Recipe: Coca-Cola Soft Serve Ice Cream

If the 4th of July has you feeling nostalgic for drive-ins, soda shops, and old summer loves, perhaps it’s time to revisit an all-American blast from the past, the iconic “Coke Float” — updated to ice cream form. I can guarantee that memories of this fresh take on the classic will linger all summer long.

As a reward for braving the dentist as a kid, my father would often take me to our local soda shop for a feast of greasy grilled cheeses and mile-high chili dogs. The antiquated pharmacy was a small-town relic, a living legacy of time gone by. The black-and-white checkered tile floor, glossy red booths, and shiny old jukebox were a mere peek into the past. My imagination ran wild there, and I remember swiveling back and forth on my barstool, pretending a pale pink poodle skirt and flippy pony tail swished from side to side.

I most likely ordered a “brown cow” to wash down my diner meal (fluoride be damned!) and I would squeal with delight when it arrived with a heap of extra cherries. I would proceed to mash it up until it reached a milkshake consistency, because everybody knows the best part is the creamy sludge that lingers at the bottom. To this day, I still consider ice cream and Coke to be one of the great culinary pairings, and it’s not uncommon to find me (in all my adult glory) relaxing on a hot summer afternoon with a fizzy float in my hand.

As a self-declared ice cream addict (I own four ice cream makers and counting!), I’m constantly pondering the difficult decision of what flavor to whip up next. And finally the most brilliant of all ideas occurred to me.“If I’m always pouring Mexican Coke over my freshly churned French vanilla, then why not simplify things by pouring it into my French vanilla to begin with??!!”

And that was the beginning of that.

Okay, so my brilliant idea definitely didn’t simplify things, but I can assure you that all of the experimenting sure was fun. As you might already know, there are numerous factors that go into creating an ice cream flavor — it’s so much more than just sugar, eggs, milk and cream. Depending on what qualities you are looking for, there are countless factors that can alter the final texture and taste. And so I set out in search of carbonated bliss.

Personally I’m a soft serve kind of girl, and I mostly gravitate towards a rich and custardy vanilla base. But while I wanted my Coca-Cola ice cream to be silky and light, I thought my usual addition of golden yellow yolks might distract from the subtle flavors of the soft drink. With eggs out of the question, it was time to look elsewhere.

My main concern when developing the recipe was excess water from the soda itself. Since “slushy” wasn’t exactly the result I was aiming for, a few scientific adjustments would need to be made. I started by reducing three cups of Coca-Cola to help concentrate its flavor. That alone would not remove as much water as I would like, so I turned to a few (scientific) sleeper favorites for help.

I pulled together three powerful tricks to fight the dreaded ice crystals. First, evaporated milk contains sixty percent less water than regular milk. This, along with its high concentration of milk solids, helps yield a creamy texture and luscious taste. Next, gelatin, which can improve ice cream’s texture by preventing the formation of ice crystals; it is especially helpful when excess water in the form of additives is present. (Like when adding Coke.) Gelatin also keeps ice cream soft without it melting into soup; think soft serve. Lastly, cornstarch allows the base to thicken without the presence of eggs, and it can help absorb any pesky water that might be lingering behind. Their powers combined… well, let’s just say it worked.

After a few delicious tests behind me, it was on to the topping. Coca-Cola ice cream just begged for some crunch. Perhaps it’s just a weird Southern thing to pour a sleeve of roasted peanuts right into a Coke, but there’s just something about that combination of salty and sweet that surprisingly works. I took it up a notch by making a crispy peanut brittle — peanuts roasted and swirled in a blanket of golden caramel — that, quite literally, are the cherries on top. It doesn’t matter if you sprinkle them on top or swirl them right in, just try not to eat them all in one sitting. (I dare you.)

If you’re looking for a patriotic recipe to celebrate our nation’s birth, I can’t think of anything more American than a bottle of Coke. And yes, this recipe may not be quite as simple as say, pouring soda pop over store-bought ice cream, but sometimes that’s not the point. Sometimes it’s about taking something familiar and turning it on its head. I say cheers to that!