4 Easy Ways To Make Ice Cream

Ice cream may not be a healthy food but it is definitely yummy. And now that the weather is getting warmer, most of us crave this sweet, cold stuff. Why not make your own delicious homemade ice cream recipes using these 4 easy ways?

1. Basic ice cream recipe with milk and eggs

Here is the basic homemade ice cream recipe with milk. We will discuss some detailed recipes later.

• Heat the milk and cream. You can use a non-dairy substitute as well. Use a heavy duty pan for heating.
• Some recipes use custard powder. Make a paste of custard powder with a bit of warm milk before adding it to the rest of the milk for heating.
• Allow the liquid to be hot enough to dissolve glucose syrup if any and or any flavorings.
• If the recipe calls for herbs or spices, add them with the milk while heating. This will allow them to infuse.
• If the recipe does not include egg yolks, add sugar to the milk while heating. This way, the sugar will dissolve completely.
• If your recipe has eggs, then combine only the yolks with the sugar and whisk them well. You need not whisk until stiff peaks are formed like we do in our baking recipes. Ice cream recipes with eggs do not need air as the air is lost once they are combined with the hot milk.
• Now allow the milk to cool. Once warm, combine the warm milk and cream mixture with eggs and sugar.
• In order to prevent eggs from cooking and scrambling, temper the eggs by adding warm milk to the egg and sugar mixture and whisking.
• You can also place the above custard mixture in a bain marie or double broiler.
• Once the custard is cooked in the bain marie (it should not be boiling-it should just be hot without bubbles), you must cool it rapidly.
• Place it in the fridge at a temperature of at least 4 degrees for up to 5 hours.
• Remove and churn rapidly.
• Freeze again for 4 hours and churn. Repeat this process until you get a creamy consistency.

2. How to make ice cream at home without freezer or ice cream maker using plastic bags (Very easy recipe!)

All you need is a few ice cubes and salt to freeze the ice cream.

• 1 tbsp sugar
• 120 ml milk and 120 ml heavy cream
• ¼ tsp vanilla extract
• 1 kg ice cubes and 7 tbsp salt
• Ziploc bags-2 large and re-sealable

Method

• Whisk milk, cream, sugar and vanilla in a bowl.
• Pour the mixture in a Ziploc bag and set aside.
• Pour ice cubes and salt in the second Ziploc bag.
• Place the ice cream mixture bag in the second bag and cover it with more ice cubes and salt.
• Cover both bags with towel and shake it for a few minutes to freeze.
• Allow the ice cream to freeze for 10-15 minutes.
• Eat it straight away!

3. Food processor method of making ice cream

Ice cream makers are bulky and unflattering. Worry not! You can make delicious ice cream in a food processor.

• 1 cup sweetened condensed milk
• 2 ounces white chocolate chips
• 2 ½ cups heavy cream
• ½ cup sour cream
• 2 tbsp vanilla extract
• 1/8 tsp salt

Method

• Heat the condensed milk until it is hot, not boiling, about a minute or two.
• Add the chocolate chips to the food processor.
• Slowly add hot milk and process until the chocolate chips are melted. Process further for a minute, scraping down the sides.
• Add cream, sour cream, vanilla and salt.
• Process for about a minute more.
• Divide the mixture in ice cream trays and freeze.
• Working in batches, process the frozen ice cream in clean and dry processor until creamy.
• Scrape down sides, process again if needed, then transfer to air tight container.
• Freeze for 8 hours until firm.

Note: Substitute 8 oz bittersweet chocolate chips in place of the white chocolate chips and omit sour cream. Also reduce vanilla extract to half. Add 2 tsp instant coffee powder in a bit of hot water. Use above steps to make easy chocolate ice cream recipe.

4. Homemade ice cream maker easy ice cream recipe

• 250 ml whole milk and 250 ml heavy cream
• 4 egg yolks
• 125 g caster sugar
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract

Method

• Whisk together vanilla and eggs until fluffy
• In a heavy bottomed pan, heat milk and cream and add the vanilla extract
• Add the egg mixture to the milk and stir on medium heat for about 5 minutes.
• Transfer mixture to freezer and cool for at least 2 hours.
• Add mixture to ice cream maker and leave it to make the ice cream for 45 minutes.
• Transfer to freezer or serve.

For healthier version, use coconut milk instead of whole milk.

Now you know how to make ice cream at home!