Ice cream is a favorite hot summer day treat. Since July is National Ice Cream Month, what better time to cool down with homemade ice cream? While it’s easy to make ice cream at home, there are a few key steps and tips to make it a success.
The two kinds of ice cream freezers I will discuss are the hand crank or electric and freezer bowl models. If you don’t like dealing with rock salt and ice, you can buy an ice cream maker or stand mixer attachment that uses a freezer bowl.
Traditional freezers need ice and salt to make up to 4 quarts of ice cream. A freezer bowl only makes about 1 1/2 quarts of ice cream. It does take at least 24 hours to get the freezer bowl ready for use, so you need to either plan ahead or always store it in the freezer.
Before using your ice cream maker, read the owner’s manual, and follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Use these secrets to improve your homemade ice cream.
Every cook knows the importance of using the best quality of ingredients. Buy fresh, high-quality products.
Great ice cream is high in fat. Use regular heavy cream (36%). It gives ice cream its rich flavor and smooth, creamy texture. I’m all for making healthier choices, but this isn’t the place for it. Low-fat and skim milk don’t freeze as well, lack flavor, and leave ice cream with an icy texture.
Sugar affects the texture by enhancing creaminess and controlling hardness levels. Too much sugar in a recipe can prevent your ice cream from freezing, and too little sugar in ice cream can make it hard.
Air keeps ice cream soft and scoopable. The rotating paddle blades whip air into the mixture while it’s churning to produce a rich, creamy, and dense product.
All ice creams begin with a base. Many ice cream recipes call for making a cooked custard made from eggs, sugar, and milk. To destroy Salmonella, cook the mixture to an internal temperature of 160°F. Eggs add body and emulsify the ice cream base. If the base is not cooked, use an eggless recipe, an egg substitute, or pasteurized shell eggs.
After the cooked custard has cooled, add the flavorings, extracts, or alcohol. If desired, stir them in right before you pour the ice cream base into the ice cream maker. Alcohol reduces the freezing point of ice cream, so it is added to make a softer scoop.
The base should be as cold as possible before churning. Chill and age the base at least 8 hours or overnight before churning to maximize freezing power. If time is not available, place the ice cream base in an ice water bath until it reaches 40°F. After chilling the base, emulsify it again with a buzz of an immersion blender or blender before pouring it into the frozen canister or freezer bowl. The faster you bring the ice cream base from liquid to solid, the creamier it’ll be.
A rule of thumb is to fill the machine no more than three-quarters of the way full. Ice cream aerates as it churns, so the volume increases. If the container is overfilled with base, it will spill over the sides. Churn just until the ice cream is thick, and about the consistency of soft serve. The ice cream does not fully freeze, so it is not firm enough to hold its shape. Have you ever had homemade ice cream leave an oily film in your mouth? It is because the ice cream was over-churned.
Adding candy pieces, nuts, or dried or fresh fruit to the ice cream will add a flavor and texture dimension. Chill add-ins thoroughly before adding them to the frozen ice cream to prevent them from sinking to the bottom. For swirls, alternate between the ice cream and the sauce by layering it as you transfer the ice cream to its container.
Once the ice cream is frozen, quickly transfer it into a chilled container and place it in the freezer as fast as possible. Freezing fast will help maintain the ice crystals’ small size. This step is called hardening.
Another fun surprise is to line ice cream cones or bowls. Before scooping your ice cream, fill the inside of the cone or bowl with nut butter, hazelnut spread, dulce de leche or caramel, jam, or fruit curd.
Homemade ice creams should be eaten within a week to prevent flavor loss and maintain a creamy texture. Ice cream will stay softer when you store it in a shallow glass or plastic container and press the surface of the ice cream with plastic wrap to prevent the formation of ice crystals.
Make ice cream an occasional treat, and control your portion size. I hope these tips will inspire you to make ice cream using your machine at home!
Written by Vicki Hayman, MS, University of Wyoming Extension Nutrition and Food Safety Educator
Sources:
- American Egg Board, Center for Disease Control, U.S. Food and Drug Administration