No-Churn Ice Cream Without an Ice Cream Maker
Whipped cream and sweetened condensed milk, two ingredients, no stirring in the freezer.
- Preparation
- 15 min
- Cook/bake time
- –
- Total
- 6 hr 15 min
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
Whipped cream and sweetened condensed milk, two ingredients, no stirring in the freezer. Normally ice cream needs a machine because constant movement keeps the ice crystals small. Here the whipped in air takes over this task, and the sugar in the condensed milk lowers the freezing point enough so that the mixture remains creamy.
Why this works
Ice cream is creamy when its ice crystals remain small. An ice cream maker achieves this through constant stirring during freezing. This recipe replaces both with two physical effects. First, the stiffly whipped cream contains millions of tiny air bubbles that sit between the water molecules and prevent large crystal structures from forming. Second, the high sugar content of the sweetened condensed milk significantly lowers the freezing point of the water phase, meaning some of the water remains unfrozen even at minus 18 degrees and keeps the mixture smooth. That is why the recipe only works with sweetened condensed milk. Unsweetened contains the same amount of milk solids but lacks the sugar that slows down crystal formation.
Step-by-step instructions
- 1
Whip the cream
Whip the ice cold cream until it forms stiff peaks but still looks glossy. Do not go further, as overwhipped cream begins to separate, and the whipped in air is half the technique here. Chill the bowl and whisk for ten minutes beforehand.
- 2
Mix the condensed milk
Stir together the condensed milk, vanilla and salt in a second bowl. The salt is not a mistake. It enhances the sweetness and makes the ice cream less flat, as without it no-churn ice cream often just tastes like sugar.
- 3
Fold in carefully
Fold a third of the cream into the condensed milk to lighten it, then fold in the rest in two batches using a spatula. Fold from the bottom up and do not stir, because every air bubble you destroy now will become an ice crystal later.
- 4
Freeze for six hours
Pour the mixture into a shallow dish, cover it with plastic wrap directly on the surface and place it in the freezer for at least six hours. The plastic wrap on the surface prevents freezer burn. Let it sit for five minutes before serving.
Our best tips
- Keep the cream and bowl ice cold. Warm cream whips in less air, and the air is the replacement for the ice cream maker here.
