Cuisinart ice cream maker: The more expensive option

If you want to buy a more sophisticated model of ice cream maker that does not require pre-freezing any bowls, you can check out this Cuisinart ice cream maker (Model ICE50 BC). Basically, it has its own compressor: Plug it in and it should be ready to start freezing some ice cream.

This particular model retails for S$599. It is available at Sia Huat at 7 Temple Street Singapore 058558.

Not exactly a steal, but not that pricey either, considering that it is Cuisinart after all. But I doubt you can find a better price at other retail outlets.

How do I reduce the iciness of hand churned ice cream?

This question was posted to me three times this week. I guess it needs some answering. I encountered the same problem initially when I first started out making ice cream by hand, but it can be easily overcome.

I would assume that your ice cream custard is cooked to perfection: Rich and thickened, an indication that a lot of the moisture has already been removed.

One reason ice crystals form is because the custard freezes up too fast. If that is the case, you can always hand churn the ice cream custard up to 4 or 5 times in total, with a 20-minute interval between each churn.

Doing this will effectively prevent the formation of large ice crystals because the custard is shifted around a bit more and any form of moisture cannot bind together and is constantly broken up. Basically, having a consistent churning process is replicating what ice cream makers do: Mind-numbing freezing while churning.

It might seem a bit more work (and a bit of a drone) but there is an additional point to note: Churning is a pretty brutal task especially when dealing with larger batches of ice cream. So you might want to work it a bit harder and not just appear to be stirring the custard around.

You really want to dig the whisk in deep and give it a good hearty spin around, making sure to scrape the sides and allowing the custard to fold over and into itself. If you do this process right, you will notice that the ice cream will have grains and pockets of spaces inside when you scoop it once it has become firm and set.

Whipping air into completed ice cream custard

Even if you have created a small amount of ice cream (say, about 150 ml), it is still possible to whip air into the mix. If a whisk is too big for the job, it can be substituted with a fork.

How do you know if air is successfully whiped into the custard? It is simple: Pockets of air bubbles would form at the surface of the custard. This indicates that you are whipping rigorously enough.

If whipping is not rigorous enough, you are more likely just stirring the mixture, which wouldn't be correct. You need air in ice cream to make the texture smooth as ice crystals are broken apart by the whipping motion. This mimicks ice cream machines that churn the custard mixture.

If air is not whipped into the ice cream, the finished product would be a frozen block of fatty, icy emulsion foam. It really wouldn't taste good. At all.

What do I need to get started with making ice cream at home?

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.

To find out more about whipping air into ice cream, you can read this. To understand the appeal of French-style cooked custard ice cream method, you got to read this.