Homemade Coconut Ice Cream Recipe

This homemade coconut ice cream recipe was most likely used by chefs in the White House kitchen to prepare the frozen desserts for Mrs. William Howard Taft's summertime luncheons during the time of her husband's presidency, 1909 to 1913.

Treat yourself to an old fashioned creamy ice cream fit to serve at a White House reception.

Homemade Coconut Ice Cream Recipe

The White House Cook Book (1913)

Coconut Cream Custard

One quart of cream, one pint of milk, three eggs, one cupful and a half of sugar and one of prepared coconut, the rind and juice of a lemon.

Beat together the eggs and grated lemon rind, and put with the milk in the double boiler. Stir until the mixture begins to thicken. Add the coconut and put away to cool. When cool add the sugar, lemon juice, and cream. Freeze in ice cream freezer.

First Lady Helen (Nellie) Taft

First Lady Helen Herron (Nellie) Taft (1861-1943) loved to entertain friends and members of Washington society, especially at lunches. She graciously received her guests thrice weekly in the Red Room at the White House, where she served homemade ice creams and frozen water ices.

Ice cream desserts were especially loved by the Tafts, and according to research undertaken by William Seale, author of "The President's House," the Tafts added a forty-quart Peerless Ice Cream Freezer to the White House kitchen in 1912.

The Tafts also kept a Holstein cow grazing on the White House lawns to provide fresh milk and cream for the First Family's ice cream needs.

The White House Red Room is illustrated above as it appeared around 1900, and looking as it did during the Taft occupancy when Nellie Taft hosted her lunches.

The room measures about 28 feet by 22.5 feet and was furnished for luncheons and small dinner parties. It has been traditionally decorated in various shades of red giving it its descriptive name.