Homemade Ice Cream Question...

What's the "old school way" without an ice-cream maker?  You can't get a smooth texture without freezing in a churn.  The best you can do without one is a sort of granita.

If you think your cream would taste better with more vanilla, add more vanilla.  It's really that simple.

There's no way for me to really know what you mean by "custardy," but I'm guessing it comes from the taste of the eggs more than anything else.  If, next time, you still plan to use a custard base, cut down on the eggs.

Eggs are not an essential part of every kind of vanilla ice cream.  You can make an excellent base with nothing more than cream, vanilla and sugar.  For that matter, cooking isn't really necessary either.  It all depends on the textures and flavors you want -- and somewhat on your freezing methods.

Good luck,

BDL

Wow I have been making ice cream for 50 years and we never put it in the freezer until it is done, already thick and creamy. I think your way is newer than mine

Quote:

Originally Posted by boar_d_laze 

What's the "old school way" without an ice-cream maker?  You can't get a smooth texture without freezing in a churn.  The best you can do without one is a sort of granita.

 

sorry bdl, i have to disagree. 

Try this,.

make italian meringue.  Add whipped cream and vanilla.  Freeze.  YOu don't even have to take it out to mix it, nary a crystal.  Chocolate ice cream, you add melted chocolate to the meringue, then whipped cream and freeze.  The best.  Good ole Julia Child, got the recipe from one of her books.  (Le saint cyr i think) 

It doesn;t work for watery fruit like strawberry, but will do ok with banana, apricot.  For coffee, i bet it would work if you made the sugar syrup with coffee in it.  You can't add liquids. 

If you want to try the coffee, akme, i suggest you try doing the vanilla or chocolate version first.  This ice cream is very good and works every time when there is no liquid in it, or the liquid (even some fruit purees) which would make ice crystals.  But the italian meringue and cream work very well.  I think you'd have to experiment with a very low water coffee syrup, reduced maybe in the microwave?  i think coffee can get burned in the sugar syrup for the meringue and may taste bad.  Or i guess you could add instant coffee to the cream, let it dissolve in the cold cream and then whip. 

can give proportions and recipe, but basically 1 cup sugar to 1/3 cup water and 3 egg whites for the meringue, and i think a quarter of a quart of cream (or maybe more)

Best technique for home made Ice is to let the mixture freeze a bit take it out and beat it with a mixer until smooth then put into freezer let it stiffen a little then take out and beat. Do this a few times and you will have great ice cream.

If you don't like the eggy taste which I don't . I use rennet  tablets , its used in cheese making. The packages has directions on ice cream recipes.

I always make ice cream just with banana and pure milk ,that is invented by myself , but actually it is milkshake rather than ice cream,i will try more .