making ice cream

Is it difficult to make ice cream at home? Would you recommend an ice cream maker? If I were to buy an ice cream, what would you recommend. And one last question, do the machines have to have a specific recipe for the ice cream, or can I use any recipe from a book?

Thanks to all who reply.

[m brown]

what is your budget? machines can cost from 20 to 2000 dollars.
ice cream is a fun thing to make at home.
cook a simple custard and freeze it or find your favorite recipe. I love to make cremalata, cross between an ice and ice cream made in a metal pan agitated with a kitchen spoon every few hours. great in the summer.

simple syrup infused with coffee,or lemon or whatever flavor
finished with heavy cream and frozen as stated above.

I just watched a great episode of Great Eats on the food network. He covered granita, sorbet & ice cream. Check it out... http://www.foodtv.com/recipes/re-c1/0,1724,144,00.html . I love that show!!

Well, I could spend around $150.00 or $200.00 before I started to feel uncomfortable.

Cook a simple custard and freeze it or find your favorite recipe.

Can you explain this for an "I can't boil water" kind of person. It sounds really cool, an I have never heard of freezing custard. Is there a healthy version?

The cooking a simple custard is not necessary for ice cream, it's the way must of us learned how to make ice cream and for the most part it's how the industry, like bryers makes theirr ice cream. When you buy an ice cream maker it will come with a recipe book and for the most part the manufactures receipes make a great product. My wife and I just have the el-cheapo model and it works great. The more expensive ones usually don't require ice since they have their own freezing unit. They also can make a lot of ice cream, some are made for the professional kitchen but sell to the "normal" person as well, like ranges and ovens are. I suggest you stay away from the kind that you haveto freeze the bowl before you can start, that way you don't really need to plan ahead! You can make it rather quickly if you have all the ingredients at home. I also know that Wal-Mart sells an Ice cream packet that all you do is add cream, we tried this once and it worked out great. You can add different things to make all sorts of flavors. Have fun and good eating.

[Pete]

I ice cream maker I have at home is one I bought at Crate & Barrel. It cost around $70 and has a bowl that you put in the freezer. I also bought an additional bowl so that I always have one in the freezer and can make ice cream at a moment's notice. There are many different recipes out there for making ice cream bases some cooked and some not. Try them all out! They all have a different texture and consistency. Here is a recipe for mint parafit, it is kind of like a light textured ice cream that you can make without an ice cream maker. Though it helps to have a mixer:

2 bunches of mint
1/2 cup water
2 cups sugar
8 egg yolks
1 qt cream

Combine sugar and water and cook until sugar is dissolved. Add mint and let steep for 10 minutes. Meanwhile whip the yolks to ribbon stage (when you run your finger through it, it should hold the line for a second before the sides slowly collapse back). Strain the mint out of the simple syrup and pour the hot syrup into the yolks slowly as you continue to whip them. Whip the cream to stiff peak and gently fold the yolk mixture into the whipped cream and freeze. Try making chocolate by skipping the mint and adding cocoa powder to the cream before you whip it.

Hey thanks everyone for the good tips, I think I will pick up the ice cream maker from Crate and Barrel (they have a cool website). I will let everyone know who it turns out.

M Brown, thanks for your advice, is there a particular brand of ice cream maker that you would recommend? I was looking at a 1.5 qt yogurt, ice cream & sorbet maker by Cuisinart for $59.95

[m brown]

you are most welcome.

go for the cusinart, the way i look at it under 60 dollars for a gaget is a good place to start.
I am contemplating buying a bread machine for about that much. I love baking bread, however every day to keep up with three small boys baking from scratch may be a luxury.
let us know how you do!

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Thank You,
mb

[This message has been edited by m brown (edited June 06, 2000).]