Homemade ice cream is second to none. While you can make vanilla ice cream without an ice cream maker, using a special tool will make the ice cream taste softer. This is because the whisking process can break up the ice crystals which make the ice cream coarser. Ice cream machines are generally used in the same way, but how to prepare the basic dough will depend on the type: Philadelphia base dough or French base dough (custard).
Ingredients
Philadelphia Basic Dough
- 2 cups (500 ml) heavy cream
- 1 cup (250 ml) milk
- cup (170 g) sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
To produce 1 liter of ice cream
Basic French Dough
- 4 egg yolks (large ones)
- cup (150 g) sugar
- 1 cups (360 ml) whole milk
- teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cups (360 ml) heavy cream
To produce 1 liter of ice cream
Step
Part 1 of 3: Preparing the Philadelphia Basic Dough (Option 1)
Step 1. Cool the ice cream bowl the night before
Most ice cream machines come with a bowl that needs to be cooled before being used to make ice cream. Place the base mixture in the refrigerator and the bowl into the freezer. Beat the ice cream the next day.
Philadelphia ice cream does not contain eggs. This ice cream has a light and smooth taste and texture. Compared to French ice cream, the process of making this ice cream is faster
Step 2. Prepare the ice bath
While you don't need to cook the basic ice cream dough, you should still make it as cold as possible. Fill the sink with enough cold water and ice to reach to the height of the mixing bowl. The ice bath should contain more ice than water.
Step 3. Mix the heavy cream and milk
Pour the two ingredients into a large bowl or saucepan and mix them together. Make sure there is still room for adding sugar.
Step 4. Add sugar and stir until dissolved
This process takes about 3-4 minutes. Taste the mixture to make sure it's not grainy. If you are using a glass bowl, look at the bottom to make sure there are no sugar grains.
Step 5. Add vanilla extract and mix well
At this stage, you can also add extracts or other flavoring oils.
Step 6. Cool the mixture in an ice bath
Place the bowl in the sink until it is or the height of the bowl. Soak the bowl in ice for 30-45 minutes.
Step 7. Cover the bowl and chill the mixture in the refrigerator for 3-24 hours
Remove the bowl from the ice bath. Cover the surface of the bowl with plastic wrap tightly. Put it in the refrigerator and let it rest for 3-4 hours.
Part 2 of 3: Preparing the Basic French Dough (Option 2)
Step 1. Chill the bowl for making ice cream in the freezer the night before
Most ice cream machines come with a bowl that must be refrigerated for several hours before use. If you forget or don't have time to cool the bowl, prepare the basic dough following the steps below. Place the dough in the refrigerator and the bowl in the freezer, then beat the next day.
French ice cream is also known as custard. This ice cream is made from egg yolk, which gives it a smooth, rich and creamy taste and texture
Step 2. Prepare the ice bath once you are ready to make the ice cream
Take a large bowl and put it in the sink. Fill the sink with enough ice and water to reach to the height of the bowl. Place the strainer over the surface of the bowl.
- The ice bath should contain more "ice" than "water".
- You will need to harden the eggs so they don't clump together, but some lumps may form. You can filter it using a sieve.
Step 3. Beat egg yolks and sugar
Separate the egg whites and yolks first. Place the egg yolks in a medium-sized bowl and add the sugar. Beat the two ingredients until the mixture is pale yellow. When you're done, set the bowl aside in a safe place.
At first, the mixture will look thick and dark yellow in color. Continue beating until the mixture is pale in color
Step 4. Heat the milk, then add the vanilla
Pour the milk into a medium saucepan, then place it on the stove. Add the vanilla extract, then bring the milk to a boil over medium heat. Once boiling, remove from the stove.
- You can also use vanilla pods. Split the pods in half, then scoop out the vanilla seeds and add them to the milk. Add the pods too.
- Consider adding herbs and spices to the milk for added flavor, such as mint leaves, lavender flowers, coffee beans, chocolate, and so on.
