With just a few simple ingredients like freshly fallen snow, vanilla, and sweetened condensed milk, you can stir up a batch of this delicious snow cream after a winter’s storm.
The technique of adding snow as a main dessert ingredient is as old as time and the earliest version of what we now know as ice cream!
A little snow “ice cream” history
Archeologists discovered distinct cups dating back to 2700 BC, that sources believed were used to hold warm, cooked, fruit on one side and fresh snow, or crushed ice, on the other. The Persian culture has evidence of snow-based desserts mixed with honey dating back to 500 BC. Pre-colonial Caranquis were known to fill a cauldron with snow and mix in fruit, beating the mixture until thoroughly combined, creating what we would refer to as ‘sorbet’ today. Later, the southern American states celebrated a snowfall (a rarity in the south!) by filling a bowl with freshly fallen snow, milk, sugar and flavoring with vanilla.
What is the best snow for making snow cream?
The snow should be fluffy and not too packed or icy. Always use clean snow. Never use snow that is days old, dirty, has been tracked by animals, or is contaminated with rock salt. Ideally, you’ll want to dig just below the snow’s surface, and always gather snow after a few hours of snowfall – as snow is most free from atmospheric pollutants the longer it falls.
This treat is a family favorite. Be sure to include condensed milk on your pre-storm grocery trips!
Show me your creations!
If you give this a go, don’t forget to share it with me on Instagram, I’d love to see! Make sure to tag me @chasingtheseasons so I don’t miss it!
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Ingredients
- 1 (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk, canned
- 1 tsp vanilla extract, more if desired
- 6-10 cups clean, freshly fallen snow
- Sprinkles, optional
Instructions
- Mix the condensed milk and vanilla together. Set aside.
- Gather fresh, clean snow in a large mixing bowl. You will need a lot as the snow will reduce by half when mixed with the milk. If unsure how much snow you’ll need, always start with less and add more. A best practice is to start with 6 cups and set aside the remaining snow in a separate bowl to pull from, use what is needed and discard the rest. The type of snow used will determine the final outcome (i.e. icy snow will be less creamy).
- Mix by hand until well combined, it will take just a few minutes. Note that the final consistency should be soft like freshly churned ice cream. Icy snow will have a different texture, more like an ice milk.
- Scoop and top with sprinkles, optional.
Notes
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