How to Make Ice Cream
Ice cream is a dessert type that is great for nearly all occasions. It can be particularly delicious as a special summer treat. While most resort to manufactured ice cream that can be purchased at a market or at a ice cream shop, it can also be made at home with a couple of pieces of equipment and some common ingredients.
Homemade Ice Cream Recipes
Homemade ice cream recipes come in different varieties, each can be made in a couple of different ways and by using their own processes. The two most common homemade style ice creams are custard and non custard style ice cream. For both types, the freezing portion of creating ice cream is very important and can be performed in several different ways. The most common homemade freezing method is by using an electric ice cream maker. However, freezing ice cream can also be performed without an ice cream maker.
Equipment and Ingredients
Ice cream making will require the following:
- Ice Cream Maker: With or without built in freezing unit
- Glass Bowl
- Large Sauce Pan
- Wooden Spoon
- Plastic Container
- Ice Cream Scoop
- 1 ½ Cup of Milk
- 1 Cup of Sugar
- 2 Eggs
- 1 Cup of Cream
- 2 Teaspoons of Vanilla Extract
Creating Custard Style Homemade Ice Cream
To get started, the 2 eggs need to be whisked. As the eggs are whisked, add in dashes of sugar until the substance is completely yellow and bubbly. With the eggs getting whisked, place your 1 ½ cups of milk in the sauce pan and set the stove on medium heat until the milk is simmering. Once this occurs, take the sauce pan away from the heat source. You can also include a bit of salt and sugar into the milk.
Mixing the Eggs and Milk
With the milk simmered, slowly add it to the whisked eggs. It’s important to keep whisking the eggs as you add milk. Otherwise, the eggs will start to scramble and the milk may begin to curdle. Because of this, it pays to be patient with adding the milk or have someone else add the milk while you concentrate on whisking the egg.
Custard
Having whisked all the egg in with the milk, introduce the substance back into the saucepan so it can be heated on a low setting. Let the mixture heat for 5-10 minutes while regularly stirring it. Make sure to use the wooden spoon to scrape the bottom and sides of the sauce pan to get the mixture evenly heated. Dip the wooden spoon into the pan and check to see if the substance is thick enough to coat the backside of the wooden spoon as this is the final check for finished custard. Now, you’re well on your way to transforming the custard into custard style ice cream.Chilling and Aging
Custard requires cool temperatures and time in order to provide the best mixture and texture to make ice cream. The custard should be cooled at room temperature when it is finished being heated. Then, it should be chilled in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
Adding the Ingredients
With a glass bowl full of well aged custard, you can now take another spoon and mix the 1 cup of cream and 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract. Stir the mixture enough so the cream and vanilla extra have blended in with the custard.
Freezing Homemade Ice Cream
A nice chilled custard base with cream and vanilla extract allows you to focus on turning it into actual ice cream by using an electric ice cream maker. The precise method of freezing the ice cream will depend on what make and model ice cream maker you are using. Always cross compare homemade ice cream recipes with the instruction manual of your ice cream maker to get the best results.
Place the entire content of the custard mix into the ice cream can. Most ice cream recipes may be more than enough to fill the can. However, only fill up the can to the designated marker usually located on the inside of the can. Space needs to be reserved for the expansion that will take place.
Setting Up the Ice Cream Maker
Some ice cream makers will have their dasher built into the cover of the can while others will require you to place the dasher in first and then the cover on top. Make sure that the dasher stem is exposed at the top of the cover. Once the motor drive is set into place, the ice cream is almost ready to be churned.
Follow the specific ice cream maker instructions that may require you to plug in the freezing unit and pack in ice and salt around the ice cream can.
Ready to Eat Homemade Ice Cream
Check the mixture to make sure it is a cold and has a thick consistency that will still be quite soft. The mixture should then be ready to be removed from the can and placed into a plastic container. If you want homemade ice cream with a bit more flavor, it’s best to add it in now before starting the final freezing stage.
Use a spatula or large wooden spoon to firmly pack the ice cream into the container while still leaving ½ to 1 inch of space for expansion. Let the container freeze for at least 4 hours and you should then have ready to eat homemade custard style ice cream.