Ben & Jerry Are Busy—Here’s Everything You Need to Make Your Own Ice Cream
Nothing sounds better than some homemade ice cream after a long summer day peacefully protesting racial inequality and systemic racism. Well, at least after a day in summer 2020. As corporations across the country jump to announce their support of the BLM movement, all eyes (and praise) have been on the founders of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield. Ben and Jerry decided they were no different and took to the streets to protest like a lot of Americans.
However, Ben and Jerry aren’t new to this whole activism thing. They have been building an ice cream company atop a code of corporate social responsibility since 1978. In 2018, Pecan Resist was released to support organizations that “peacefully resist the Trump administration’s regressive and discriminatory policies and build a future that values inclusivity, equality, and justice for people of color, women, the LGBTQ community, refugees, and immigrants,” according to Ben & Jerry’s website. And cult-favorite, AmeriCone Dream, sends proceeds to Stephen Colbert’s AmeriCone Dream fund supporting disadvantaged children, veterans, and the environment. GMO Labeling, Climate Justice, and LGBT Equality are just a few of the other issues Ben & Jerry are fighting for.
As we head into summer, Ben, Jerry, and the rest of the country will be masked up due to COVID-19 and busy fighting for racial equality. Going out for ice cream will likely not be on anyone’s list of essential activities, but thankfully, it’s easier than ever to recreate some of your favorite Ben & Jerry’s flavors from home.
The Shopping List
To make Copycat Ben & Jerry’s French Vanilla Ice Cream or just a base for to mix-in your favorites!
A LOT of heavy cream (Be prepared, you will probably use the whole carton)
Whole milk (Just bought a ton of heavy cream, now this? Trust the process...)
Sugar (Well duh, they don’t call it a sweet treat for no reason)
Eggs (Only necessary for a custard-base recipe, but makes the most creamy and delicious ice cream)
4 Heath bars (to make this Health Bar Crunch Copycat)
Brownie mix and Cookie dough (level up your ice cream game with Half-Baked)
Cherries and Chocolate Chips (We wouldn’t be doing Ben & Jerry justice without making Cherry Garcia)
Sugar Cones (Make your AmeriCone Dreams come true)
Once the fridge is packed with all of the essentials, its time to invest in some equipment…
Cuisinart ICE-30BC, $118.50
This is probably the most standard type of ice cream maker you can get today. It looks like a regular kitchen appliance and is basically a small scale version of a commercial ice cream maker— minimal effort for a moderate price.
Immergood Stainless Steel Ice Cream Maker, $369.00
This sounds like a fun and authentic way to go about churning up any frozen treat. It takes a little more elbow grease than the electric version above, but they always say you enjoy it the more you have to work for it!
MAYouth Instant Ice Cream Maker, $59.99
Rolled ice cream showed up on our Instagram explore page about five years ago, and it hasn’t left since. Rolled ice cream, or “Thai ice cream roll” establishments have popped up all over the place since the trend emerged. If you are already a cylindrical-cold-cream-fanatic or just looking for a fun way to spice up your favorite flavors
Whether you scrapped, churned, or just simply flipped the on-switch, the reward is definitely worth it. If you are still craving one of Ben & Jerry’s classic pints or want to recreate on their classics, check out some of our other favorite copycat recipes!
Show us your finished, delicious creations by tagging @theedgemag on Instagram for a feature!