Hooked on Science: Baked ice cream

Bake ice cream without it melting.

Materials

* Three eggs

* Cream of tartar

* Salt

* Vanilla extract

* Sugar

* Large cookies

* Ice cream

Instructions

* STEP 1: Separate the egg whites from the eggs.

* STEP 2: Pour the egg whites, 1/4 teaspoon of cream of tartar, 1/4 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract into a bowl. As you whisk the ingredients, slowly add one cup of sugar until the meringue is thick and glossy.

* STEP 3: Cover a cookie sheet with aluminum foil. Place several large cookies on the cookie sheet.

* STEP 4: Place a scoop of ice cream on each cookie. Cover the ice cream completely with meringue.

n STEP 5: Have an adult bake the meringue covered ice cream cookies at 500 degrees for five minutes.

Explanation

The meringue insulates the ice cream, keeping out the heat from the oven. Therefore, the ice cream stays frozen.

Jason Lindsey is a science outreach educator with Hooked on Science. Check out his website www.hookedonscience.org for webcasts and experiments that might get you hooked on science. Send him your science questions at jlindseyhookedonscience.com. More science experiments can be found at www.semissourian.com.