 While
ice cream is readily available in the freezer cases of grocery store and
specialty stores, homemade ice cream is in a world of its own. When you make
your own, you combine fresh, rich ingredients with the flavorings and
add-ins of your choice, for a delectable experience.
If you own an electric or
hand operated ice cream freezer, making your own ice cream can be fun and
easy.
My grandson, Chris Harman, was given his
great-grandmother's old-fashion ice cream maker. The recipes below are his
first attempts at making homemade ice cream.
Check out my mother's
Homemade Strawberry Ice Cream.
For a detailed history of the following
individual types of ice cream, click on the underlined:
Baked
Alaska,
Ice Cream and Ices,
Ice Cream Cone,
and
Ice Cream Sundae.
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The FDA and the
USDA advise consumers to use a recipe that contains a cooked
custard base when using eggs in your ice cream recipe. The custard base
must reach 160 degrees F, measured with a food thermometer, to kill the
salmonella bacteria.
Additionally, it's important to only used pasteurized
milk and cream products in making your homemade ice cream
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Vanilla Custard Ice Cream
Homemade ice cream made
with a vanilla custard base will provide you with a rich and creamy ice cream.
4
egg yolks
1/2 cup granulated
sugar
1 cup milk
1 cup
heavy cream
or whipping cream**
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Crushed Ice
Rock Salt
** Whole milk, half & half
cream, and/or low-fat condensed milk may be used to lower
the calories (these substitutions may effect how creamy your ice cream will turn
out).
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Chocolate Custard Ice Cream
This was our second
batch of ice cream that my grandson and I made. This makes a very
rich, decadent chocolate ice cream We loved it! We ate it
before I could even take a photo.
4
egg yolks
1/2 cup granulated
sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (I used Hershey's
Cocoa)*
1 cup milk
1 cup
heavy cream
or whipping cream**
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Crushed Ice
Rock Salt
* 3 squares (1 ounce each)
unsweetened chocolate or 1/2 cup chocolate syrup may be used in
place of the cocoa powder.
** Whole milk, half & half
cream, and/or low-fat condensed milk may be used to lower
the calories (these substitutions may effect how creamy your ice cream will turn
out).
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NOTE: I
usually double the recipe when making homemade ice cream. It is so good,
that it won't last long.
In a medium-size bowl, add the egg
yolks and sugar; beat until thick and lemon colored; set aside.
NOTE: If making Chocolate Ice Cream, add the cocoa
powder to the egg mixture.
In a small heavy saucepan over
low to medium-low heat, add milk. Slowly bring milk just to
to a gentle simmer or
until it begins to bubble around the edges. Remove from
heat.
Gradually
stir hot milk into beaten egg/sugar mixture with a wire whisk. Pour mixture back into the saucepan. Over low heat, stirring
constantly, heat until the mixture (custard) thickens and will coat the back of
a metal spoon with a thin film, approximately 7 to 10 minutes. On your
instant-read
cooking thermometer, the temperature should reach between 165 and 180
degrees F. NOTE: Do not let the mixture
boil or it will curdle. If, of course by accident, your custard base does curdle, immediately remove
from heat and place in a blender; process until smooth.
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Egg and sugar
mixture |
Heating the
milk |
Making the custard |
Remove from heat and let custard
cool. Cover and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, at least 1 hour or until
it reaches 65 degrees F. on your instant-read
cooking thermometer.
NOTE: Cool quickly by setting pan in ice or cold
water and stirring for a few minutes. Using the ice water method, the mixture
will cool in about 15 minutes. This is the custard base. this custard base
can be used in many other ice cream recipes where you want a rich, creamy ice
cream. Place mixture back
in the refrigerator for at least 4 hour, but ideally for 24 hours. This aging
process will give the mixture better whipping qualities and produce ice cream
with more body and a smoother texture.
When the custard base is cold,
stir in the heavy cream and vanilla extract.
Stir or whisk just until
mixture is well combined. If you want to add any extra additions (fresh or dried
fruit, candies or confections, nuts, or alcohol), now is the time (see below for
directions). The ice cream is now ready for the freezing process.
Transfer the mixture into your ice
cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions. Either
churn your ice cream by hand or by motor.
