Ice Cream Cone Easter Egg

Ice cream cones have been around since 1904, when visitors to the St. Louis World's Fair tried a revolutionary new treat. Vendors folded waffles into cones and filled them with ice cream. In 2008, 104 years after the birth of this now-ubiquitous treat, Missouri named the ice cream cone their official state dessert. Honor the ice cream cone by making an Easter egg version. Affiliate links below. 

 

 

Ice Cream Cone Easter Egg

Materials:

• egg (raw, hardboiled, or empty)
• acrylic paint
• cardstock (tan)
• colored pencil (tan)
• scissors
• craft glue
• binder clips
• Sharpie

Steps: 

Start by painting the egg your desired color. While that is drying, work on the cone. Use a ruler and a colored pencil to draw diagonal lines on the cardstock, first in one direction and then the other. There's no need to measure - just get some lines on there to mimic the look of an ice cream cone. 

Roll the cardstock into a cone shape, making sure the lines you drew face out. Measure the cone against the egg and adjust the wide end of the cone accordingly. I ended up cutting down my paper significantly. You may want to make a template with scratch paper first if you don't have another use for the excess cardstock. Glue the cone and add a binder clip to prevent it from unrolling while it dries. 

Use a Sharpie to add flecks of chocolate to your mint chip or chocolate chip ice cream, or skip this step if you chose a different flavor. When the glue on the cone is dry, trim to the top to make it even and nestle the egg inside. 

Another fun Easter egg idea, inspired by a state symbol!

Ice Cream Chicago Dog

Beloved in the Windy City, a proper Chicago dog starts with an all-beef frank in a poppyseed bun. It is topped with yellow mustard, chopped white onions, neon green pickle relish, tomato slices, a dill pickle spear, pickled sport peppers, and a dash of celery salt. It looks like this: 

How to Draw a Chicago Dog

Imagine my surprise when I opened a press release from the Museum of Ice Cream (which is not actually a museum, but rather an "Instagram-ready art attraction") and saw they were promoting their new Chicago Ice Cream Dog: 

I'm all about trying new-to-me foods, but this is ridiculous. "Hot dog flavored" and "soft serve" do not belong in the same sentence. Yellow mustard on ice cream? I seriously checked the date on the email to confirm that it wasn't some sort of April Fool's prank two months late. It seems to be legit, but I'm holding out hope that it is not. 

Aside from the taste, which I can only assume is awful, it doesn't look much like a Chicago dog. There's mustard, sure. (Why is there mustard on ice cream?!?!) But it's missing everything else that defines Chicago's beloved food. The ice cream isn't even shaped like a hot dog.   

I'm a huge fan of food that looks like one thing, but is actually something else. So while ice cream flavored like a hot dog and topped with mustard does not appeal to me in the slightest, pale chocolate ice cream shaped like a hot dog and topped with a thick mango puree sounds delightful. Put it in a bun made from pound cake or a sliced donut. Pile on some chopped green jello bits as relish, add slices of strawberry cut to look like tomatoes, and sprinkle on some marshmallow bits to mimic the onion. Delicious! And a lot of fun to try and make. 

I was all set to construct my ice cream version of a Chicago dog, but decided to do a quick Google search to make sure I wasn't reinventing the wheel. Sure enough, HellthyJunkFood and the Greenery Creamery beat me to it. 

 

Their version differs from my (as-of-yet theoretical) version. The way they did the hot dog is genius, and the brioche and the buttercream are great choices. Of course, theirs isn't a Chicago dog, since they added (faux) ketchup. I can be easily convinced to try making my Chicago-style version if you think the world needs it. Thoughts? 

Watermelon Ice Cream Cones

My latest edible craft? Watermelon Ice Cream Cones. 

Well, more like "Watermelon" Ice Cream Cones, since it's actually raspberry flavored, not watermelon. Come to think of it, it's sorbet, not ice cream. So I suppose it should be called "Watermelon" "Ice Cream" Cones with two sets of air quotes, but that seems a bit much. Let's stick with...

Watermelon Ice Cream Cones

Materials: 

• green ice cream cones (affiliate link here and throughout the post)
• white Wilton Candy Melts
• parchment paper
• raspberry or strawberry sorbet (buy it or make your own)
• mini chocolate chips

Steps:

Prepare the Candy Melts in a glass dish, following the instructions on the package. Dip the tops of the cones into the melted candy to coat the edges. 

Set them on a sheet of parchment paper to set up. 

