Description
This recipe delivers the perfect texture of classic, airy vanilla soft serve—the kind you get at your favorite parlor—but made easily in your freezer using a simple technique that avoids the need for an ice cream maker. The secret is in the condensed milk base!
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream, cold
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste (or seeds from 1/2 vanilla bean)
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- In a large, chilled mixing bowl, pour in the cold heavy whipping cream. Using an electric mixer (handheld or stand mixer with whisk attachment), beat the cream on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. This should take about 3-5 minutes. Be careful not to over-beat into butter.
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the sweetened condensed milk, vanilla extract, vanilla bean paste, and a pinch of salt until fully combined and smooth.
- Gently fold about one-third of the whipped cream into the condensed milk mixture to lighten it.
- Carefully fold the remaining whipped cream into the lightened mixture in two additions, using a spatula. Use a cutting and folding motion to maintain as much air as possible. The final mixture should be uniformly pale yellow and fluffy.
- Transfer the soft serve base into a freezer-safe, shallow container (like a loaf pan or an airtight plastic container). Cover the surface directly with plastic wrap to prevent ice crystals from forming.
- Freeze for a minimum of 6 hours, or until firm enough to scoop but still yielding slightly when pressed (like commercial soft serve).
- For the best soft serve consistency, let the container sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes before scooping and serving immediately.
Notes
- For a richer flavor, substitute 1/4 cup of the heavy cream with whole milk.
- To achieve true soft-serve texture, serving immediately after the slight thaw (Step 7) is crucial. If it freezes too hard, let it soften longer on the counter.
- This recipe is very versatile; you can add chocolate syrup or crushed cookies during the final fold for flavor variations.
- Prep Time: PT15M
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: No-Churn Ice Cream
- Method: No-Churn
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/2 cup
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 35g
- Sodium: 80mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 14g
- Protein: 6g
- Cholesterol: 85mg