July is appropriately designated as "National Ice Cream Month"! What better way to enjoy hot summer afternoons than with a cold scoop or two or three of your favorite flavors? This national day was put into effect in 1984, and millions of people have been celebrating it ever since!
What is your favorite flavor of ice cream? We took a survey here at the office and here is what we prefer:
-Black Cherry- Laura's favorite
-Anything Chocolate and Peanut Butter- Lindsay's favorite
-Cappuccino Chip- Haley's favorite
-Peanut Butter Cup- Jamie's favorite
Want to get creative at home with some interesting ice cream flavors? Here are 3 super simple steps to make your own customized ice cream flavors:
Start with your base ice cream flavor- vanilla or chocolate- and scoop it into a stand mixer. Blend quickly until just soft.
While the ice cream is soft, add in your toppings- fruit, candy, etc. Transfer to a freezer-safe container. To make swirls of hot fudge, peanut butter, or caramel, alternate layers of ice cream and a layer of sauce as you put it into the container.
Freeze until solid, then scoop and serve! Enjoy!
Here are some creative mix-ins:
Cereal and Milk- Fruit Loops, Cinnamon Toast Crunch or another favorite cereal
Coffee and Donuts- cut-up donuts and espresso powder (dissolved in a little heavy cream before adding to the ice cream)
Lemon Thyme- use lemon curd and chopped fresh thyme
S'mores- Mini marshmallows and graham crackers added to chocolate ice cream
Candied Bacon- drizzled with maple syrup or caramel
Red, White, and Blue- strawberries, blueberries, and mini marshmallows
The options are endless! Have fun creating and exploring new flavors this summer!
P.S. If you haven't tried Toppings, the new ice cream parlor in Bluffton, be sure to make a stop sometime during the month of July in honor of National Ice Cream month!