Thomas Jefferson’s Ice Cream
Did you know that Thomas Jefferson was the first known American to record an ice cream recipe? Jefferson spent five years in France between the years of 1784 and 1789. French ice cream recipe books were known to include recipes for ice cream as early as the 1600s. There is no doubt, then, that Jefferson was introduced to this delightful dessert during his time overseas. It is known that upon his return to America with his 86 crates of belongings, four ice molds were included. They, along with an ice cream freezer and ladle, were documented in the inventory found in Jefferson’s home at Monticello in 1826. While Jefferson was not the first American to bring ice cream to the United States, he is known to have popularized it greatly during his presidency. There are at least six references to Jefferson serving the dessert at his house between 1801 and 1809. The following recipe comes directly from the Jefferson household, attributing the exact recipe to his French butler, Adrien Petit. We encourage you to make this recipe with your family and discuss our great founding father as you bake!
Jefferson's Ice Cream Recipe
Ice Cream.
2. bottles of good cream.
6. yolks of eggs.
1/2 lb. sugar
Mix the yolks & sugar
Put the cream on a fire in a casserole, first putting in a stick of Vanilla.
when near boiling take it off & pour it gently into the mixture of eggs & sugar.Stir it well.
Put it on the fire again stirring it thoroughly with a spoon to prevent it's sticking to the casserole.
When near boiling take it off and strain it thro' a towel.
Put it in the Sabottiere
Then set it in ice an hour before it is to be served. put into the ice a handful of salt.
Put salt on the coverlid of the Sabotiere & cover the whole with ice.
Leave it still half a quarter of an hour.
Then turn the Sabottiere in the ice 10 minutes
Open it to loosen with a spatula the ice from the inner sides of the Sabotiere.
Shut it & replace it in the ice
Open it from time to time to detach the ice from the sides
When well taken (prise) stir it well with the Spatula.
Put it in moulds, justling it well down on the knee.
Then put the mould into the same bucket of ice.
Leave it there to the moment of serving it.
To withdraw it, immerse the mould in warm water, turning it well till it will come out & turn it into a plate.
NOTE: A "Sabottiere" is an ice cream maker ("sorbetière" in modern French) — in its simplest form, it is just a mould or small bucket.
This recipe appears in the so-called Virginia Jefferson Trist recipe book, which is owned by the Thomas Jefferson Foundation and on deposit at the University of Virginia. Papers of Trist and Burke Family Members [manuscript] 1818-1916, MSS 5385-f, Special Collections, University of Virginia Library.
