Homemade ice cream anyone????

[JerseyTink]

The cost of ice cream seems to keep going higher and higher. So, I have been thinking about getting an ice cream maker and making my own. Anyone have any advice or recipes? Low fat would be great for health reasons but regular is a really nice treat occasionally.

 

[jgreco]

If you have a high powered blender, try this.
Cut 2 bananas into chunks, the softer the better. Freeze.
Add to blender and a little vanilla. You can add milk (i like almond or coconut milk) to make it a little creamier.
It's delicious and healthy!

 

[mistysue]

Like the PP suggested I would try the banana thing... In my experience making ice cream costs WAY more than buying cheap ice cream. Just the cream itself can be 3-4X the cost of the gallon of ice cream here. Then you have to add stuff to it.

Personally, I go through the ice cream aisle weekly and look for things being clearanced out. Novelty items are more fun and can get cheap, but you may be buying 10 boxes of things every 6 months instead of more spread out. We got a chest freezer to fulfill my life long dream of having a freezer like at a general store so we can do that. (I wish that were a joke)

 

[LockShockBarrel]

I have an ice cream maker and I love it. The thing is you have to kind of...shift your thinking with it a bit. Compared to what you buy in store, what you make at home (at least with my machine) is quite a bit denser. You can eat less of it and still feel full. If I were to pour what I make into a store bought ice cream container, it'd weigh more and I'd get more servings out of it because you just need less when you actually eat it. I also find what I make at home has a lot more flavor, again sort of negating the need to eat a lot of it.

So that all being said, it does cost more to make it than it would be to buy a big name brand. It's less expensive to make than the fancy little brands that cost like $4 for a pint. It just really depends what you put into it. Putting fresh fruit into the ice cream costs a fortune, but it's just sooo much better than what you get in the store. Making it, you can control the ingredients where there's not going to be those methylhexachromate dimonoxygen type chemicals.

It's really a crapshoot as to what you see as what it's worth. If you want a denser, more flavorful product that you can control, and don't mind spending the time to make it? It's great. If you want something that doesn't take a long time to make and is quick and accessible, just keep buying it.

 

[April7901]

^^^ ditto.

I spend twice as much on ice cream that I make, but that's by choice. I don't think I've ever made ice cream just for me - if I'm making it, it's because I have a party or event to take it to. I also then choose the best ingredients I can find - fresh cream and milk from the farmers' market, fresh fruit, etc.

I suspect you could probably make it much more cheaply, but it all depends on what you like.

My absolute favorite recipe book is David Lebovitz' Perfect Scoop.

 

[MSSANDRA]

I agree, it cost about twice the amount for us to make it but it is sooooo yummy and a huge treat we just do sometimes for special occasions.

 

[LockShockBarrel]

I forgot 2 things (I watch tv while I'm on here and apparently I'm easily distracted)

1- I like the Ben and Jerry's recipe book. I use their base recipe for all sorts of stuff because it doesn't require cooking it like a lot of recipes do. I've also decided that if I ever (ok when I ever) make berry ice cream again, I'll strain the seeds out because otherwise it's just a pain in the rear to eat.

2- don't be mislead by the box that says "ice cream in just 20 minutes!" It's a big fat lie. It's more like "ice cream in just a day and half if you time it right". On my machine, you put the bowl in the freezer and wait til it's frozen solid which is basically overnight, then the prep time for the ice cream mix whatever that may be, then the churn time (this is really what's 20 minutes). After you churn you have loose soft serve texture ice cream which can be nice but if you want real scoopable ice cream you have to put it in the freezer for several hours to harden up.

 

[ckmommy]

I have made this several times using different mix ins-works great and NO ICE CREAM MAKER NEEDED!!!!!

http://www.kevinandamanda.com/recip...ithout-a-machine.html/comment-page-2#comments

 

[princesspwrhr]

What we make us sort of an ice cream/sherbet/soft serve- it doesn't cost us anymore than buying the quality real ingredient ice cream. We have a Blendtec, but it should work in any blender that does ice well.

2/3c half & half or liquid base (we usually use coconut milk)

12 oz FROZEN fruit

Sugar to taste

- blend.

It's cold soft and creamy. If you want a firmer treat just put it in the freezer for about 2 hours stirring occasionally.

 

[nhmommy]

Like the PP suggested I would try the banana thing... In my experience making ice cream costs WAY more than buying cheap ice cream. Just the cream itself can be 3-4X the cost of the gallon of ice cream here. Then you have to add stuff to it.

Personally, I go through the ice cream aisle weekly and look for things being clearanced out. Novelty items are more fun and can get cheap, but you may be buying 10 boxes of things every 6 months instead of more spread out. We got a chest freezer to fulfill my life long dream of having a freezer like at a general store so we can do that. (I wish that were a joke)

Yep!

That said I love custard based home made ice cream much more work but so good.

 

[JerseyTink]

Thanks for all the advice and suggestions. One reason I was thinking of homemade ice cream is because I have a diabetic family member who has trouble with Splenda. It seems all sugar-free ice cream is sweetened with Splenda. But, if I make my own, I could use a healthier zero calorie sweetener. That being said, I bought bananas this morning to try the blender recipe. Can't wait. Sounds delicious!!

 

[2bearsmom]

We bought a Cuisinart ice cream maker at Costco a couple of years ago, it came with two of the freezer bowls so I keep those in my chest freezer that's in the garage. I'll make two different ice creams and as soon as I transfer the ice cream to containers to freeze I wash and dry the freezer bowls and put them right back into the freezer, I started keeping them wrapped in the 2gallon ziplock bags in the freezer.

 

[CuteAndFluffy]

I'm partial to Jeni Britton Bauer's recipe book "Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream"--her recipes may seem a little on the outside for some people, but her vanilla recipe and her milkiest chocolate in the world are amazing if you just want basics.

She did an article on The Kitchn a while ago on making ice cream without an ice cream maker. She uses a food processor instead and said it gives really great results, though more like gelato than ice cream.

 

[rainynight]

I don't buy store bought ice cream so I'm not sure if its more expensive to make it, but it definitely tastes so much better homemade. Search for Alton Browns vanilla ice cream. Its very good.

 

[zoemurr]

"ice cream in a bag" My kids make this sometimes. Quick and fun. (We usually just use skim milk since that is what we have in the house.)

We have an ice cream maker and it makes great ice cream, but we really only haul it out for parties.

 

[java]

I have made this several times using different mix ins-works great and NO ICE CREAM MAKER NEEDED!!!!!

http://www.kevinandamanda.com/recip...ithout-a-machine.html/comment-page-2#comments

Me too! Love that one so easy!