Chocolate Marshmallow Ice Cream

This was a very unusual looking recipe when I picked it out of Wartime Recipes from the Maritimes. And it certainly ended up being extremely odd! (It also resulted in some science experiments with marshmallows and the freezer).

Since one is left with half a can of condensed milk after attempting this dessert (and food waste is certainly not in the spirit of this cookbook), I made a half recipe of Toastaroons with the excess (the easiest cookies I’ve ever made – those wartime cooks knew something about really easy but good desserts!).

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup condensed milk, divided (about 1.5 cans)
1/2 cup water
2 squares (2 ounces) chocolate, chopped
16 marshmallows
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp lemon juice

Instructions

Heat water, chocolate, and 1/2 cup condensed milk in a double boiler, stirring until chocolate has melted. Add the marshmallows, sugar, salt, and lemon juice, and continue stirring until the marshmallows have melted and the mixture is smooth. Chill. 

Beat the remaining cup of condensed milk [? evaporated listed in original here] until light, and fold into the marshmallow mixture. Pour into a shallow container and freeze for at least 3 hours before serving. 

The recipe was pretty straightforward.

The whipping of the condensed milk was a little odd. It didn’t add much volume, and I’m not sure how stable the whipped milk was. But still straightforward.

I though it would, you know, freeze. In the freezer. Like ice cream. That … did not happen.

It tasted like very, very, VERY sweet, thick, half-melted soft serve. It poured from a spoon after over 3 hours in the freezer (and, as we learned, it still poured after a couple more days in the freezer too). We think it stays liquid-y because of the marshmallow (we had fun freezing and thawing one to try to test this theory).

Now, full disclosure, the “remaining cup” in the printed recipe lists “evaporated milk”, although condensed milk appears everywhere else. But I have some hope that it was intended to be evaporated milk, because I don’t know how anyone could make something so sickly sweet!? And why add an extra 1/4 cup of sugar to condensed milk and marshmallow?! Also, why does this recipe make SO much!? (My kid loved it, though).

The verdict

I might make this again to try subbing in evaporated milk for that last cup (I will report back here if I do). Or, you know, if I really want to horrify my dentist. Otherwise, I think this is one of those “interesting to try once” recipes.

Do you like really sweet desserts? Did you modify the recipe and try it? Let us know!