How to Make Ice Cream

The best-selling ice cream in the U.S is Breyer’s, but who needs it when you can always make your own? You can relish the fresh taste of a preservative-free ice cream. You can choose your favorite fruit or nuts. If you are watching your weight, you can opt for organic products, low-fat milk, or you can reduce sugar. If you have kids, you can enlist their help and enjoy making ice cream together before you enjoy eating it together.

There are different kinds of ice cream makers: gel canisters, built-in freezer with compressor, and bucket style. Each of these has its own advantages, and disadvantages, over the others so choose one that will suit your needs. Are you after convenience? Perhaps you have a big family who all love ice cream? Or do you live in a small, cramped apartment in the city with cupboards that can barely hold your kitchenware?

These three types of equipment that make ice cream in a similar way. They all come with a container that holds the ingredients, which is held by a bigger container. The space between them is filled with a freezing agent to turn the ingredients into ice cream. A dasher or paddle mixes them as the container rotates. With this, air seeps into the mixture giving it a smooth and creamy texture.

Gel Canister Ice Cream Makers

These are compact and can make a great addition to your countertop appliances. They usually have a capacity of one to two quarts, and can have a single or two canisters. The latter allows you to make two ice cream flavors simultaneously.

You will need to freeze the canister for at least 24 hours before you using them. Once all the ingredients are in place, you simply power up the machine’s electric motor to start churning and mixing them at just the right speed. In 20 to 30 minutes, you can start scooping up your fresh home-made ice cream.

Built-in Freezer and Compressor

The built-in freezer and compressor eliminate the need to freeze canisters for 24 hours before you can make your ice cream so there is no need to pre-plan your indulgence. Just flick the machine’s switch on and in about 5 minutes you can add the ingredients into it. In another 20 to 30 minutes, 1½ to 2 quarts of your ice cream is ready for serving.

The downside is that these machines are heavier and bigger than the gel canisters. Weight varies from 25 to 40 pounds while dimension of 16″L x 10″W x 12″H are common. Storage may be an issue. Further, these machines are more expensive than the gel canisters.

Bucket/Classic Type

This equipment consists of a canister inside a large bucket with either a hand or a motorized crank to rotate the canister and mix the ingredients. You will need to fill the bucket with ice and rock salt to make ice cream, and as the ice melts, continue filling it up until it is ready.

While this can make as much as six quarts, it is rather messy as you will need to continually drain water from the melted ice. Yet it might be fun doing this with the rest of the family.

Whichever type you choose, be sure to use your imagination to create new, delicious, and mouth-watering ice cream.