Want to be the cool mom for your (young and old) kid’s next birthday party? Make this easy Planet Mars Ice Cream inspired by the movie The Martian.
No potatoes for me! Because potatoes is the main food of choice in this movie. We were asked to watch the film The Martian and make an inspired recipe. And I knew most people would do potatoes. Got nothing against them, but I would loose points for my infamous crazy idea loopy creative reputation. So I came up with an ice cream.
Yep ………….. a Planet Mars Ice Cream!
The Martian is a 2015 science fiction film starring Matt Damon as an astronaut who is mistakenly presumed dead and left behind on Mars. The film depicts his struggle to survive with this basic dilemma: food. He needs to grow food. Well his eureka moment comes when he comes across a bunch of potatoes for a Thanksgiving dinner. And it does not hurts that he also happens to be a botanist. Will earth realize their mistake and, if so, find a way to rescue him? Watch the movie to find out! I really enjoyed this film and in fact it was the second time I was seeing it.
Food ‘n Flix is hosted this month by Wendy at A Day in the Life on the Farm ! In this monthly group a host picks a movie of their choice that pertains to food. Everyone watches the movie and then makes a recipe which the film inspired. It can be any recipe you want. Join us!
Food sightings in The Martian: coffee, space food lunches ( mac & cheese, beet goulash, meatballs, vegetable soup) and dinners (beef stew with noodles, beef teriyaki, vegetable stew, sweet and sour chicken), grape juice or recycled urine, making water, protein cubes, a sugar bomb, Thanksgiving dinner potatoes, , microwaved potato and ketchup, potato plants…did I mention potatoes?
Planet Mars Ice Cream
I really wanted to stay clear of any potato recipe. Yeah that was a challenge in itself. Researching actual space food, I learned a lot about the history of space food but I did not come across any concrete recipes. I did find however these two recipes created for astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti where she shows us on video how she puts together these two dishes in space: whole red rice and turmeric chicken and mackerel, quinoa and leek cream tortilla. Very cool but not so pretty for the blog.
A real picture of a food board in space – credit @Nasa
I finally hit the jackpot when I found this galaxy ice cream idea but changed my colors to imitate the planet Mars! And for good measure I of course threw in a chopped Mars bar!
By the way it is plain vanilla but it looks…out of this world. I am proud to add it to my long list of special ice cream recipes.
A few more unique and fun ice cream recipes:
- Infused Japanese Green Tea Ice Cream
- Marshmallow Ice Cream
- Bourbon Cherry Pistachio Ice Cream
- Anchovy Ice Cream on Grilled Caesar Salad
Next to the actual Planet Mars….pretty darn close right?
Being a space cadet (ha ha, get it?) I got 1 cup of whipping cream when I was at the supermarket. Duh! I needed 2 cups. I substituted my second cup with plain yogurt which I had in the fridge. Great way to accidentally cut down on the calories! It worked just fine, I just had to freeze my colors separately a bit before putting them all in my main freezing container.
Planet Mars Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 2 cups whipping cream or 1 cup whipping cream + 1 cup plain yougurt
- 1 8 oz can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 tsp vanilla
- gel food coloring black, brown, copper, red, golden yellow
- 1 Mars bar chopped
- Sprinkles
Instructions
- In a stand mixer or a bowl with a hand mixer, beat the whipping cream until you get soft peaks.
- Add in the sweetened condensed milk, vanilla and optional yogurt if using. Mix until well combined for about 1 minute.
- Separate ice cream liquid into 4 separate bowls: 2 medium (main colors) and 2 small (accent colors). Color each bowl with food coloring until you get the desired color.
- If the liquid is too runny, place the bowls in the freezer in 15 minute increments until it holds up a bit.
- In a large container, pour your #1 main base color and then combine each color by the large spoonful and toss in randomly the chopped Mars bar. Mix gently with spatula to blend the colors a bit. Top with sprinkles if desired.
- Freeze for 6 hours to overnight before serving with an ice cream scoop.
I want to be a cool mom! That was actually a very cool movie, quite a good one to pick for inspiration. And I see what you were saying about the potatoes!
Yes, love potatoes, but wanted to make something different lol.
This was SUCH a cool idea, Evelyne – so much fun! And it really does look like Mars.
Thanks Heather, I am really happy with how it turned out 🙂
I love the way your brain works, you have such different and rather rad recipe ideas.
