Barbra Streisand's Favorite Dessert Is Her Very Own 'Instant Ice Cream'

Barbra Streisand has had a legendary career in both the acting and music industries. And, on top of all of that, she has also come up with her own ice cream recipe. Streisand's "instant ice cream" is her favorite dessert — and the sweet treat that any coffee-flavored ice cream lover needs to try their hand at making. The recipe originally appeared in the "Singers & Swingers in the Kitchen" cookbook, which was published in 1967. Since then, the book has become quite rare and difficult to buy, but Streisand's recipe has remained relevant, floating around the internet.

Here's what you need: 2 teaspoons of instant coffee, 1 cup of milk, 1 cup of heavy cream, and 24 large marshmallows. Start by heating the milk in a saucepan over low-medium heat; stir occasionally until the milk begins to steam. Add the marshmallows and mix thoroughly. Turn off the heat, then add coffee. Once mixed, let the mixture cool for about 15 minutes. In a mixing bowl, add the heavy cream and beat using an electric mixer for about two minutes, then increase the speed to high and continue to beat until stiff peaks form. Stir the marshmallow mixture once more, then fold in the heavy cream. Transfer the mixture to a pan — either a square or loaf pan will work — and pop in the freezer until the ice cream is firm. This should take at least a few hours. From there, you're ready to serve and enjoy.

The ice cream is delicious as is — full of coffee flavor and sweetness from the marshmallows — but there are a couple of things you can do to take it to the next level. Firstly, swap out the instant coffee for instant espresso. Instant espresso has a bolder flavor than instant coffee. Since the coffee flavor is the star of the show with this ice cream, you'll want the more prominent taste that instant espresso brings in. You can also add a pinch of salt to accentuate the existing flavors. After all, salt can be used to enhance the flavors of store-bought ice cream — Streisand's recipe isn't store-bought, but it is a simple recipe with room for elevation.

Beyond that, there are plenty of ways to customize this ice cream eating experience by focusing on toppings. Streisand preferred to eat this ice cream topped with salty, crunchy pretzels — so be sure to grab those at the store if you want to enjoy this ice cream the way that Barbra would. If you want something crunchy that isn't pretzels, you can swap those out for your favorite type of nut.

There's also hot fudge sauce, which is always a tasty addition to ice cream — and coffee and chocolate are a match made in heaven. Finally, no matter what toppings you choose, you can add a dollop of whipped cream to bring the dish together.