Barbra Streisand's Instant Dessert Recipe Has a Secret Ingredient That Shocked & Amazed Me (2024)

I’ve made ice cream in the past and I’m never happy with the results. Even when I’ve followed the instructions and tips, I still end up with crunchy ice crystals. I’m convinced that you need a professional ice cream machine to get the job done and I don’t have the money or the space for one of those. Luckily, I found the secret ingredient for creating delicious ice cream at home, and I have Barbra Streisand to thank.

Yes, I agree, it’s crazy that the legendary actress and singer knows more about great ice cream than me, but it’s true. Not once have I ever thought to use her secret ingredient, marshmallows, to make no-churn ice cream. But now that I know, I’m a changed woman.

What is Barbra Streisand's Instant Ice Cream?

Making Streisand’s favorite dessert for “instant ice cream,” is easy. The recipe, originally published in the Singers & Swingers in the Kitchen cookbook in 1967 by Roberta Ashley (which sounds pretty awesome, but is unfortunately pretty hard to get your hands on), calls for only 4 ingredients: milk, instant coffee, heavy cream and marshmallows. The process is simple, heat some milk, add the marshmallows and melt, then stir in the instant coffee and fold in whipped, heavy cream. Freeze it until firm and serve with pretzels (apparently Streisand’s favorite) or your favorite toppings.

It’s delicious, creamy and pretty perfect. I’ll definitely make it again and am already planning for a few twists, like adding swirls of chocolate fudge and caramel. Or maybe I’ll add toasted walnuts and chocolate chips. Sounds like I need another bag of marshmallows!

Why You Should Put Marshmallows in No-Churn Ice Cream

Marshmallows play a star role in her recipe for two reasons. First, they are the primary and only sweetener in the recipe. Second, they stabilize the ice cream (thanks to the gelatin they contain), preventing the formation of (dreaded) crunchy ice crystals.

Tips for Making the Barbra Streisand's Instant Ice Cream Even Better

Making a few adjustments to the original recipe ensures you’ll get delicious results every time.

• Add some salt: And while you’re at it, add some vanilla too. Yes, those are two extra ingredients, but you likely have them in your pantry anyway, right? The salt helps amplify the flavor of the ice cream, giving the coffee notes an extra boost and balancing the sugar from the marshmallows. The vanilla adds balance and enhances the flavor of the other ingredients.
• Chill your bowl and your freezing vessel: The recipe calls for making homemade whipped cream. To make the job easier, start with a cold bowl which speeds up the whipping process. You can also freeze your whisk or beaters, but that’s less important. While you’re at the refrigerator, add your ice cream freezing vessel to the freezer. Having it nice and chilled gives your ice cream mixture a jump-start on freezing.
• Use instant espresso instead of instant coffee: If you can find instant espresso, use that in place of coffee. It has a bolder, richer taste than coffee and makes this ice cream even more delicious.
• Use a shallow pan for freezing: The original recipe calls for using an ice cube tray for freezing the ice cream and that works well. But if you want to be able to scoop your ice cream, you’ll need to store it in something else. A shallow baking pan or a loaf pan both work well.

How To Make Barbara Streisand’s Instant Coffee Ice Cream

Ingredients

• 1 cup whole milk
• 24 large marshmallows
• 2 teaspoons instant coffee
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup heavy cream, chilled
• Pretzels, for serving

Instructions

1. Heat milk in a large saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is warm and begins to steam, about 5 minutes. Gradually add marshmallows, stirring and mixing until smooth.
2. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in coffee, vanilla, and salt. Let cool 15 minutes.
3. Place cream in a large (preferably chilled) bowl and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until frothy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Increase speed to high and beat until stiff peaks form.
4. Give the cooled marshmallow mixture a stir, then fold in the whipped cream. Pour into a shallow baking or loaf pan, then cover with plastic wrap and freeze until firm, at least 2 hours or overnight.Serve topped with pretzels.

Serves 6