The ice cream maker
Let there be ice cream. I think that's what Steph was saying to me when she got me an ice cream maker. It's actually kind of a dangerous gift for me because I have no self control when it comes to ice cream. The only way that I've been able to curtail my ice cream consumption has been to buy it in pints instead of quarts. Otherwise there's just no stopping me. If it's me vs a pint of Ben and Jerry's... I always win. The excess amount of "fuel" that I store around my belly region wins as well. Those fat cells get more friends and I'm all ready in case there's an ice age. So in the spirit of storing energy for the long summer, I put the machine into good use. The first two ice creams I tackled were pretty simple. Vanilla ice cream and plain frozen yogurt.
The first two recipes came straight out of the ice cream maker's recipe book. Neither of the recipes are that mind blowing, so I'll skip on putting them on here. The main problem with the first two attempts has been a freezing problem. When the ice cream maker is done with its thing you're supposed to put the ice cream in the freezer to firm up. And plus it's kind of hard to eat two quarts of ice cream in one sitting...
After a night in the freezer, the frozen yogurt turned solid. If you want to eat it, you have to take it out of the freezer and let it thaw for a little bit. I wonder if that's why frozen yogurt places serve frozen yogurt out of a soft serve machine.
Most people suggest The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz. I wonder if the ice cream from his recipes will freeze better. Has anyone tried it before? Does a better recipe mean that the ice cream will freeze better?
Regardless of whether I can find an ice cream recipe that freezes well... I still plan on eating lots of ice cream this summer. All kinds of ice cream... ones with chocolate or with fruit... frozen yogurt or gelato... man, I think it'll be a delicious summer.
I want an ice cream maker. But where the hell to store it? (Speaking of which, I finally caved and got that pot that you keep under the TV.) I want ulmo honey ice cream.
Yvo
June 25, 2009 2:23 pm
@Yvo,
On the dining table. haha. there's no where else for it. I also put flour on top of the TV.
Danny
June 25, 2009 4:06 pm
Oh sweet! Congrats on the new ice cream maker. I just got one for my girlfriend at the end of the year. I think this book is pretty good, if you're interested: http://www.amazon.com/125-Best-Ice-Cream-Recipes/dp/0778800628/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1245968507&sr=1-13
Some pretty cool recipes in there.
Max
June 25, 2009 6:22 pm
looks like you got the same ice cream maker that i bought my bf a while ago ... fyi the recipes that it comes with are not so great (aka the ones that call for ingredients like dry milk powder!). I definitely recommend "the perfect scoop" - and check out my green tea fro yo and vanilla bean ice cream entry - both are simple and easy to make and also very tasty! http://savingandsavoring.wordpress.com/2008/11/01/i-scream-you-scream/
happy ice cream making!
Amy
June 25, 2009 10:05 pm
I can't wait to read about your ice-cream making! I've been wanting an ice cream maker...maybe this summer ;)
I was reading Giorgio Locatelli's book (Made in Italy; it's not an ice cream book but there are loads of ice cream recipes) and he uses really interesting ingredients, like the dry milk powder (for a pronouced milk flavour, he says) mentioned above. I tried ice cream at his restaurant in London whilst on my honeymoon and it was really good! Usually home made ice cream tastes best the day it's made, but he says he "perfected a formula which means that two weeks later when we take the ice cream out of the freezer it is still beautifully soft, with no crystallisation." He does it by using sugars with different properties in specific rations... He uses sucrose (caster sugar), dextrose and invert sugar.
Just wanted to share that as his method is so different from all the other ones out there... I'll definitely give his recipes a try if I get an ice cream maker! I'll let you know how they turn out (although I'm pretty sure my supermarket does not curry invert sugar, but I will check!)
Veronica
June 25, 2009 11:35 pm
man, if you like ice cream, you have to checkout Woodside Creamery next time you are near Delaware. I'm not an ice cream fan, but this stuff is beyond description. http://www.woodsidefarmcreamery.com/
by the way, love your blog, you rock.
Lindsey
July 3, 2009 12:01 pm