Step 5. Warm the egg mixture with hot milk
Measure out to 1 cup (120 to 240 ml) of hot milk. Slowly pour into the egg mixture, continuing to beat. This will help gradually warm the egg mixture and prevent it from clumping in the next step.
Step 6. Pour the egg mixture into the milk, then heat it until it thickens
First, add the warmed egg mixture to the milk. Put the pot back on the stove and heat it over low heat. Stir the custard base mixture slowly, but continuously during cooking. Make sure you stir all the way to the bottom and sides of the pan. You are ready to move on to the next step once the custard has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon and reach 80 °C.
Step 7. Pour the custard base mixture into an ice-soaked bowl through a sieve
If you see something stuck in the sieve, such as egg lumps or vanilla pods, throw it in the trash.
Step 8. Add heavy cream to the custard, then cool completely
You can leave the custard base in the ice bath for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. You can also cover the surface of the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator for 3-8 hours.
To enhance the taste, add extract, liquor, or flavoring oil
Part 3 of 3: Making Ice Cream
Step 1. Freeze the bowl first
If you haven't already, consider putting the bowl from the ice cream machine in the freezer the night before your ice cream maker schedule. If you don't have time to do this, immediately place the bowl in the freezer and the base mixture in the refrigerator now. Leave it overnight and continue the process of making ice cream the next day.
Step 2. Install the ice cream maker
Remove the bowl from the freezer and place it in the ice cream maker. Install the stirrer then connect the machine to the mains. If you use a manual or cranked ice cream maker, consider the following:
- Put the bowl in the bucket, then attach the stirrer.
- Fill a bucket (not a bowl) with ice to a height of 8 cm.
- Sprinkle salt evenly over the ice.
- Repeat the same process for each layer until the bucket is half full.
- Pour cold water over the ice until the bucket is full.
Step 3. Pour the ice cream base mixture into a bowl
Use a rubber spatula to help scrape the bowl clean so that none of the ice cream base is wasted.
Step 4. Beat the ice cream until it thickens
You should get a smooth consistency, slightly thicker than a milk shake. If the mixture becomes increasingly difficult to beat, you are ready to move on to the next step. This process will take about 20 minutes on most machines, but be sure to follow the instructions on the machine.
If you have a manual or cranked ice cream maker, you will need to turn the crank to the right
Step 5. Add other ingredients if desired
Now is a good time to add other ingredients to the ice cream, such as chocolate chips, nuts, or strawberry chunks. You can also add caramel sauce, chocolate sauce, and meses. This step is optional and will improve the quality of the ice cream.
Step 6. Transfer the ice cream to a freezer-safe container
Lift the mixer from the bowl first, then remove the bowl. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the ice cream and place it in the container.
If you want to enjoy soft ice cream, you can serve it now
Step 7. Place the wax paper on top of the ice cream
Make sure the paper is in contact with the surface of the ice cream. This will prevent the formation of ice crystals in the ice cream. If you don't have wax paper, you can use parchment paper or plastic wrap.
Step 8. Freeze the ice cream until it becomes solid
Cover the container with a lid, if applicable, and place in the coldest part of the freezer. Freeze until the ice cream solidifies. This process will take at least 4 hours.
Step 9. Finish the ice cream in 2 weeks
If you make Philadelphia ice cream, you will start to see ice crystals after a few days. After 2 weeks, the French ice cream will also start to form ice crystals.
Tips
- Try to keep the ice cream maker and base dough as cold as possible when making ice cream. This will prevent the ice cream from becoming too firm when frozen.
- Cover the finished ice cream with a plastic wrap sheet. This will prevent the ice cream from absorbing other odors from the freezer (such as frozen fish) and forming ice crystals.
- If your ice cream maker has other instructions, prepare the ice cream according to those instructions.
- You can enjoy ice cream straight from the ice cream maker as a “soft” ice cream treat. However, the ice cream will have a lighter taste.
- Sprinkle sugar on the fruit or berries, then add it to the base mixture before you beat it. This step will give the ice cream a better taste than if you just added fruit or berries at the end of the process.
- Wrap the bowl of the ice cream machine before placing it in the freezer to protect it from the risk of freezer burn.
