Ben & Jerry's Homemade Ice Cream & Dessert Book

by Ben Cohen, Jerry Greenfield, Nancy Stevens

With little skill, surprisingly few ingredients, and even the most unsophisticated of ice-cream makers, you can make the scrumptious ice creams that have made Ben & Jerry's an American legend.Ben & Jerry's Homemade Ice Cream & Dessert Book tells fans the story behind the company and the two men who built it-from their first meeting in 7th-grade gym class (they were already the two widest kids on the field) to their "graduation" from a $5.00 ice-cream-making correspondence course to their first ice-cream shop in a renovated gas station.

But the best part comes next. Dastardly Mash, featuring nuts, raisins, and hunks of chocolate. The celebrated Heath Bar Crunch. New York Super Fudge Chunk. Oreo Mint. In addition to Ben & Jerry's 11 greatest hits, here are recipes for ice creams made with fresh fruit, with chocolate, with candies and cookies, and recipes for sorbets, sundaes, and baked goods.

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Nonfiction, Food, Reference, Food and Drink, Culinary

210 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1987

About the author

There is more than one Ben Cohen in the GR database. This is Ben^Cohen.

Bennett Cohen is an American businessman, activist, and philanthropist, and co-founder of the Ben & Jerry's ice cream company.

Reviews

[H (trying to keep up with GR friends) Balikov · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maybe I liked this book more than it deserves but I am going to explain why (on a hot summer day) I am totally into it.

Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield started something in Vermont that has become a staple in every supermarket frozen food case across America. They have combined a great tasting product with clever names for each concoction. From Chunky Monkey to Cherry Garcia there is no way you will forget the name of the pint of ice cream you call your favorite. And here, in this book, are the (purported) exact recipes so that you can build from scratch your own duplicates of these special desserts.

Sorbets are not neglected, and I appreciated their suggestions in presenting each. For example:
"Raspberry Sorbet The combination of red wine and raspberries is so stupendous that we always drizzle a little extra wine on top of each scoop. A generous shot of Chianti over raspberry sorbet creates a truly synergistic effect."

The recipes are not limited to just ice cream alone. There are plenty of treats that have ice cream as their main ingredient. There are the recipes and B&J’s tips to make it come out right.

"Fried Ice Cream - A good batch of fried ice cream is crunchy on the outside and cold and creamy on the inside. We developed this recipe after long hours of experimentation in the kitchen of some obliging friends. There are three key factors to making successful fried ice cream: Make sure the ice cream balls are frozen very hard, use cornflakes for insulation, and, most importantly, coat the ice cream balls completely with the batter to avoid any messy leaks."

But, if truth be told, I was just as taken with the history of their ice cream venture. They almost didn’t make it out of Vermont because Pillsbury was trying to shut them out of other markets.

"They explained that Pillsbury, the food conglomerate that had just bought Häagen-Dazs ice cream, had told them to drop Ben & Jerry’s or lose Häagen-Dazs. You represent a very small part of our business, the distributor said, and Haagen-Dazs represents a very large part."

If you want to learn how they managed a national campaign to get by Pillsbury, read the book. I have made myself hungry for another double scoop! 4.5*

[Miranda Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

We wanted to be our own bosses and work exactly when, where, and how we wanted.

Everyone knows Ben and Jerry - they are the masterminds behind the ice cream on every grocery's shelves.

The truth about ice cream is that it is easy to make and there are no secrets.

But.

It wasn't always like that.

Years and years ago, Ben & Jerry's was just a couple of kids hoping to sell ice cream to college students on campus. They took a correspondence course in ice cream making and just hit the ground running.

But they never gave up. Slowly but surely they figured out the best way to make ice cream, tweaked the fillings and began marketing.

And this is their story.

Overall, this was so much fun to read.

I loved learning all about the history of the ice cream brand and watching the two of them develop their business.

I adored the illustrations - they were so much fun and brightened the book.

