Ice-Cream Recipes

MAKING ICE CREAM WITHOUT ICE CREAM MAKER

Non-Electric Freezing

You don't want to buy an ice cream maker? Here are a few good ways to make ice cream with ice, rock salt, and no mechanical help.

• Still freeze: Prepare an ice cream mixture, place the mixing bowl in the freezer. Take it out a few times during the freezing process and mix with a hand mixer or pulse with a food processor.
• The rolling can method: Put your ice cream mixture in a 1-pound coffee can, seal well with top and tape, and place it in the center of a 3-pound coffee can. Layer ice and rock salt in the space between the cans. Seal the large can, place it on its side on the ground or floor, then roll back and forth with your feet for about 10 to 15 minutes. Take the small can out, wipe the rock salt and water off, then stir. Reseal the can and repeat the rock salt, ice, and rolling.
• The plastic bag method: Similar to the rolling can method using rock salt and ice, but use a 1-pint well-sealed plastic freezer bag in a 1-gallon sealed plastic bag. Shake until frozen.

Some of the best and richest ice creams are made with eggs. If your recipe calls for uncooked eggs, consider using the equivalent amount of egg-substitute or cook the eggs and milk (to at least 160° F) as in some of the recipes below. Though the in uncooked eggs is relatively small, the illness can be life-threatening to infants, pregnant women, the elderly, and ill or immuno-compromised people.

VANILLA ICE-CREAM

For a richer custard, you can add up to 3 more egg yolks. For a less-rich custard, substitute half-and-half for the heavy cream, realizing that the final texture won’t be as rich or as smooth as if using cream.

1 cup (250ml) whole milk

A pinch of salt

3/4 cup (150g) sugar

1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise

2 cups (500ml) heavy cream

5 large egg yolks

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. Heat the milk, salt, and sugar in a saucepan. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into the milk with a paring knife, then add the bean pod to the milk. Cover, remove from heat, and infuse for one hour.

2. To make the ice cream, set up an ice bath by placing a 2-quart (2l) bowl in a larger bowl partially filled with ice and water. Set a strainer over the top of the smaller bowl and pour the cream into the bowl.

3. In a separate bowl, stir together the egg yolks. Rewarm the milk then gradually pour some of the milk into the yolks, whisking constantly as you pour. Scrape the warmed yolks and milk back into the saucepan.

4. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom with a heat-resistant spatula, until the custard thickens enough to coat the spatula.

5. Strain the custard into the heavy cream. Stir over the ice until cool, add the vanilla extract, then refrigerate to chill thoroughly. Preferably overnight.

6. Remove the vanilla bean and freeze the custard in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Note: Used vanilla beans can be rinsed and dried, then stored in a bin of sugar. That sugar can be used for baking and, of course, for future ice cream making.

CHOCOLATE ICE-CREAM RECIPE