Homemade ice cream has major advantages over store-bought versions. For one, you select the ingredients going into your dessert. Even better, you can have ice cream whenever you want - freshness guaranteed. The best part is having family and friends gather 'round to get creative. Making your own ice cream can be quite the bonding experience. To get you started, here are two guideline recipes for homemade ice cream, along with some helpful pointers:

Ice Cream from Scratch

Boil water in the lower pot of a double boiler. Mix 1 cup milk, 1 cup sugar, and 1/4 tsp. rock salt in the top pot. Add 3 egg yolks, and stir until fairly thick. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Add 1 tbsp. vanilla extract, followed by 2 cups heavy whipping cream. Refrigerate for at least one hour. Pour into 4 pint-size plastic sandwich baggies or coffee cans. Add 1/2 cup mashed fruit to each container. Use one of the two following methods to complete your homemade ice cream. Makes 4 servings.

The Plastic Baggie Method: Fill each of 4 large (one gallon) freezer bags with 1 cup salt and 4 cups ice. Place the smaller bags inside the larger bags. Make sure both are sealed tightly. Squish the little baggies around, surrounding them with salt and ice. Rub the liquid smooth as it freezes, and use gloves to keep your fingers from freezing. The ice cream should be ready to eat in 15 minutes tops.