Who doesn't love a bowl of thick and creamy ice cream? Instead of buying yourself a bucket of ice cream from the store, you can make your own at home so you can organize all the ingredients and get creative with your flavor choices. You can use custard-based ice cream (using eggs) or the typical Philadelphia dough that doesn't use eggs. What matters, however, is how you knead the dough. An electric ice cream maker makes it easy to beat the dough, but you can also whip it yourself with a spoon. Alternatively, you can use an ice cream maker bowl, a plastic bag with ice and salt, or a food processor to beat the dough. If kneading the dough is too much of a hassle, you can even make ice cream using sweetened condensed milk so you don't have to knead the dough. The possibilities are endless!
Ingredients
Custard Based Ice Cream
- 700 ml whole milk
- 200 grams of sugar
- 8 egg yolks
- A little salt
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla
For Unbeaten Ice Cream
- 400 ml sweetened condensed milk
- 2 tablespoons (10 ml) natural vanilla extract
- A little salt
- 500 ml heavy cream, chill
Step
Method 1 of 4: Preparing the Basic Custard Dough for Ice Cream
Step 1. Heat the milk
Pour 700 ml of whole milk into a medium saucepan and place on the stove. Heat the milk over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes until the milk boils slowly. Turn off the heat when the air bubbles start to rise to the surface, then let the milk cool.
- You can replace the milk with heavy cream or a combination of whole milk and heavy cream if you prefer.
- Be careful not to let the milk boil completely.
- This recipe will make a vanilla ice cream base. If you want to make ice cream with a specific flavor, you can add herbs such as lavender, coffee beans, or even chocolate to the milk. After that, let the herbal aroma mix with the milk or melted chocolate.
Step 2. Combine eggs, sugar and salt
Pour 8 egg yolks, 200 grams of sugar and a pinch of salt into a large bowl. Stir the ingredients until it becomes a thick paste.
Step 3. Cool the milk and add the egg mixture
Once it's room temperature (cooling takes about 10 minutes), slowly pour in the egg mixture and continue to pour until it's done. Stir the milk carefully until it is completely mixed with the egg mixture.
Step 4. Pour the batter into the pan and heat it until it reaches about 77°C
Once the egg and milk mixture is combined, transfer the mixture back to the saucepan. Place the pot on the stove and heat it over low-medium heat. Stir the mixture in circular motions (like an “S”) so you can scrape the bottom of the pan. Keep heating the mixture until it reaches about 77°C.
- Check the temperature of the mixture using a candy thermometer or deep fryer thermometer.
- You can also tell if the bottom of the dough is cooked enough when the dough is thick enough to stick to the back of a spoon or spatula.
Step 5. Strain the mixture over ice, then add the vanilla extract
Place a metal mesh strainer over a bowl placed in a large bowl already filled with ice water. Pour the ice cream mixture into a colander and allow the mixture to collect in the bowl to remove any lumps. After that, add 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of vanilla and mix well.
You can replace the vanilla extract with fresh vanilla beans if you want. Cut the vanilla beans in half and set aside the seeds to add to the batter
Step 6. Refrigerate the dough for half an hour
Once the ice cream base is mixed, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill in the ice water for about 20-30 minutes. Alternatively, place the bowl in the refrigerator and refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight.
Method 2 of 4: Mixing Basic Ice Cream Dough Using an Ice Cream Maker
Step 1. Freeze the ice cream bowl overnight
The bowl that holds the dough must be completely cold so that the coolant in it is completely frozen. Place the bowl in the refrigerator until completely frozen. This process takes about 10-22 hours.
If you don't want your hands to burn or hurt when handling the frozen bowl, wrap the bowl in a plastic bag before placing it in the freezer
Step 2. Install the bowl on the machine and insert the kneading arm
When the bowl is completely frozen, remove it from the refrigerator and place it in the ice cream maker. After that, place the dasher in the bowl so that the dough is ready to be kneaded.
Step 3. Turn on the machine and add the cooled ice cream mixture
The machine must be on before you add the dough so that the dough can be kneaded immediately. Carefully pour the dough into the machine, and replace the top cover of the machine.
Step 4. Allow the ice cream to process according to the machine's built-in instructions for use
Read the manual included in the machine purchase package to find out the duration of the ice cream stirring. Usually, it will take about 20-30 minutes for the ice cream to have the right density.
If you want to add extra ingredients such as nuts, cookie crumbs, and pieces of candy to your ice cream, you'll also need to read the manual first. There is a possibility, you are advised to add these ingredients before the ice cream is finished beating
Step 5. Transfer the ice cream to a refrigerator-safe (cold-resistant) container and refrigerate the dough until frozen
When the machine finishes whipping the ice cream, the dough will have a soft density or consistency. If you like the texture, you can eat it right away. Otherwise, transfer the dough to a cold-resistant container with a lid and refreeze the dough for 2-4 hours.
