CBD Ice Cream: Is There Such a Thing?

Overview

Making CBD ice cream involves three steps; preparing your honey, preparing your ice cream, and freezing & whipping the cream. Firstly, place honey into slow boiler and keep on a low heat. Stir in the CBD powder until it's completely absorbed. Remove from heat. Next, bring the cream, honey and vanilla flavoring to a boil in a heavy saucepan and stir occassionally. Remove from heat and keep mixture covered for about 30 minutes. Once cooled, pour through a sieve and return to a pan on moderate heat. Whisk the eggs and salt together in a separate bowl - and add the hot cream. Place this mixture in a pan and heat on a moderately low flame. Stir constantly for 5 minutes. Then remove from heat and pour through a mesh sieve. Let everything cool and stir occassionally. Cover and chill in the fridge for between 4 - 24 hours.

Preparation time

0H20MIN

Cooking time

0H50MIN

Ready in

12H00MIN

Best strains

Ice Cream, Fire OG

Each bite

N/A

Servings

N/A

You’ve probably heard that CBD is making a splash in a big way. From lip balms to lotions and even doggie treats, CBD has made a huge cultural impact. There may seem to be CBD in all kinds of things, and those who enjoy these products are getting a heaping dose of healthful benefits.

But it’s not as cut and dried as it may seem. CBD is still a component of cannabis, a substance that until very recently was illegal in many states. As states move to make cannabis legal, there has been little movement on the federal front.

Due to this limitation, major manufacturers of ice cream and other desserts cannot wade in the cool waters of CBD. Just recently, Ben & Jerry’s, the makers of some of the world’s most awesome ice cream, released a statement on their website stating, “It’s no surprise that we can’t wait to get into the latest food trend: cannabidiol, or CBD. We are committed to bringing CBD-infused ice cream to your freezer as soon as it’s legalized at the federal level.”

However, that doesn’t mean that your local ice cream stores may not stock CBD ice cream. Lucky for many CBD users, CBD ice cream is a ‘thing.’ Certain restrictions haven’t stopped some local artisan ice cream stores across the country from making their own CBD ice cream concoctions.

In fact, earlier this year a Brooklyn based ice cream maker, Van Leeuwen, was hailed by New Yorkers as a premium ice cream outlet with a CBD twist. Some of their flavors came in delectably delicious assortments, including the “Couch Potato,” an explosion of potato chip delight mixed with caramel, vanilla ice cream, chocolate-covered pretzels, and CBD extract.

If you’re not in areas where CBD-infused ice cream is available, you may be able to order it to be shipped from an artisan ice cream shop to where you are if such products are legal in your state. Artisan ice cream shops are beginning to recognize CBD oils, powders and other CBD extracts as potent and beneficial ingredients.

Specialty shops all over the country are now infusing their ice cream and other products. Customers looking to get the benefits of CBD while enjoying a sweet treat can visit stores in their areas, but major chains won’t have nationally created brands anytime soon.

Why is the Concept of CBD Ice Cream So Popular?

Marijuana has gotten a bad rep over the years, with many sources citing it as a potential cause of many societal ills and conditions. Recently, the government and the public have been reassessing this position, and CBD, in particular, has been the subject of renewed interest.

CBD lacks the psychoactive effects of THC, a component of cannabis that is responsible for the feeling of users being “high.” CBD, on the other hand, has been indicated in the activation of many of the major receptors in the brain.

Many of these receptors work to deliver important signals throughout the nervous system. These signals include instructions on the regulation of movement, memory, mood and even pain. Many users swear by CBD and often utilize it on a regular basis to address a variety of symptoms.

CBD’s ability to be cultivated and used in a variety of ways also makes it an attractive option to many. It can be vaped, used in a bong, taken sublingually and placed in edibles like brownies and gummies. So it’s no surprise that ice cream would be the latest in a list of things users have been waiting for.

Ice cream lovers can rejoice as many of their favorite flavors won’t necessarily be affected by the CBD oil that it contains; the taste won’t be fundamentally changed or transformed. This is why brands like Ben & Jerry’s are hoping to put a CBD spin on some of their customer’s favorite classics, while also making new ones.

