6 Low-Tech Ways to Make Ice Cream

When Columbus Ohio-based ice cream maven Jeni Britton Bauer visited the SAVEUR Test Kitchen to share a few tricks of her trade (see Here's The Scoop), it triggered a rush of sweet memories, and a few questions, too. We have an automatic ice cream maker, but what about all of those readers who don't? Would the same principles that Bauer adheres to in producing her Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams yield delicious ice creams even without the motorized churning action of an electric ice cream maker? The answer is a resounding yes. Here are a few of our favorite alternative ice cream-making apparatuses, ranging from low — to even lower — tech.

Credit: Todd Coleman

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It doesn't get more basic than a coffee can filled with an ice cream base that's placed inside a larger can filled with ice and rock salt. Close both cans with plastic lids, shake for 25 minutes and, voilà, ice cream.

Comments (3)

by donna walker on 2012-06-20

Our neighbor used to make Rum Raisin and roll the coffee can up and
down the drive. Divine!

by CIVAVA on 2012-06-23

That solution wins! Very simple.

by JTBASS3756 on 2012-12-23

I may be asking a crazy question but how do you shake this without throwing out all of the ice and rock salt? I'm impressed by this method. I am old enough to vividly remember the crank style...in fact I was one of the youngsters who, after putting layers of newspaper over the top, sat on the top to help anchor it down while it was being cranked.