Ice Cream Treats for National Ice Cream Month

July is National Ice Cream Month, so what better time to celebrate with some cool treats.

Faith Kramer, author of “52 Shabbats: Friday Night Dinners Inspired by a Global Jewish Kitchen” created “egg cream” ice cream pops, inspired by her childhood visits to her grandparents’ home in Brooklyn.

“One constant in my grandparents’ refrigerator was the hefty bottle of seltzer with its distinctive metal siphon on top,” Kramer told The Journal. “Grandma and Poppa got regular deliveries of what Poppa called ‘Jewish champagne’ and always had plenty of chocolate syrup on hand to make egg creams, with their creamy white milk foam atop of fizzy chocolate milk.”  

Since egg creams bought at the local candy store or soda fountain sometimes came with a pretzel rod on the side, Kramer’s chocolate egg creams use pretzel rods as sticks.  

”Egg Cream” Ice Pops

    Yields 4 pops 

2 Tbsp sweetened condensed milk
2 Tbsp plus 1/2 cup whole milk
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
3 Tbsp simple syrup (see note)
3 Tbsp chocolate syrup for milk
4 pretzel rods

Stir the condensed and 2 tablespoons of whole milk until well combined. Stir in vanilla. Dividing evenly, pour or spoon into 4 ice pop molds. Place molds level and upright in the freezer. 

Mix simple syrup into chocolate syrup. Stir in ½ cup milk. Refrigerate.

Cut each of the pretzel rods into a 5-inch “stick” for the ice pops. (Snack on the leftover pretzel pieces.)

After freezing the molds for 90 minutes, push the cut side of a pretzel rod “stick” about halfway into the frozen milk. If the stick is stable and not wobbly or leaning to the side, insert the remaining sticks into the other molds. (If it’s not ready, return them to the freezer and try again in a half hour.) Freeze another 30 to 60 minutes until the rods are frozen in place.

Thoroughly stir the chilled chocolate milk. Dividing evenly, pour into frozen molds, leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Freeze overnight. Chill a metal tray or baking sheet. Remove pops from molds and place flat on the tray. Return to the freezer for 1 hour. Let sit at room temperature for 1 minute. Serve or wrap pops individually in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 5 days.

Note: Simple syrup is available near the liquor aisle, but to make it, bring ½ cup sugar and ½ cup water to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer uncovered until sugar has dissolved, stirring occasionally. Let cool and store airtight in the refrigerator for a month. Use it to sweeten cold drinks or cocktails. You can store leftover condensed milk in the refrigerator for up to 3 months.

Whether you’re sitting on the patio with friends on a hot summer night or  relaxing by a cozy fire during winter, Pam Stein’s bourbon corn flakes chip ice cream is the ideal all-season dessert. 

“A hint of bourbon makes it luxurious; corn flakes and chocolate chips make it playful; combine them, and you will fall in love with this decadent adults-only boozy ice cream,” Stein, founder of In Pam’s Kitchen, told the Journal. “Deliciously creamy with a slight crunch, this is the ice cream flavor that you didn’t know you needed.”

“Deliciously creamy with a slight crunch, this is the ice cream flavor that you didn’t know you needed.” – Pam Stein

As a bonus, you don’t have to be a bourbon lover to enjoy it!

Bourbon Corn Flakes Chip Ice Cream

    Yields seven 3/4-cup servings 

2 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 1/2 cups whole milk
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp kosher salt
3 Tbsp bourbon
1/2 cup corn flakes cereal, divided
4 Tbsp mini chocolate chips, divided

In a medium bowl add the whipping cream, milk, sugar, salt and bourbon. Whisk to combine until the sugar is dissolved. Cover and refrigerate for 3 to 4 hours.

Whisk again and pour into an ice cream maker.

Turn on the ice cream maker and mix according to the manufacturer’s directions until thickened, approximately 40-45 minutes.

Five  minutes before mixing is finished, add 1/3 cup corn flakes and 2 tablespoons of mini chocolate chips to the work bowl.

Remove the work bowl and transfer ice cream to an airtight container or metal loaf pan. Sprinkle the remaining corn flakes and chips over the ice cream. 

For a soft creamy texture, enjoy immediately. For a firmer texture, cover and freeze for 2-3 hours. 

Store in the freezer for up to one week. 

Note: This ice cream should not be consumed by anyone under the age of 21. Always consume alcoholic beverages responsibly.

Judy Elbaum’s quick and easy ice cream sandwiches combine pizzelle (traditional Italian waffle cookies) and dairy or non-dairy (coconut or almond milk) ice cream with a variety of toppings. The pizzelle even comes in different flavors, such as vanilla, chocolate, anise and caramel.  Mix and match your favorites to create endless variations. 

“In addition to sprinkles, consider rolling the sandwiches in chocolate chips, toasted coconut or chopped nuts,” Elbaum, founder of the “Leave it to Bubbe” blog, told The Journal.  “Any way you fill and roll ‘em, these pizzelle ice cream sandwiches will be a tasty, cool and refreshing treat to celebrate National Ice Cream Month.”

Pizzelle Ice Cream Sandwiches

1 package Pizzelle (I use Reko)
1 – 2 pints of your favorite ice cream, softened at room temperature for about 15 minutes
A variety of sprinkles and other toppings

Place a scoop of softened ice cream on one pizzelle. Top with a second pizzelle. Lightly press the pizzelle so that the ice cream spreads to the edge of the pizzelle. 

Roll the edge of the pizzelle ice cream sandwich into the sprinkles.  Repeat with remaining pizzelle and ice cream. Place in the freezer until it’s ready to serve.