What Exactly is CBD’s Status?

It may be confusing as to the current status of CBD and CBD infused foods. If you’re not in the know, the difference between what’s legal and illegal can be a very strange gray area. In 2018, the Farm Bill was signed by President Trump. This 2018 bill lifted a former ban on producing hemp. But the bill leaves each state to interpret how they see CBD and cannabis products, and some states still classify these as illegal.

It complicates matters even more that current federal legislation distinguishes between CBD derived from hemp and CBD derived from cannabis. The farm bill effectively made it legal to use CBD as long as it was derived from hemp. CBD derived from marijuana must comply with certain state laws and cannot always be transported across state lines.

Hemp, however, has a pass on the same kinds of restrictions. CBD cultivated from hemp including CBD oil is legal for use throughout the U.S. as long as it contains no THC.  However, consumers must be aware that both marijuana and hemp are cannabis.

Nationally, marijuana is still considered to be an illegal substance and classed as a Schedule I drug, though there has been increased pressure to change this.

Where Can I Get My Own CBD Ice Cream?

If you live in a state where CBD is legal (some states specify that the CBD oil can contain no more than 0.3% THC), you can order your own CBD ice cream online. However, if everything is completely legal, you can always make your own.

Creating this cool and delicious treat isn’t hard, and if you follow the recipe below, you can make a dish that will be a hit either by yourself or with friends. This recipe takes about a day from start to finish, but if you’re looking for CBD ice cream, this is a great way to get it!

(Active time: 20 min) This recipe yields about 1 quart of ice cream.

You’ll Need:

• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup half-and-half
• 1 cup mild honey
• 2 tablespoons vanilla flavoring
• 2 large eggs
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 gram of CBD isolate powder

*It is recommended that you use a hand mixer and thermometer.

Step One: Prepare Your Honey

The first thing we are going to do is quickly infuse the CBD into your honey. To make this even simpler, you can utilize a double-boiler.

1. Place honey into the double boiler and keep it on low heat. Keep an eye on the temperature; make sure not to exceed 200 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Stir in the CBD powder until it is completely absorbed into the mixture.
3. Remove the mixture from the heat and set aside.

Step Two: Prepare Your Ice Cream

1. Bring the cream, half-and-half, honey and vanilla flavoring to a boil in a heavy saucepan. Use moderate heat and stir occasionally so the mixture doesn’t burn. Use a thermometer to keep track of the temperature, being sure not to exceed 220 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Once the mixture is heated, remove from the heat. Steep the mixture, covered for about 30 minutes. Once it is cooled, pour the concoction through a finely-meshed sieve over a bowl. Return the remaining mixture to a pan (make sure it’s a clean one) and place it over moderate heat until it is hot.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs and salt together. Add the hot cream in a slow stream, whisking all the while. Place eggs, salt and cream from a bowl into a pan and heat over a moderately low flame. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon (check that temperature is at least 170 to 175 degrees Fahrenheit as well). Do this for five minutes, being sure to keep the mixture from boiling.
4. Remove from heat. Pour the mixture through the mesh sieve and into a bowl. Let everything cool completely and stir occasionally. Chill in the fridge covered for no less than 4 hours, and ideally 24.

Step Three: Freezing and Whipping the Ice Cream

1. Once the mixture is chilled, remove it from the fridge and stir. Place a mixture into an airtight container and place in the freezer for at least two hours.
2. Remove the container from the freezer and place it into a bowl. Using a hand mixer, break up the ice crystals. Cover the container and then freeze again for two more hours. Beat again with a hand mixer. Depending on the consistency, you may need to freeze it again.
3. Place the ice cream back into the container and freeze again until firm.

If the ice cream is to your liking you can take out the container and enjoy! Serve to your friends or enjoy this as a snack. It may not be Ben & Jerry’s, but you might find it’s just as delicious. Try it with any number of other desserts and keep a lookout for legislative changes in the near future: CBD ice cream just might be on the shelves of your local grocery store.