup unsweetened pistachio or hazelnut paste and ¼ teaspoon almond extract into warm base. Chill.
• Peanut Butter: Make the base using 2½ cups milk, and 1½ cups cream. Whisk 1 cup natural smooth peanut butter and ½ teaspoon vanilla extract into warm base. Chill.
• Coconut: In a medium pot, toast ½ cup sweetened shredded coconut until deep golden, 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate; reserve. In the same pot, toast 1 cup shredded unsweetened coconut until deep golden, 5 minutes. Proceed with the base recipe in the same pot, using 2 cups cream, 1 cup milk and 1 cup coconut milk or cream. Let custard steep off the heat for 1 hour before straining (press down hard on the solids). Add reserved coconut to base during the last 2 minutes of churning.