Steal Barbra Streisand's Marshmallow Hack For Homemade Ice Cream

EGOT-winning entertainer Barbra Streisand is a legend. She's given her legions of fans cause to laugh, cry, sing, and cheer. But grab a spoon, because there's a recipe that will give you one more reason to celebrate this culture queen — and that's her homemade marshmallow-based ice cream. Even if you thought you knew every way to make ice cream without a machine, Babs' method be a little bit mind-blowing.

Thanks to the 1967 cookbook, "Singers & Swingers in the Kitchen" by Roberta Ashley, Streisand's formula has been captured and shared widely, and calls for only four ingredients — all of which are readily available and may even be in your pantry or fridge already. And while cream, milk, and even instant coffee may be expected, the true hack of this recipe lies in the centerpiece ingredient: marshmallows.

If you already knew that gelatin helps keep your 'scream creamier thanks to its stabilizing effects, this might not totally surprise you — as it's also the stuff that gives most commercially made marshmallows their signature chewy texture. Notably absent here is sugar, but if you are familiar with the makeup of marshmallows, you'll know those fluffy pieces have more than enough sweetener for this finished product. With those elements in hand, making Streisand's treat is a snap.

To make this ice cream, simply heat a cup of milk in a large pot and stir in 24 marshmallows until they've fully melted (batching can help avoid overflow here). While Barbra Streisand adds one teaspoon of instant coffee, if you prefer a more straightforward 'mallow flavor, you can omit her recommendation altogether here — or even swap in your own ingredient selection like cocoa powder. Streisand understood the effect that a hot marshmallow mixture would have on stiff-peaked whipped cream (the other key ingredient), so she would wait til it cooled down before folding the two together and pouring the result into a freezer-safe container.

You can take more creative license with your additions before it's time to freeze. While Streisand enjoyed her scoops with pretzels; as presumably the saltiness countered the intense sweetness of the 'mallows and the bittersweetness of the coffee. For your version, you can add salt directly to your mixture, or incorporate extracts like vanilla or almond to add depth and complexity. Mimic the flavor profile of seriously good s'mores by stirring in crushed graham crackers and swirling in a bittersweet fudge ripple (which also adds a bit of balance to the sugary base). 

Once frozen, toppings like toasty walnuts or almonds can offer additional contrast, bringing earthy flavor and crunch, or you can even drizzle on a spicy and seriously bold topping like hot honey for a kick. Much like Streisand herself, this creamy, flavorful treat is timeless.