Welcome back to my blog! I’m super stoked for today’s recipe, HOMEMADE ICE CREAM! In the video above, I demonstrate how to make one of my favorite recipes for ice cream, strawberry mint basil. It’s delicious. But in the recipe below, I describe the “theory” of making ice cream, complete with flavoring the base, churned add-ins, and stirring in ingredients to create a “swirl.”
Why make your own ice cream at home? There are a few great reasons to spend $20-30 on an ice cream maker for your kitchen. For starters, you can control the quality of ingredients. You can also rest assured that your homemade treat will always be gluten-free, even when making those flavors you haven’t been able to enjoy in years. Also, you never have to worry about cross-contamination of the ice cream scoops like in an ice cream shop.
When making ice cream, a few rules should be followed. The first is that a certain amount of fat and sugar will not only make your ice cream delicious, it will also make the texture velvety smooth and rich. You must incorporate fat and sugar within certain margins for your ice cream to churn properly.
Secondly, you should age your ice cream base in the fridge at least overnight before churning. Also, your base should be as cold as possible going into the ice cream maker. The key to smooth ice cream texture is interrupting ice crystal formation as much as possible while still making ice crystals. The sugar, fat, and pectin in the base will help to ensure the best texture possible.
Finally, certain ingredients should be churned into ice cream, such as nuts, fruit pieces, chocolate chips, or chunks of brownie. Other ingredients should be layered into the dish along with the churned dairy mixture to create flavors like “caramel swirled mocha” or “fudgy moose tracks.”
You can make any flavor ice cream you like, however I have a few tips:
- Don’t combine too many different flavors into one batch. If I have 3 or more different flavors, I make a standard milk base rather than a vanilla base. If I make a simple vanilla or chocolate ice cream, I’ll use a vanilla flavored base.
- Don’t be afraid to experiment. Most people would think basil is a weird ingredient for ice cream, but it’s a delicious, fresh-tasting herb that I enjoy and is often used to lighten a dish.
- It’s okay to make simple flavors like chocolate or vanilla. It will still be the best version of that flavor you’ve ever tried if you make it yourself.
So with all the tips and tricks out of the way, let’s get into the recipe!
Ingredients:
Base-
2 c. cream (can be reduced to 1 ½ c.)
1 c. whole milk (can be increased to 1 ½ c.)
1 scant c. sugar (can be reduced to ¾ c.)
Pinch of salt
2 tbsp. fruit preserves
Flavorings-
Fresh herbs
and/or
Flavored extracts
and/or
Whole or ground spices
Add-ins-
Frozen fruit bits (chopped small in food processor/blender)
Chocolate chips, chopped
Cookie dough chunks, frozen
Brownie chunks
…and more!
Stir-ins-
Caramel sauce
Cooled fudge
Peanut butter
Fruit syrup or compote
…and more!
Equipment-
Ice cream maker and all parts
Ice
Rock salt
Directions:
- Combine all ingredients for base in medium saucepot and heat over low-medium heat (4/10). Add desired ingredients from “flavorings” section. If making a vanilla base, using homemade vanilla sugar is recommended.
- Strain base into container to store in refrigerator overnight. Allow base to age before churning.
- If using ice/salt maker, set churning canister in center of bucket, then build ice/salt mixture around canister so it’s stable. Then strain base into churning canister. Insert dasher before incorporating add-ins. Set ice cream maker to churn and check occasionally for texture by tasting. Ice cream generally takes about 30 minutes to churn. If ice/salt mixture outside depletes, add more ice and salt.
- If using a gel canister maker, insert canister in freezer when placing the container of base in the refrigerator to chill/age. When ready to churn, strain base into canister, incorporate add-ins, and set ice cream maker to churn. Consult your user manual to know when mixture is ready.
- When ice cream has finished churning and is a perfect soft-serve consistency, layer it into a freezer-safe container along with any stir-ins. Good stir-in options are any ingredient used to create a “swirl.”
- Freeze ice cream at least 4 hours for a solid consistency. Or enjoy straight off the dasher paddle for homemade soft-serve.
- Serve ice cream by itself or covered in toppings. Enjoy as a cool treat in the heat of summer or while bundled up by the fire during winter.
It’s a bit of a process to make this creamy dessert at home, but the results are well worth it. Homemade ice cream is delicious, smooth, and if you have the ice/salt model of ice cream maker, you can wash the canister of your first flavor and churn a second batch immediately. Just make sure to invest in a bag of ice if you decide to churn multiple batches.
I hope you enjoy making this delicious frozen treat at home and be sure to tag me in pictures of your homemade creations on social media. I want to see what flavor combinations you come up with! Please leave your thoughts in a comment below, or get in touch with me directly by filling out the form on the contact page.
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