Snow Cream

When it snows in the South, you can count on something making a fresh batch.

Snow Ice Cream
Total Time:
5 mins
Yield:
4 cups

Once in a great while, it snows big-time in the deep South, and it's a big deal when t does. Instead of immediately digging out the driveway, we dig out our warmest jackets and boots from the back of the closet and head out to play.

In places where measurable snow is a novelty, a snow day can turn into an unexpected vacation day where we get to hunker down, or head out to frolic, or both in good measure. A snow day is as much a frame of mind as it is a weather event, and on those days, there's only one thing most Southerners want to eat: a big bowl of homemade snow cream.

Freshly fallen, fluffy snow works best. Be sure to scoop the snow from a part of the great outdoors that's clean enough to eat off of, of course.

Tip: If you're an experienced snow cream maker, you know that the best way to get good snow is to place a large metal bowl outside in an open area. As it snows, the bowl will collect, and you're one step closer to your frozen delight.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup milk, evaporated milk, half-and-half, or cream

  • ½ cup sugar

  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

  • 8 to 12 cups snow

Directions

  1. Whisk together the milk, sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl. Stick it in the refrigerator while you go get the snow. Bring in more snow than you think you'll need, because it often melts more than you expect.

  2. Stir snow into the milk mixture until it reaches the consistency of an extra-thick milkshake. The amount needed depends on the snow: it takes less wet, heavy snow than light, powdery snow.

  3. Enjoy immediately. It's fine to hand everyone a spoon and eat straight out of the communal bowl.

Variation

Replace the milk and sugar with a chilled can of sweetened condensed milk.

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