Barbara Streisand's Easy Homemade Ice Cream Has a Genius Secret Ingredient
Barbara Streisand and her "Instant" No-Churn Marshmallow Ice Cream
You may or may not be aware of this, but ice cream is a dangerous year-round dessert. It takes no breaks from its ever-evolving ways and constantly bombards us with new flavors and cool new ways to eat it. I absolutely despise ice cream in the sense that if I ever stopped eating it, I just might not survive. And I know I’m not alone in my feelings about this, because ice cream is just that dang good.
This fantastically cool dessert had a broad reach. Everyone from your grandmother to celeb chefs have their own take. The problem with making ice cream at home, however, is that it can be a long, laborious task.
So when Barbra Streisand’s recipe for an “Instant” No-Churn Marshmallow Ice Cream popped up on my radar, thanks to a helpful TikTok shared by Jessie Sheehan Bakes, I was instantly intrigued by the idea of an easy and delicious at-home ice cream recipe. With the hardest step being waiting overnight for the dessert to set, I had a feeling this would turn out to be something very special.
Get the recipe: Barbara Streisand's "Instant" No-Churn Marshmallow Ice Cream
Courtesy of Nathan Hutsenpiller
Ingredients for Barbara Streisand's “Instant” No-Churn Marshmallow Ice Cream
Falling in line with my love for the simple things in life, this is a no-fuss recipe that only calls for five ingredients: milk, espresso powder, salt, whipped cream and the key ingredient, marshmallows. If you'd like, you can also add a capful of vanilla extract.
Related: The 74-Year-Old No-Churn Ice Cream Recipe That's Shockingly Simple
How to Make Barbara Streisand's “Instant” No-Churn Marshmallow Ice Cream
Start by slowly warming up the milk in a pot. Add the marshmallows one by one until all of them melt. Then, add in a tablespoon of instant espresso powder, followed by a teaspoon of salt and whisk together until well combined. Set the bowl aside and allow the marshmallow mixture to cool.
Once ready, fold your whipped cream into the melted marshmallows and mix well. Pour the mixture into a shallow baking dish, and for best results, freeze overnight. Scoop and serve with your favorite toppings.
What I Thought of Barbra Streisand’s “Instant” No-Churn Marshmallow Ice Cream
Anything that comes together with minimal effort gets bonus points in my book. I’ll even make exceptions for lackluster flavor if the recipe was easy enough to put together. You can always make adjustments to make any recipe hit your taste buds just right, so I’ve learned to always give it a second or third chance—especially if I liked the idea in the first place.
Such was the case with this recipe because boy, did I like Barbara Streisand’s take on “Instant” No-Churn Marshmallow Ice Cream. The taste was spot on—just how Sheehan described—and it was in fact the creamiest ice cream ever. And yes, it definitely packed a strong kick of espresso flavor.
Related: Hello Gorgeous! Barbra Streisand’s Husbands and Lovers Are Straight Out of a Musical
I did, however, have an issue with getting the ice cream to freeze to my satisfaction, as it was a little softer than I expected. This in no way affected the flavor, but I didn't think the ice cream would be so soft to the touch after a full night in the freezer. I have a few theories: my freezer failed, I should have used a shallower baking pan, or perhaps it was the fact that I subbed Cool Whip for homemade whipped cream. My guess is it was the latter.
Courtesy of Nathan Hutsenpiller
Tips for Making Barbara Streisand's “Instant” No-Churn Marshmallow Ice Cream
1. Go with instant espresso. Instant espresso is going to give a much bolder flavor than instant coffee. If you can find it, instant espresso is definitely the way to go if you're in the market for a coffee-forward flavor.
2. Make it your own. Sometimes, the simplest recipes deliver the perfect opportunity to get creative. If you feel like this ice cream is missing something, mix in some of your favorite ingredients. Adding the vanilla is a great place to start, but nuts, chocolate chips or chocolate syrup would also be good mix-ins. For toppings, the sky's the limit. Banana slices, sprinkles and/or whipped cream would all be great.
3. Use substitutes with caution. Looking back, perhaps I should have guessed that Cool Whip would affect the final ice cream's texture. It wasn't bad, but if you're going to go the Cool Whip route, add more to your taste and know that the texture will be quite soft. The marshmallows already make the ice cream soft and sticky, but the addition of Cool Whip just enhances the effect. It seems more like a mousse than an ice cream. Luckily, it's still tasty.
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