Scoop sorbet into the cones. 

Press the mini chocolate chips into the sorbet. Put the cones in the freezer for at least 15 minutes to firm up, then serve. Delicious and perfect for summer!

Edible Roses on Ice Cream for Mom

I love edible crafts. These candy melt roses are a fun and easy ice cream topper that will make Mother's Day (or any occasion) extra special! Affiliate links below. 

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Edible Roses on Ice Cream

Materials:

• small ramekins
• ice cream maker
• parchment paper
• Wilton Candy Melts (yellow and green, or whatever colors you want)

Steps:

Make ice cream (I recommend Lazzberry). Scoop it into the ramekins and freeze until firm. 

Spread a piece of parchment paper on your work surface. Then follow the directions on the package to prepare the yellow candy melts. I use a glass container and do 45 seconds on 50% power and then stir until they're completely melted, but every microwave is different. 

Use a spoon to drop a dollop of candy melts onto the parchment, then swirl the spoon through the candy to make circular patterns. The candy is very forgiving. You can keep working it for quite awhile. If you mess one up, wait a few minutes until it is set, peel it up, re-melt it, and try again!

Prepare the green candy melts. Using about half the amount as you used for a rose, pour a small dollop. When almost all of the candy has landed on the parchment, move your hand to form a tip, then let the last bit fall back on the leaf to form the vein.  

Let the candy set up. It only takes a few minutes in a cool house, or you can speed the process up by putting the sheet of parchment into the refrigerator or freezer. When the candy has set, peel it from the parchment paper, then arrange it on top of the ice cream. 

Happy Mother's Day to my mom and to all of you moms who are reading this! I hope you have a wonderful day and lots of ice cream. 

Ice Cream Cone Name Art

Today's project combines two things I love: name art and ice cream. Pair this craft with homemade ice cream. May I suggest lazzberry? It is sooooo good!

Ice Cream Name Art

Materials:

• 9" x 12" construction paper 
• pencil
• markers
• scissors

Steps: 

Orient a sheet of white construction paper vertically. LIGHTLY write your name vertically in bubble letters with the first letter almost touching the top of the paper. Adjust each letter until it is practically round. You should still be able to make out each letter, but they should just look like ice cream scoops at first glance. Now, draw a triangle-shaped cone underneath the final letter of your name.

Color each letter to resemble a different flavor of ice cream. Notice the way I used a big chocolate chip as the D in my name. Color the cone light brown, then draw diagonal lines in a darker shade of brown to create the texture of the cone. 

Finally, cut around the outside of the cone. If your name is short, you can probably hold the cone upright without the paper buckling. If your name is long and the paper wants to flop over, glue a skewer or straw to the back to add rigidity. Enjoy!

Ice Cream Sandwich Craft

It may seem that I'm a bit obsessed with ice cream lately. I assure you that is incorrect. Not because I'm not obsessed. It's the 'lately' part that's wrong. I've been obsessed with ice cream for a very long time, but summer is the perfect time to share ice-cream related posts.

The inspiration for today's craft came from this ADORABLE plush toy (affiliate link). My version is made with construction paper. Affiliate links below. 

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Ice Cream Sandwich Craft

Materials: 

• construction paper or cardstock (brown, pink, cream)
• scissors
• googly eyes
• craft glue

Steps: 

Cut a rectangle of cream-colored construction paper the size you want your ice cream sandwich to be. Using it as a guide, cut out the chocolate and strawberry ice cream sections. Then cut two long, thin brown strips as shown below. I used two different shades of brown because I was using up scraps I had on hand, but you can do whatever. You could even substitute craft sticks and paint them brown. 

Glue the parts together and that's all there is to it. Couldn't be easier!

Ice Cream Sundae Craft

Last week, I shared the recipe for a delicious PB&J sundae. Today's sundae isn't edible, but it's a fun project for summer. I've had the idea of using wax paper to make a sundae glass for awhile and finally got around to trying it out. I've decided wax paper is underrated as a craft supply. Most people have it on hand and there are a lot of ways to use it. Unfortunately, it doesn't scan well. It looks much better in person.

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Ice Cream Sundae Craft

Materials: 

• construction paper or patterned paper
• scissors
• wax paper
• craft glue / tape runner

Steps:

Cut out ice cream scoop(s), chocolate sauce, a cherry, a stem, and whipped cream, as shown below. Of course, you can change out the ice cream and sauce flavors and add whatever other toppings you'd like.