The most excellent thing about reading this today is, I have all the ingredients to make it asap. 🙂
Thanks gurl.
I think it works differently than most, well in the kitchen lol. Thanks and so cool you have them all. If you make it let me know which colors and how it turns out.
Oh, that looks pretty cosmic! I’m sure my boys would just LOVE this.
Boys and space, for sure they would 🙂
I am so going to have to make this when the nephews are here next! I think you might get the prize for the most inventive! (But, Heather’s toasted potatoes were pretty amazing, too!)
Ha ha thanks Debra for the honor and yeah I so want to give those toasted potatoes a slice also!
Evelyne, that truly is one awesome contribution. Very innovative.
Thansk so much Shaheen 🙂
This looks rad! Very out of this world but I bet they tasted amazing, I love Mars 🙂
Thanks Raymund 🙂 actually had a bowl last night so yummy!
As ALWAYS, you are BRILLIANT! What a fun idea and so delicious as well.
Thanks and I am sure you could find great color ideas too for your desserts with this lol
Wow, this is terrific! SO creative. And that Mars bar is perfect. You win the interwebs with this one. 🙂
Ha ha ha interwebs, I love it! You win a scoop! 🙂
Evelyne, only you can come up with something like this…so much fun…and great for the warm weather that is coming.
Have a wonderful week 🙂
Hi hi thanks Julianna. Have agreat week too!
My husband wants to travel to MARS so so so so so badly it’s stupid – I should just make this for him and say… DONE. You went to Mars. Without having to do all the prep for it.
LOOPHOLE!
Really? He is so WARPED! That would be funny to see his face if you served him that ice cream haha.
So glad you chose to go with the Mars ice cream instead of potatoes. This recipe is totally YOU – totally crazy!!!! Love it! Great job Evelyne!
LOL I am actually smiling when I read people except me to do something crazy!!! Thanks so much MJ <3
This is such an innovative recipe! I have had snickers ice cream before but never had Mars,lovely! Please package some and mail it to me ? 🙂
Thanks Prateek, glad you like the ice cream. Hey if you provide the ‘freezer’ package to send, sure 😉
Again a good idea for my sister who likes to try cool recipes for my two nephews 🙂
Glad you liked it Stéphanie hope you will share with your sister 🙂
It definitely seems unearthly, Evelyn! Great choice!
Hi hi thanks Agness!
Eve this is genius!! It looks just like Mars (or well the representation of it I’ve seen, I’ve never been) 😛
Thanks Lorraine…and bucket list for a next trip? Going to Mars ??? 😉
LOL, love your loopy recipes! And this definitely DOES look like Mars (and adding the candy bar chunks was a terrific idea, too).
Ha ha glad you are part of my loopy-ness fans! I have to admit I was surprised how well it turned out.
Wow! Very interesting!
Thanks Lana
I wanna have a cool Syster serve this for my (our, actually) upcoming cool birthday(s)!
Hmmm, will see if I can manage to keep some that long for my Syster! 😉
Yes, I directly shared it on Facebook and tagged her 😉
Oh wow, I want to make that,my kids would love it!!
Oh for sure they would, and I think would you lol 🙂
What a great idea, it turned out so well! Bet it tastes good too.
Thanks Caroline! And yep pretty tasty 🙂
wow that’s a pretty cool and creative idea, Evelyne. And I love your serving plate!
Thanks Angie, fun and good ice cream. Yeah neat plate for certain foods lol.
Eve, such a lovely and creative idea. I have to see this movie, I’ve always had this idea of what if one day they left someone up there… will he be lost in space?!!!. My little one is talking so much about space and such since the discovery of the new planets, he is so excited and I bet this ice cream will make him even more excited:). Pinned
Oh yes Amira your little one sounds like a prime candidate for this ice cream ha ha. It’s a good move, very enjoyable. Not sure how realist in real life lol but entertaining.
Another movie I’ve not seen. Great recipe to go with it Evelyne.
Thanks Tandy and a good one to watch 🙂
This is SUCH a fun idea!! I love this! 🙂
Thanks Hilary, maybe you can have a bite on the 8th lol
Evelyne…you never fail to impress me. So very creative and perfect for this movie.
LOL, thank you Wendy, a great pic to get my inspiration wheels going!