Ice Cream Makers 101

Today's commercial ice cream makers have deep wells and strong mixers that keep ingredients churning. That's why it's possible for ice cream companies to produce such large amounts of their products.

Although this is a convenient way for companies to make ice cream, it also limits the types of flavors that they can send to the grocery. After all, the manufactures are dedicated to producing huge vats of ice cream, so they can't risk making flavors that haven't been carefully tested to match the expectations of most consumers.

The side effect of this is that you only get a small range of flavors to try.

By purchasing a home ice cream maker, though, you can start making diverse flavors that sound interesting to you. You only make a couple quarts at a time, so it's not a big deal when an experiment fails to meet your expectations. Over time, you will discover recipes that taste much better than the ice cream flavors you buy at the grocery.

Once your ready to buy an ice cream maker, you will need to learn about the features and advantages that are perfect for needs. You'll also want to learn how to use an ice cream maker and where you can find exciting recipes to try.

Read on to get the answers to your questions. By the time you're done with this article, you will know everything you need to start making ice cream at home.

Types of Ice Cream Makers You Will Want to Explore

There are a lot of different types of ice cream makers that you will want to explore before you decide which one you will spend your money on. The most important thing to consider is whether you want an electric ice cream maker.

Chances are that you do since manual ice cream makers will only work if you are willing to churn them for nearly an hour. It's an incredibly difficult task, so narrow your options to electric devices that will do most of the work for you.

You will also want to look for ice cream makers that don't require ice or rock salt. These are difficult ingredients to work with. Even if you have a powerful ice cream maker, hard ice and salt can prevent times from mixing the ingredients well. At first, that will mean that you get ice cream with poorly distributed ingredients. One bite is all strawberry while another is all vanilla. Over time, the motor will start to die because it has to work so hard.

It's much better to look for ice cream makers with bowls that you can put in the freezer. This will freeze the ingredients without forcing you to pour ice into the ice cream. You'll get better ice cream and a longer life from your device.

When choosing an ice cream maker, look at the sizes that are available. Most ice cream makers intended for the home can make between one and four quarts of ice cream at a time. The larger ones tend to cost a little more money than the smaller ones, but that isn't always true since prices can vary significantly from manufacturer to manufacturer.

The size of the bowl doesn't always tell you how much ice cream you can make at once. After all, the bowls need a little extra room to mix ingredients. Always read ice cream maker reviews to make sure you choose a model that can make the amount of ice cream that you want.

Many ice cream makers can make a range of frozen desserts. Instead of limiting yourself to ice cream, look for devices that can make desserts like:

Other features you might want to look for while buying an ice cream maker include:

There are plenty of ice cream makers that have all of these features. That's a good sign that the devices are high quality. Still, it's always a good idea to read ice cream maker reviews before you decide which one to buy. The

The features from some manufacturers work better than others. The people who already own ice cream makers will have reviews that help you stay away from subpar options.

When you start looking for ice cream makers, you will quickly find that there are dozens of options that might sound pretty good to you. It's good to have a wide variety of things to consider. Unfortunately, having that many options can also make it difficult for some people to choose the device that is best for them.

The Internet is by far the best way to compare ice cream makers. Not only will websites make it easy for you to compare the features offered by each device, but you can read consumer reviews to help you eliminate models that haven't worked well for other people.

Look for ice creams makers that have gotten a lot of positive reviews. Anything with fewer than three starts probably isn't going to work well for you, so remove them from your list. You don't even want to waste your time thinking about them when you have so many four and five star options to consider.

Once you have a short list of ice cream makers that you might want to buy, compare their prices to make sure you choose something that is within your budget. Most ice cream makers are very affordable, but there are luxury models that have high price tags.

Besides, your family's budget may differ from the budgets of other people. It's up to you to choose an ice cream maker that you find affordable. If something seems to expensive for you, then remove it from your list so you aren't tempted to spend more than you can afford.

At this point, you should have a shorter list of ice cream makers. They probably offer similar features and are sold at comparable prices. That can make it hard for you to decide which one stands out as the best option. That's why you will want to read ice cream maker reviews to learn more about each model. You'll likely find that some people who give ice cream makers high ratings also have complaints that will shape your opinion.

Don't pay too much attention to a single review. Instead, try to get a general opinion from all of the reviews. Someone who wrote a negative review may have received a defective model. It's also possible that the person had a bad experience simply because he or she didn't follow directions. If there is one review that seems contradictory to the rest, then don't give it much attention. It's probably an outlier that doesn't affect you.

When you get a general consensus from the ice cream maker reviews, you'll have a better chance to find the option that is perfect for you and your family.

In this section, you will learn the basics of making ice cream with a machine. Keep in mind, however, that the specific directions will depend on the device you own. Some ice cream makers may have more complex, or simpler, directions. Always consult your owner's manual before you start making ice cream with your machine.

