Ice cream is a dessert that many of us adore. Although it's often served with desserts like brownies or cakes, ice cream makes a great headline act on its own, especially when it's homemade. Whether you like your ice cream in a cone, in a bowl, or straight out of the tub, it doesn't really matter.

What might matter, though, is its consistency, and anything other than smooth and creamy might leave you feeling a little disappointed. When making homemade ice cream, there are a few handy tips to follow . This includes adding a stabilizing ingredient to your mixture to avoid ending up with rock-hard ice cream.

Thankfully, instant pudding mix is an ingredient you won't need to search far for. This pantry staple can elevate many desserts , and, as the name says, it will instantly give you a creamier and softer ice cream. The cornstarch in instant pudding mix will act as a stabilizer and thickener, leaving you with a perfect, custard-like texture.

It will also flavor your ice cream, minimizing the other ingredients needed. One package of pudding mix will transform your ice cream When adding your pudding mix into your ice cream, make sure you're using an instant pudding, as Cook & Serve pudding mixes won't dissolve and will leave you with grainy ice cream. Replace any stabilizing ingredients in the recipe, such as cornstarch, with one box of instant pudding for every three cups of liquid (whether that's milk, heavy cream, or something else).

Start simple with vanilla- or chocolate-fla.