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The Science of Making Homemade Ice Cream
Using salt and ice - The freezing procedure
has a two-fold purpose, the removal of heat from the mix and the
incorporation of air into the mix. Heat is removed by conduction
through the metal to the salt-water brine surrounding the freezing
can. To help the ice cream mixture to freeze, the container holding
the mixture is surrounded with ice and salt. If you use too much
salt, the mixture will freeze too quickly and will not be smooth. If
you use too little salt, the ice cream might not even freeze. Unless
your ice cream recipe says otherwise, use 1/2 cup rock salt to 4
cups crushed ice.
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Packing in the crushed
ice and rock salt |
Freezer is full and
ready to go |
We are now making
homemade ice cream! |
Churning - Good ice cream is determined
not only by the taste but also the texture.
The
continuous churning with the ice cream freezer is important because
it adds air into the mixture. this makes the ice cream smooth and
increases its final volume. Once you start the churning process,
don't stop! If you did stop for a long break, large ice crystals
would form in the coldest part of the mixture. this would produce a
grainy texture in parts of the ice cream and the center may not even
freeze. The continuous churning also distributes the flavorings and
brings the un-frozen portions of the mixture to the surface.
The ice cream mixture usually takes between 20 to 30
minutes to freeze and the freezing container is then placed into a
freezer to allow the ice cream to harden.
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When the ice cream is done, either serve and enjoy or transfer to freezer containers and freeze
until firmer. NOTE: Freshly made ice cream will be soft.
To freeze, put in an airtight plastic container and place in the
freezer for at least an hour, preferably several hours or overnight.
Makes approximately 1 quart of ice cream.
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Ready to eat right out
of the ice cream freezer |
Chris enjoying his
first batch of homemade ice cream! |
Storing Homemade Ice Cream:
Homemade ice cream does not store as well as store-bought ice cream. For
best results, transfer leftover homemade ice cream into a plastic airtight
container. Store in the freezer for no more than one week. If the texture of
the stored ice cream is grainy, let the ice cream soften, then beat it
before serving to smooth the texture.
Customize your ice cream recipes with
fruits, nuts, and flavorings.
These extra added ingredients should be
added about 8 to 10 minutes after the ice cream has begun freezing (at this
point the mixture will be thick enough to prevent the chunks from sinking to
the bottom). Some additions will need a little preparation before adding,
and some ice cream bases may need some adjustments to accept the additions.
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Fresh Fruit &
Dried Fruit |
Candies and
Confections |
Nuts |
Alcohol/Spirits |
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Fresh fruit contains a lot of
water, which will always result in iciness. One solution is to
use a little more cream and a little less milk in the base. It
is also recommended to add some skim milk powder to the mixture.
Dried fruit, such as raisins or
dried cherries, need some liquid before they can be added to ice
cream. Plump them in fruit juice or alcohol (such as rum,
brandy, or kirsch) for 1 to 2 hours. You won't need very much
liquid, approximately 2 tablespoons for each 1/2 cup of dried
fruit.
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Fresh
Fruit
Bananas
Blueberries
Cherries
Mangoes
Oranges
Peaches
Raspberries
Strawberries |
Dried
Fruit
Apricots
Blueberries
Cherries
Cranberries
Dates
Peaches
Prunes
Raisins
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Chocolate chunks
Heath bars
Peppermints
Brownies
Caramel sauce
Fudge sauce
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For best flavor, nuts should be
toasted before adding them to the ice cream.
Pistachios do not
work well in making ice cream as these nuts absorb a lot of water and quickly
become soft in ice cream.
Toasting
Nuts: Toast nuts on a baking sheet in a 350
degree F. oven for about 10 minutes. Shake the sheet
occasionally to prevent burning. The nuts are ready when they
color.
Almonds
Brazil nuts
Cashews
Hazelnuts/Filberts
Pecans
Walnuts |
Alcohol will reduce the freezing
point of the ice cream and also makes the ice cream easier to
scoop.
After you cool the custard base, add 1 tablespoon of
alcohol for each 1 pint of base. For stronger flavor, add 2 to 3
tablespoons alcohol to the mixture as it cooks. The heat will
cook out some of the alcohol. Adding some skim milk powder
(start with 1 teaspoon) to the base will help make up the
difference.
Amaretto
Armagnac
Cointreau
Creme de Cassis
Creme de Menthe
Frangelico
Kahlua or Tia Maria
Rum or whiskey |
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