Make sure the container used is airtight so that the ice cream mixture is not damaged by the temperature being too cold
Method 3 of 4: Whisk the Ice Cream Dough By Hand (Manually)
Step 1. Cool the container first
You will need a short, cold-resistant container or bowl to make ice cream with this method. Before making the dough, first place the container in the refrigerator and refrigerate for 3-6 hours.
You can use a 30 x 20 cm stainless steel pan or bowl to make ice cream with this method
Step 2. Pour the dough into a container and freeze for half an hour
After the container or bowl has cooled, transfer the ice cream base mixture into the container, then cover the top. Place the container back in the freezer for 20-30 minutes to allow the ice cream to start to solidify.
The ice cream is ready to go to the next step when the sides start to freeze
Step 3. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and beat using a hand mixer
Once the ice cream has cooled, remove the container from the refrigerator. Use an electric hand mixer to beat the dough on medium speed. In this way, the dough will be crushed so that it has a thick and soft texture.
If you don't have an electric mixer, you can knead the ice cream mixture manually with a wooden spoon. Of course, this process takes more time and effort
Step 4. Repeat the freezing and kneading process for two hours
Once the ice cream is crushed and has a smoother texture, close the container again and return it to the refrigerator. Cool the dough again for 20-30 minutes then mix again. Repeat this process three to four times until the ice cream starts to solidify, but is still thick and creamy.
If you want to add cookie crumbs, brownie chunks, or candy to your ice cream, add them and mix them into the batter before you refreeze them in the fridge for the last round
Step 5. Store the ice cream in a cold-resistant container until ready to serve
If you're not eating the ice cream right away, transfer the ice cream to an airtight container that's safe to refrigerate. Store the ice cream in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
It's a good idea to let the ice cream sit for about 5-10 minutes before serving to make it easier to scoop or scoop
Method 4 of 4: Mixing Ice Cream Dough Without Further Whisking
Step 1. Cool a container that is safe to place in the refrigerator (cold-resistant container)
To make ice cream with this method, you'll need a 23 x 13 x 8 cm stainless steel baking tray or tray. Place the container or tray in the refrigerator and refrigerate for about an hour.
Step 2. Combine sweetened condensed milk, vanilla and salt
Pour 400 ml of sweetened condensed milk, 2 teaspoons (10 ml) of natural vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt into a medium-sized bowl. Stir the ingredients until evenly mixed, and set the dough aside for a moment.
Step 3. Stir the cream until it forms stiff dough peaks
Pour 500 ml of cold heavy cream into the mixing bowl. Use medium-high speed to stir the cream until firm peaks form on top. The stirring process takes about 5 minutes.
- For best results, chill the mixer bowl in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes.
- You can also use a hand mixer or beat it yourself if you prefer.
Step 4. Pour half of the cream mixture into the sweetened condensed milk mixture
Once the cream is finished beating, pour about half of the cream mixture into the bowl of the sweetened condensed milk mixture. Use a rubber spatula to transfer and stir the cream with the milk mixture until well combined.
Be careful not to stir the mixture for too long so that not too much air escapes from the cream
Step 5. Add the condensed milk and cream mixture to the bowl containing the remaining cream
After you've mixed the sweetened condensed milk mixture with the whipped cream, transfer the milk and cream mixture back into the bowl with the remaining cream. Stir the ingredients again until evenly mixed.
Step 6. Pour the dough into a container or tray and cover the top
Use a rubber spatula to transfer all of the ice cream mixture into the cooled container. Cover the top with plastic wrap and make sure the inside of the container is airtight.
Step 7. Refrigerate the dough for a few hours and add additional ingredients
Place the container back in the refrigerator and allow the dough to freeze until the ice cream has a smooth consistency. This process takes about 2 hours. If you want to add cookies, nuts, candy, or other additives, stir the ingredients until they are evenly combined.
Step 8. Refreeze the ice cream until it is soft and easy to scoop
Close the top of the container again and put the container back in the refrigerator. Allow the dough to freeze for 3 hours, or until the texture is firm and spoonable.
Tips
- While the vanilla ice cream itself is already delicious, feel free to experiment with different flavor options. Chocolate ice cream is an easy alternative to make, but you can also add fresh fruit like strawberries or flavoring extracts like mint.
- If you want to add additional ingredients to the dough, it's a good idea to freeze them beforehand. Cookies, brownie pieces, or candy that have not been pre-cooled may break or crumble when added to the ice cream mixture.