Here are the basic steps for how to make ice cream with a machine:

1. Put the machine's freezer bowl in the freezer so it can start to chill

2. Assemble all of the ingredients for your ice cream recipe

3. Whisk sugar and eggs into a bowl until the mixture has gotten frothy

4. Bring the milk to a simmer in a medium sized sauce pan

5. Add the simmered milk to the eggs a little at a time while constantly whisking

6. Pour the mixture into a sauce pan and cook over low heat for about five minutes (the mixture is done cooking when it easily coats the back of a spoon)

7. Use a mesh colander or strainer to remove any of the egg that solidified during the cooking process

8. Let your mixture cool

9. Add any extra ingredients you want to flavor the ice cream

10. Put the mixture in the refrigerator so it will cool quickly

At this point, you are ready to start using your ice cream maker.

1. Take the freezer bowl out of the freezer and connect it to your ice cream maker

2. Turn the ice cream maker on and add the cooled mixture a little at a time

3. Let the ice cream maker work for about 20 minutes so the mixture will thicken

4. Add any solid ingredients (nuts, chocolate chips, etc) when the ice cream maker has about five minutes of work left

When the ice cream maker is done, scoop servings into bowls or onto cones. You should put your frozen dessert in a plastic bowl, cover it, and immediate put it into the freezer.

Tip: Don't pour all of the warm milk into the eggs at once. By adding a little at a time and whisking constantly, you will prevent the eggs from cooking in the heat. If you don't follow this process, then you will end up with some very nasty scrambled eggs.

There are so many different types of ice cream recipes that you can make at home. No matter what you like, you can find a recipe that includes your favorite recipes. And since you can rely on your ice cream machine, you don't have to worry that any of the recipes are too difficult to follow. After all, the ice cream maker will do most of the work for you.

Some favorite ice cream maker recipes include those for:

If you want to make about five cups of vanilla ice cream, all you need is:

Chocolate ice cream maker recipes need a few more ingredients, but they are still quite easy. You'll need:

After mixing the ingredients together and letting them chill in the refrigerator for a few hours, you simply pour these best ice cream recipes into your home ice cream maker. From that point, the machine does practically all of the work for you. You just have to look forward to eating the types of ice cream that you love most.

Many ice cream makers come with recipe books that you can use to make a wide range of desserts. Cuisinart ice cream maker recipes, for instance, will tell you how to make fresh mint with chocolate cookies, Mexican style chocolate ice cream, and pistachio ice cream. You can even use a Cuisinart to make sorbet and frozen yogurts.

Other ingredients you might want to add to your ice cream include:

Of course, you can let your imagination run wild. If a topping sounds good to you, then give it a try. Some people even add bacon to their ice cream. It might sound weird, but they enjoy it. If they can put bacon into their frozen treats, then you should feel free to add anything that sounds tasty to you.

Finding More Recipes for Your Ice Cream Machine

One of the best things about using an ice cream maker instead of simply buying ice cream from the grocery is that you get to decide what goes into your recipes. The next time you are at the store, read the ingredients that food companies put into their ice creams. You'll find a lot of ingredients that you probably cannot even pronounce. The lists look more like directions to a science experiment than what you would put into ice cream.

When you make ice cream at home, you get to avoid preservatives and other ingredients that you don't want you and your children to eat.

This gives you the opportunity to make your ice cream healthier and more flavorful. Instead of using high fructose corn syrup, you can use granulated sugar, honey, molasses, and other sweeteners. Each one offers its own benefits, so explore the possibilities to see what flavors and consistencies you get from the sweeteners you prefer.

You can also choose to use fresh dairy products. Visit your neighborhood farmer's market to find someone who sells fresh, local milk and cream. There's nothing wrong with the milk sold at the grocery, but its difficult to know how fresh those items really are.

When you buy from someone locally, you know that you are getting milk and cream that was just recently processed. Depending on the laws in your area, you may even have a chance to purchase raw milk. That can have a significant influence on the consistency and flavor of your ice cream.

Owning an ice cream machine also gives you a chance to explore ice cream recipes that don't include dairy products. This is great news if you are lactose intolerant or simply do not like to consume milk. There are plenty of recipes that call for soy milk, rice milk, and almond milk instead of real dairy.

Conclusion

If you don't already own an ice cream maker, then you don't know what you're missing. Adding an ice cream machine to your kitchen will make it possible for you to enjoy ice cream flavors that you have never thought possible.

It won't take long before you hone your recipes so that they taste better than anything you can buy in the store. If nothing else, the recipes include ingredients in perfect portions for you. It doesn't matter what other people think about it. It only matters that you enjoy the desserts that you make.

You will also discover that making ice cream at home is a lot of fun, especially if you have kids. While you will want to keep young children away from steps that include heating up ingredients, kids can still participate in the ice cream making process. It lets them explore their own creativity and gives them the confidence they need to explore new concepts in the kitchen.

Whether you want a new opportunity for family time, you want to make healthier ice cream, or you just want easy access to all the ice cream you can make, having an ice cream machine will give you those options. After a few tries, you will have enough experience to make new.