Historic recipe from Malinda Russell's 1866 cookbook "A Domestic Cook Book". Page 41. One of the earliest known cookbooks by an African American author.
Beating eggs before tempering them into hot milk creates a stable emulsion that prevents curdling, while the proteins in egg yolks act as natural emulsifiers and thickeners. The salt-and-ice mixture lowers the freezing point of water to well below 32°F, allowing the custard to freeze while constant stirring breaks up ice crystals to create a smooth, creamy texture. Sugar not only sweetens but also lowers the freezing point and interferes with ice crystal formation, contributing to a softer, scoopable consistency.
Before You Begin
•This historic recipe requires significant interpretation for modern cooking—the proportions yield a very sweet, egg-forward ice cream by today's standards
•You'll need to hand-churn this recipe or adapt it for a modern ice cream maker; the 'half hour stirring' refers to manual churning in a hand-crank freezer
•Loaf sugar (a solid cone of sugar) should be measured as 1 cup granulated sugar, which is approximately 7 ounces by weight
•The recipe provides two base methods: a traditional custard (recipe 1) and a simpler milk-based version thickened with arrowroot (recipe 2)
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For food safety, cook the custard to 170-175°F to pasteurize the eggs, then chill completely before churning
Key Equipment
Medium heavy-bottomed saucepanWhisk for beating eggsFine-mesh strainerIce cream maker (modern adaptation) or traditional hand-crank ice cream freezer with ice and rock saltDigital instant-read thermometer
Ingredients
Instructions
1
Boil a soft custard, six eggs to one quart of milk; eggs to be beaten.
2
Another is made as follows: Boil one quart of milk; stir into it, while boiling, one tablespoon arrow-root; wet with cold milk; when cool, stir in the yelk of an egg to give a rich color; five minutes is enough to boil.
3
In either receipt put in the sugar after they cool; keep the same proportions for any amount.
4
The juice of strawberries or raspberries gives a color and flavor to ice creams—one ounce of extract to a gallon.
5
Break the ice well, one quart salt to one pail ice.
6
Half hour stirring and scraping down will freeze it.
Make Ahead
The custard base must be made ahead and chilled for at least 4 hours or overnight before churning. This 'aging' period allows the base to fully hydrate and improves the final texture. The churned ice cream can be stored in the freezer for up to 2 weeks.
Storage
Transfer churned ice cream to an airtight container, pressing plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent ice crystals. Freeze for at least 4 hours to firm up. Store in the coldest part of the freezer for up to 2 weeks. The high egg content means this ice cream will be firmer than modern recipes; let stand at room temperature for 5-10 minutes before scooping.