And I can't wait to try out some of the recipes included in the back! They look yummy (and easy!!).


A huge thank you to Ben, Jerry, Nancy and Workman Publishing for sending me a free copy in exchange for an honest review!

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[Alicia Bayer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yes -- gasp -- one of the base recipes uses raw eggs and doesn't temper them. That's the dangerous 80's for you, when we left kids in cars when we ran into the store, went outside without sunscreen and we made things with unpasteurized eggs. Yes Janet, life's pretty cheap for that type. ;) (Ten points if you get the quote.) And no, there's no nutritional information (trust me, you really don't want to know). But if you want easy, decadent ice cream recipes from the guys who invented the guiltiest pleasure ice cream in supermarkets for decades, this is a fun book with lots of recipes.

[Sophie Crane · Rating 5 out of 5]

It Has Some Good Recipes With Your Favourite Ben 'n' Jerry's Ice Creams

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good, basic book for beginner ice-cream cooks. It has 3 very easy base recipes followed with tons of great concoctions. For the most part, the recipes are mostly add-ins to the bases, so it's nothing the average bear couldn't figure out. However, they are given in the correct proportion to create some pretty fabulous flavor concoctions without ending up with a mass of sweet goo that won't set up. i.e. too much liquor or even cookie chunks at the wrong time can cause disaster.

I have no doubt these aren't the REAL B&J recipes - for one, there's uncooked eggs in all of them, two, why would B&J give away all their secrets? But, so far, I've made two recipes from the book and they've both been great. Coconut with toasted almonds first, and then banana. Also planning on the coffee and about six others... They're so easy to make! (And no, the uncooked eggs don't scare me a bit - salmonella from eggs is really quite rare in the US.)

I also have to mention if you've ever had the "crystally" texture form in your ice cream after it cures in your freezer - these recipes don't seem to have the problem. (I imagine it's probably the uncooked eggs emulsifying the cream and keeping it from forming the crystals - but I'm just guessing.) The ice cream I've gotten out of the recipe is similar to a high-end brand in the grocery. Creamy, smooth, sweet, and cold.

As for alterations, using base #1, I have cut back on the sugar to 1/2 cup from the recommended 3/4 cup and I've also added 1/4 teaspoon of salt to the mix (thanks Alton Brown). These changes make the flavors really pop and not be so overwhelmed with unnecessary sweet.

So, if you just bought an ice cream maker and are looking to start with easy recipes that still taste great, then this is a fantastic book. If you're a seasoned ice-cream maker, you'll probably want to skip it.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a great way to get into making your own ice cream. I purchased this book to find some basic and easy recipes for making ice cream with my new KitchenAid stand mixer. This book delivers that and a lot more.

The first section of the book gives some background on how Ben and Jerry got started in the ice cream business. Then it goes into the science of what makes a good ice cream, so that you understand what is happening during the churning process and can use that knowledge to make up your own signature recipes.

The next section is ice cream and sorbet recipes. The section starts with three basic sweet cream recipes that can be used as the basis for most of the recipes in the book. It is also a good place to start when making up your own flavors. This section does include my favorite Ben & Jerry's flavor "Cherry Garcia," but buyer beware, there's no recipe for Wavy Gravy or Chunky Monkey. However, with the information provided in the book, I think readers could experiment and come up with a close facsimile.

I definitely recommend this book for first time ice cream makers. The recipes are simple and well explained. It's a great way to jump into your first batch of homemade ice cream.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very handy little book. Truly, my ice cream Bible. A recipe for every flavor you can imagine, easily adapted for a basic ice cream maker or a fancy cuisinart.

[Negin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought this book when I first visited the U.S. twenty-nine years ago. At the time, the places that I happened to visit didn’t have any Ben & Jerry’s stores and I didn’t see their ice cream anywhere. Seeing this ice cream recipe book was the first time I heard about them. I read this cover-to-cover back then and had so much fun with my mom trying out many recipes in the few months that I had with my parents before returning to the U.S. to start college.

