Winter is fading away, but you might still be getting snow as February comes to a close. There’s nothing more wintery than looking out at a white blanket, and there are a lot more things to do with it than just play!
When the roads are too blocked off by inches of powdery snow to drive, a fun activity to do by yourself, your family, or your neighbors is make snow ice cream! Some people might think that no one would want ice cream during Christmas and the winter time, but the activity itself is a great way to fill the time. All you need is a large bowl, fresh snow, and all of the ingredients you can find in your kitchen. Make sure you collect your snow away from trees and in a deep enough area that you won’t scrape up dirt. Look out for twigs and leaves that may have dropped in!
After you’ve collected your snow, the essential ingredients are milk or heavy cream, white sugar, and some extract (typically vanilla, but anything works!). From there, you can experiment with flavor combinations. Some favorites are: cookies and creme, cinnamon, pumpkin, mint, coconut, chocolate chip, and even fruit flavors like mandarin orange and peach!
Start by scooping some of your fresh snow into a smaller bowl. You’ll want to start with a small amount of milk, mixing it in until the snow becomes creamy. Scoop in your white sugar a tablespoon at a time. Remember, it won’t dissolve as easily in the cold snow and you don’t want your snow ice cream to be crunchy! Add in the vanilla or other extracts a half teaspoon at a time to taste. From there, you can spoon in other ingredients as you choose. Get creative! If you have a lot of snow outside, you can keep making more.
If you are finding that your snow ice cream is getting too melted, don’t worry! Just throw in some more of your fresh snow and mix it in. You might need more than you think if the snow is fluffy.
Making your own snow ice cream is a fast, easy, and fun activity to do with anyone. Stick your snow ice cream in the freezer and enjoy it for days to come (though it is best fresh – you can always make more before the snow melts!).
Photo by Dovile Ramoskaite on Unsplash