Getting started is easy. All you need are the following items that can be considered basic equipment for simple ice cream-making at home:
Whisk: You use a whisk to beat egg yolks, mix ingredients and whip air into ice cream. And your whisk substitutes for the ice cream machine. The completed ice cream custard that is left to set in the freezer is taken out every 30 minutes or so for a good whipping. This prevents ice cream from turning into a solid block of custard and gives it a scoopable texture.
Fork: A good but not as close substitute for a whisk. But works just as well as a whisk when making small batches of ice cream.
Bowls: Bowls of varying sizes are used. Stainless steel bowls are preferred as they are less prone to breaking (they will dent but not break) and are generally more indestructible. Larger bowls should be big enough to hold the finished ice cream product and still be able to fit the freezer unit of the refrigerator.
Metal strainer/ sieve: You'll need a good metal strainer or sieve to remove lumpy particles from cooked custard. Those made with metal should fit the stainless steel bowls. Remember, ice cream-making requires straining cooked custard that can be quite hot so metal utensils work best.
Wooden spoon/ silicon spatula: Used for stirring custard and is essential for gauging whether custard is cooked well enough. If custard is viscous enough, it will coat the back of the spoon/ spatula evenly.
Pot: A heavy-based small to medium sized pot is essential for cooking ice cream custard. A good sturdy pot would ensure even heat distribution.
Refrigerator with freezer: The freezer unit of the fridge should be big enough to store ice cream that is left to set in a stainless steel holding bowl.
Stove/ hotplate: This is absolutely necessary for the cooked custard method of ice cream-making.
But isn't an ice cream machine necessary too? Contrary to popular belief, good ice cream can still be made at home from scratch without an ice cream maker at all.
Just be prepared to use a whisk to whip air into the ice cream custard by periodically removing it from the freezer where it is left to set. Whipping air manually by hand can achieve the same effect as using an ice cream machine.
Whisk: You use a whisk to beat egg yolks, mix ingredients and whip air into ice cream. And your whisk substitutes for the ice cream machine. The completed ice cream custard that is left to set in the freezer is taken out every 30 minutes or so for a good whipping. This prevents ice cream from turning into a solid block of custard and gives it a scoopable texture.
Fork: A good but not as close substitute for a whisk. But works just as well as a whisk when making small batches of ice cream.
Bowls: Bowls of varying sizes are used. Stainless steel bowls are preferred as they are less prone to breaking (they will dent but not break) and are generally more indestructible. Larger bowls should be big enough to hold the finished ice cream product and still be able to fit the freezer unit of the refrigerator.
Metal strainer/ sieve: You'll need a good metal strainer or sieve to remove lumpy particles from cooked custard. Those made with metal should fit the stainless steel bowls. Remember, ice cream-making requires straining cooked custard that can be quite hot so metal utensils work best.
Wooden spoon/ silicon spatula: Used for stirring custard and is essential for gauging whether custard is cooked well enough. If custard is viscous enough, it will coat the back of the spoon/ spatula evenly.
Pot: A heavy-based small to medium sized pot is essential for cooking ice cream custard. A good sturdy pot would ensure even heat distribution.
Refrigerator with freezer: The freezer unit of the fridge should be big enough to store ice cream that is left to set in a stainless steel holding bowl.
Stove/ hotplate: This is absolutely necessary for the cooked custard method of ice cream-making.
But isn't an ice cream machine necessary too? Contrary to popular belief, good ice cream can still be made at home from scratch without an ice cream maker at all.
Just be prepared to use a whisk to whip air into the ice cream custard by periodically removing it from the freezer where it is left to set. Whipping air manually by hand can achieve the same effect as using an ice cream machine.
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