It is difficult to cut a symmetric shape without folding the material you're cutting, which you want to avoid with wax paper. Instead, make a template. Fold a piece of scratch paper in half, then cut out the shape of the glass. Open it and see if you like the shape. If not, fold it and make small cuts until you are satisfied. Place a piece of wax paper on top of your template and cut it out. 

Now, glue everything together EXCEPT the glass. Because the wax paper is transparent, you need to be careful how you apply the glue. Directly below is Trevor's sundae. He used a tape runner to add small bits of adhesive to the glass. If you look carefully, you can see the adhesive spots in the ice cream area, but they're virtually invisible everywhere else. 

By contrast, I used craft glue to attach my glass. It is virtually invisible on the ice cream area, but shows a little bit on the glass. Worse, I didn't notice the wrinkles in the base of my glass until the glue had dried. 

Based on our experiments, I'd suggest testing the various adhesives you have on hand to see how they behave on the papers you use. Or just don't worry about it, as most people won't scrutinize the work for tiny flaws. Enjoy!

Guilt-Free PB&J Sundae

We're in the middle of a heat wave here in Northern California. You know what's REALLY refreshing on a hot day? A homemade peanut butter and jelly sundae. Even better, it's guilt-free. 

Believe it or not, you can actually serve this as a meal and not feel like the worst mom ever. With homemade frozen yogurt (literally frozen yogurt - no added sugar), naturally sweet ripe berries, a homemade peanut butter sauce, and plenty of nuts, it's not all that different than serving a PB&J with a glass of milk, nutritionally speaking. The fancy glass makes all the difference. Affiliate links below.

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Guilt-Free Peanut Butter and Jelly Sundae

Materials:

• Greek yogurt
• ice cream machine (we LOVE our Cuisinart!) 
• smooth peanut butter
• sugar
• fancy sundae glasses (seriously - they make everything more fun)
• frozen berries
• peanuts

Steps:

Follow the manufacturer's instructions to freeze the Greek yogurt in the ice cream machine. 

Meanwhile, remove the berries from the freezer so they can thaw and then make the peanut butter topping. In a small saucepan, combine 1 c. sugar with 1/2 c. water. Bring the mixture to a boil, then allow to boil for one minute. Remove from the heat and stir in 1/2 c. peanut butter. Let the topping cool. Chop the peanuts and set them aside.

To assemble your sundaes, put a large scoop of berries in the bottom of the glass. Add a generous dollop of peanut butter topping, then add a scoop of frozen yogurt. Repeat the layers until the glass is full, then sprinkle chopped peanuts on top. 

The result is amazing. Trust me.

Mosaic Ice Cream Cone Craft

School is out and it's hot outside, so that means it's time for ice cream! Gather the kids, make homemade ice cream (try my recipes for nectarine ice cream, raspberry ice cream, and "lazzberry" ice cream!), and then create this fun mosaic craft while the ice cream is freezing. 

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Mosaic Ice Cream Cone 

Materials:

• chipboard (an empty cereal box works well)
• scissors
• construction paper
• glue

Steps:

Cut the chipboard to make an ice cream cone. Each portion (cone, scoops, cherry, stem) should be a separate piece. Here are mine, assembled as they'll look for the finished project.

Begin with the cone. Tear tan construction paper into small pieces (mine are about 1/2" square) and glue them to the base, overlapping the pieces slightly. It doesn't matter if any pieces hang over the edge.

Turn the cone over and fold back any overhanging pieces. There's no need to glue them down or trim them unless you want to. 

Make the ice cream scoops the same way. Tear construction paper, glue it down, then fold back the overhanging section. To make mint chip (or other flavors with mix-ins), just add tiny bits of torn construction paper in the appropriate color. 

I used the same mosaic technique for the cherry, but just covered the stem with a sliver of construction paper. It's way too small for mosaic bits. 

Glue all the pieces together and you have your finished cone! If your timing is similar to mine, your homemade ice cream should be ready to eat right around now.

Enjoy! And if you make lazzberry ice cream, be sure to let me know so I can pass it along to Trevor. He's very proud of his creation. As he should be - it's delicious!!

Individual Ice Cream Cakes

What would you say to some ice cream cake right now?

Perhaps peppermint is more your style?

I needed an easy, make-ahead dessert for a crowd that would be simple to serve but still special enough for the occasion. These individual ice cream cakes, made days ahead using muffin tins, were perfect. 