My husband just got me a fabulous new ice cream maker. So I dug this book out once again. It was pure nostalgia and fun to re-read, especially to see my notes. I haven’t yet had time to try the recipes again. I plan on doing so very soon. I remember loving every one that we tried out. The recipes are great and the book is pure pleasure and enjoyment.

[Robin · Rating 1 out of 5]

Wow - you don't think the 1980s were that long ago until you read a cookbook where every recipe involves consuming raw eggs. If you want to learn how to make homemade ice cream, skip this and buy something written in the last few years.

[Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing and easy ice cream. Mint Oreo is the clear winner in this household!

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm the new owner of an ice cream maker. I recently conquered Vanilla so I'm ready for adventures and experimenting. This book is chock full of great ideas plus fun anecdotes.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Seriously, if you are into making ice cream or want to make your own ice cream, you have to read this book. I made ice cream and it was crystally and froze solid and wasn't good and then I actually sat down and read this book and about the science behind making good ice cream and my ice cream has been fantastic since then and I haven't tried a recipe from the book that I didn't like.

[Deb · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun background story on the company and scoops of good recipes to try. Homemade ice cream does not taste like store ice cream. All natural ingredients make a difference. Heavenly.

I don't know if I'm glad they didn't put calorie counts and portion sizes in the book. ; )

[Jaime · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have a new ice cream maker (thanks, mom?) and these guys make it seem do-able.

[Leah Clayton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Now I just wish I had some ice cream!

I loved reading the anecdotes throughout this cookbook. They have quite a few good tips on how to make your homemade ice cream a success.

[Stephen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream & Dessert Book ought not be the only book on ice-cream making in one's culinary library. It is a delight to read the story of the early days of Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream in a converted gasoline station in Burlington, Vermont. But the little book has many flaws. It fails to insist that eggs used in preparing batches of ice cream be heated sufficiently to kill the bacteria sometimes present in eggs. It assumes a hand-cranked salted-ice ice-cream maker rather than more modern machines. It includes recipes for things like brownies and chocolate-chip cookies, which is not why someone buys the book. It counts as separate recipes vanilla ice cream to which crumbled Heath bars, M&Ms, and crumbled Oreo cream-filled cookies, when they are more like variations on a theme. It counts as separate recipes sorbets made of raspberry, peach, kiwi fruit, and lemon, when they, too, are more like variations on a theme. The three basic recipes are very basic but that is pretty much the point of basic recipes, isn't it? I thought the recipe for "Cherry Garcia" was kept in a vault in Springfield, Vermont, but it is revealed in this book. The chocolate-cinnamon recipe looks intriguing. I never thought of making plum ice cream nor pumpkin ice cream; the book has recipes for both. I don't have many other cookbooks which are illustrated by a cartoonist; this one has lots of drawings by Lyn Severance. If nothing else, it was a fun read.

[George Lichman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a combination of a short story about the friendship, founding, and growth of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, a short tutorial on ice cream making, and recipes for dozens of ice creams, sorbets, and other desserts.

It was an easy, interesting read that made the rise of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream likely seem much simpler and easier than it actually was. The recipes, however, are the real deal and will provide any home ice cream maker a challenge or two.

It would have been nice if there was some information about the different kinds of ice cream makers available to home users and advantages or disadvantages of each one.

I’ve been making ice cream for almost twenty years and have learned a lot from this little book. I’m looking forward to trying some of Ben & Jerry’s recipes!

[Meredith · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short, informative read at 4AM. It was also definitely written by someone who’s down to earth and kind and who loves yummy things. It made me smile.

The biggest additions this book gave to my ice cream knowledge were (1) a simplified understanding of adjusting butterfats in ice cream, depending on your planned add-ins, and (2) you can make ice cream without cooking the base. I can’t eat raw eggs anymore—doctor’s orders—so I’ll still make some ice cream custard using the old fashioned stovetop method I’ve used for years from The Joy of Cooking. And I’ll continue to avoid condensed milk recipes, just like Ben & Jerry do—shudders! But I’m going to try the no-cook whisking recipes from Ben & Jerry today and see what my family thinks. Can’t wait!

[Elaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

So many great varieties of ice cream, along with the Ben & Jerry's story of how they started up, with some informative text about ice cream ingredients. We've tried 3 recipes in the last 2 weeks, and look forward to many more! (The ice cream recipes are for about 1 quart, which is just a little too much for our ice cream maker, so we will be making pints from now on, but that means we'd be able to try more flavors instead of making more of fewer flavors.)

[Charles O Cunningham · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am finished with this “evil book”. 😂 I bought this book and an a superb ice cream maker when convalescing from shoulder surgery. Whoa! An extra 10lbs in no time, but WONDERFUL eats. Of course, after sampling many of the recipes, I needed to customize and created Peanut Butter with Butterfinger crumbles. Huzzah!

Great book for ice cream lovers. My excellent equipment: Whynter ICM-200LS. No I’m not affiliated.

[Christiana · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a good one. Easy o make, easy to find ingredients, and just good stories of how Ben and Jerry started (I love the story of how they found a scientific but really easy way to break up the Heath bars for the Heath bar crunch). I gotta give this back to the people, but I've earmarked to try French Vanilla, Cherry Garcia, Kit Kat, Flaming Cherries Jubilee, and the Hot Chocolate Float in the future when I get this book again!

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

The recipes in this cook book are easy to follow, even if you have zero cooking experience. You just need an ice cream maker and access to a good grocery store with a lot of variety to acquire some of the ingredients – this is great if you are looking for something other than your usual vanilla / chocolate or plain ice cream recipes.

[MisLuck · Rating 5 out of 5]

You can make the legendary ice creams yourself and delicious cookies and goods too. Or just eat the dough. Or put it in ice cream like maybe originally supposed to.
The recipes needs converting the ingredient amounts to grams/dl but it's not too hard of a work. Play by the book and it really is worth it.

[Jacqueline · Rating 5 out of 5]

I use this book weekly in the summer, and a few times a month the rest of the year. The 3 base recipes are all easy and the vanilla malt chip is my go to ice cream flavor. Both chocolate recipes are terrific (I prefer Ben’s). The strawberry ice cream is mild and sweet and perfect, especially with a little fresh basil or mint tossed in.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredibly delicious and easy. I used the sweet cream base to make strawberry for the first time in my Kitchen Aid ice cream attachment. My daughter said, "This is so much better than anything you can buy." I borrowed this from the library but will be purchasing a copy. Can't wait to try the banana ice cream and see if I can reproduce my all time favorite Ben and Jerry's flavor, Chunky Monkey.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fantastic book for ice cream making, even for a beginner. I love that it breaks down the basic components of what is needed in really simple terms and with easy-to-understand illustrations and charts. Also love that Ben and Jerry each have their own favorite chocolate ice cream recipes shared in this book.

[John McKeel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great information on making creative ice cream flavors at home. There’s a lot of company history too, which was a neat background for why they do things the way they do. Putting it together with other books provided a nice contrast to finding the best fit for what I want when making frozen desserts at home.

[Mackenzie B-W · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have distinct memories of picking out coffee heath bar crunch ice cream after school at the bi-los across the street. It’s always been my favorite. It’s been increasingly hard to find and every other brand of coffee ice cream with chocolate of some sort makes me sad because they just barely fill the void.

Now I have the recipe and made it for the first time. Nothing can stop me now. 🍨☕️🖤

[Becky H. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Starting with a few base recipes this book shares the extras to add in to make many yummy flavors. Includes historical information on how they started their business and how they come up with their unique flavors.

[Me · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting cookbook that also provides a history of the Ben & Jerry's company. Recipes for ice cream (of course) but also sauces, and other desserts. The art of making ice cream is explained in layman's terms and the recipes look scrumptious.