The Secret Ingredient That Will Change Your Homemade Bread Forever

Some bread recipes tend to be quite involved or require more skills and time, but there are tons of easy bread recipes for beginners, such as soda breads or quick breads. But one quick and easy bread recipe you might not be as familiar with is ice cream bread. According to Taste of Home, anyone can pull together a slightly sweet loaf using ice cream, flour, and an extra dash of sugar. In fact, even Ben & Jerry's came up with an ice cream bread recipe. 

Though the bread might sound intriguing, it is less clear as to just how tasty the ice cream-flavored and sweetened bread might actually be. Though the Taste of Home recipe is "test-kitchen approved," their readers only gave the recipe an average of 3.3 stars. The comments were also clearly split between positive and negative. Some agreed that the bread was not too sweet and a delicious treat to serve with coffee, while others claimed the bread did not bake properly and was far too dry.

With that in mind, there are a few ways to make sure the loaf turns out well, if you do choose to try changing your bread recipe with the addition of your favorite pint.

Though there were Taste of Home bakers who doubled the recipe and found success, Ben & Jerry's offered not only a slightly different recipe, but also a few tips to ensure success. Unlike Taste of Home, Ben & Jerry's ice cream bread was made using only flour and two kinds of ice cream. But the key difference between the two bread recipes is that Ben & Jerry's emphasizes the need to completely melt the ice cream before combining it with the flour. The ice cream company even explains that giving the ice cream plenty of time to melt on its own, rather than using a heating element, will improve the results. 

The final two tips Ben & Jerry's offered are hallmark baking rules too: Break up any lumps and don't over-mix the dough. Paying attention to the consistency of the batter will make sure no one ends up with a rouge, not-so-tasty lump of flour, per The Kitchn. Avoiding the urge to over-mix the dough will also keep the crumb delicate rather than tough for non-yeasted breads, according to Southern Living.

So, don't hesitate to try making your own loaf of ice cream bread, but keep in mind that technique is necessary with this particular loaf.