Homemade Ice Cream in a Homemade Ice Cream Maker

2 Tab. L sugar 1 cup half & half (or light cream)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract (or any other flavoring you wish)
1/2 cup coarse ice cream salt
ice
gallon-sized Ziploc bag or a large coffee can and one small coffee can
pint-sized Ziploc bag

If you are using coffee cans, get them good and cold by putting them in the freezer while you prepare the ice cream ingredients. Mix the sugar, half & half and vanilla extract together in a pint-sized Ziploc baggie. We held ours upright by putting it in a cup and folding the edges over the edge of the cup. Make sure it seals tightly. Now take the gallon-sized Ziploc bag or large coffee can and fill it up halfway with ice and pour the salt over the ice.

Now place the cream filled bag into the ice filled bag or the small coffee can and seal. If you are using the coffee can, you will then need to put the small coffee can into the large coffee can with ice.

Make sure it is sealed tightly. Place the bags in a towel or old shirt and have a child each take an end of the shirt and start swinging and shaking. Or, if you are using the coffee cans, you can roll them back and forth to each other across the floor. (Be aware that this may leak water as the ice melts, so making this on a porch or a floor that is easy to wipe up is suggested.) Shake, swing or roll for about 5-10 minutes. You might have to trade off people when one gets tired.

"Is it ready yet?"

When this time has passed, open the gallon-sized bag (or the coffee cans) and check to see if the ice cream is hard, if not, drain any water, add more ice and keep shaking. Once the ice cream is finished, quickly run the closed pint-sized baggie under cold water to quickly clean the salt off the baggie. (You won't need to do this step if you use the coffee cans.)

Open the baggie and pop in a spoon.

Want to make this a science experiment? Click here for the details.