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Individual Ice Cream Cakes

Materials:

• boxed cake mix (and the eggs, oil, and water to prepare it)
• half sheet pan
• parchment paper
• non-stick spray
• toothpick or skewer
• biscuit cutter
• plastic wrap
• 2 muffin tins
• a gallon of ice cream
• whipped cream, chocolate sauce, sprinkles and/or other toppings

Instructions:

Prepare the sheet pan by spraying it lightly and lining it with a piece of parchment paper. Spray the parchment paper lightly.

Make the cake mix as directed on the package. Pour the batter into the prepared sheet pan. Bake it at the recommended temperature for a 13" x 9" pan, but for half the suggested time. Insert a toothpick or skewer into the cake to test for doneness. Let the cake cook completely in the pan.

Use a biscuit cutter to cut circles from the cooled cake.

You should get 24 total (4 rows of six). You won't use the scraps for this recipe, so go ahead and eat them as is or use them for cake pops. 

Remove the ice cream from the freezer and set it on the counter. 

Line each cavity of a muffin tin with a piece of plastic wrap. Put a cake round into each.

Scoop about 1/2 cup of ice cream onto each piece of cake. Cover the entire muffin tin with a large piece of plastic wrap. Press down hard on each cake to flatten the cake and ice cream together, like I did on the bottom right. You can use your hand, though after about eight cakes your hand will be painfully cold. I switched to using a measuring cup to pack it down when my hand got too frozen. Be sure you are really packing it down and compressing the cake fully. 

Put the muffin tins into the freezer, with the plastic wrap still in place. Let them freeze solid, at least two hours and up to a few weeks. 

When you are ready to serve, simply peel the large piece plastic wrap off the top, then remove each cake one at a time. Peel the plastic wrap off the bottom and put them, cake side down, on a plate. Garnish with chocolate sauce, whipped cream and sprinkles...

... or candy canes....

... or whatever else you can dream up! Obviously, you can use whatever combination of cake and ice cream flavors you like. I've even made this using slices of quick bread as the base instead of cake. It's all good!

If you don't need to serve all 24 at once, just leave the bottom piece of plastic wrap on the extras, stack them in a freezer bag, and return them to the freezer. Now you can eat them one at a time whenever you're craving one!

Edible Art: Ice Cream Flowerpots

Recently, Trevor has been spending a lot of time going through our cookbooks. One day, he announced that he wanted to mark the pages of some recipes he wants he try. I gave him a set of post-it flags and left the room to put away laundry. When I returned, I found this:

(Affiliate link here and below)

He used an entire brand-new set of blue post-it flags, plus part of a pack of yellows. Here's another view:

Trying all those recipes should keep us busy for the next few years!  We decided to start with these Ice Cream Flowerpots from Disney's Family Cookbook.

Ice Cream Flowerpots

Materials:

• clear plastic cups
• green straws 
• chocolate ice cream 
• Oreos
• green Fruit Slices
• Sunkist Fruit Gems
• gumdrops
• toothpicks

Let the ice cream soften slightly, then fill each cup about 2/3 full of ice cream. Insert the straw into the ice cream to form the stem of the flower. (I cut our straw in half, so we only needed one straw for the two of us.)

Twist 4 Oreos to separate their halves. Place the non-frosting sides into a ziplock bag and crush to make crumbs. Pour the crumbs on top of the ice cream to create the look of soil. Place the cups in the freezer.

Make your flower. The cookbook shows a beautiful Oreo center with gumdrops around it. This did not work for us and was incredibly frustrating. No matter how careful we were, the Oreos cracked.

After breaking a dozen Oreos, I finally got fed up and used two yellow Fruit Slices to make a center. It looks somewhat lame, but at least there was no frustrating cracking.

Attach a toothpick to your flower. Slide the toothpick into the straw. Add a green Fruit Slice to mimic a leaf. Eat and enjoy!

(Trevor's on the left and mine on the right.)

  

We had a lot of fun making our flowerpots, but it was annoying that we weren't able to make an attractive flower that wouldn't crack. We brainstormed what would make a better center and came up with Sunkist Fruit Gems. So the next day, we bought a pack.

This time, Trevor decided he wanted graham cracker dirt instead of Oreo dirt.

Success! The Sunkist Fruit Gems worked a million times better than the Oreos.

 

(Trevor's on the left, mine on the right)

(Steve's.  He was bummed to have missed our first attempts.)

I love the way the flowers look with the Sunkist Fruit Gem centers! Despite the frustrations along the way, this was a really fun project and definitely one we'll do again.