Homemade Ice Cream Tips

Basic Vanilla Ice Cream Custard
2 cups milk
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 eggs, beaten *
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
4 cups cream

Combine milk, sugar, and salt in heavy saucepan. Stirring frequently cook milk mixture over medium heat, just until it begins to boil (watch closely, do not allow mixture to come to a complete boil or boil over). Remove mix from heat and gradually stir 1/2 the milk mixture into beaten eggs. Pour beaten eggs back into remaining hot milk, stirring as you do so. Return pan to the stove and continue to cook until mixture is thickened (165 degrees) – do not boil. Remove from heat, add vanilla and cool completely. Custard may be cooled quickly by placing pan in ice water and stirring frequently. Add cream and freeze according to manufacturer’s directions (or see below)

For variety, add flavoring ingredients of choice. Try chocolate syrup, crushed berries, malted milk, candies, crushed cookies, etc.

* For food safety, raw eggs are not recommended. Pasteurize eggs by cooking in a custard.


Freezing Traditional Hand Crank or Electric Freezers


Pour ice cream mix to the canister fill line (or approximately 2/3 full). Place dasher in canister, cover with canister lid and place canister in freezer bucket. Attach crank assembly. Fill bucket with about 2-3 inches crushed ice, sprinkle with 1/4 cup salt; continue to layer with ice and salt until ice level is above the ice cream mixture in the canister. Crank by hand until it becomes too difficult to turn or until electric freezer automatically shuts off. Add additional salt and ice as needed to keep ice level above the ice cream mix level. Freezing time will vary depending on salt to ice ratio, weather temperature, and the sugar and cream ratio of the ice cream mix.

Salt to Ice Ratio

Due to weather conditions and room or outdoor temperature there is no “perfect” ratio of salt to ice for homemade ice cream; but, generally use 1 3/4 cups table salt (or 1 cup rock salt) to 7 pounds of ice (approximately 1 bag of ice). Rock salt is coarser and melts the ice slower making it ideal for crushed ice. Because table salt melts ice quickly it works well for ice cubes. In addition to the above recommendations, follow manufactures directions for salt type and use. Salt lowers the freezing temperature of the ice and helps create the creamy texture of homemade ice cream. If the salt to ice ratio is high the ice cream will freeze quicker, but may have a grainy texture. If the ratio is too low and the ice cream mix is high in cream the mixture may partially churn into butter before it freezes which may create a butter mouth feel to the ice cream.

Ripening Traditional Homemade Ice Cream

When ice cream is frozen, carefully drain excess water from bucket and remove freezer crank housing. Without removing canister from bucket, take lid off canister and carefully remove dasher from canister. Stir ice cream to blend soft and firm portions of ice cream. Replace canister lid and plug the hole in the canister lid. Pack additional ice and salt around canister. Cover top of bucket with heavy towel or newspaper and allow ice cream to ripen for about 30 minutes to blend flavors and harden ice cream.

Tin Can Ice Cream

For this fun ice cream method you will need a small clean tin coffee can or similar can with a tight fitting lid (can should hold approximately 4 cups); and a large gallon size coffee or food storage can (#10 size) with a tight fitting lid. Stir together 1 cup whole milk and 1 cup cream (or 2 cups half-n-half); 1/3 cup sugar; and optional 2-3 tablespoons chocolate or strawberry syrup. Pour mixture into small can (can should be about 1/2 full). Place tight fitting lid on small can and place in large can. Using approximately 1/2 cup rock salt, layer and pack ice and salt around small can, completely filling large can. Place tight fitting lid on large can. To freeze, roll can between 2 people for about 10-20 minutes or until ice cream freezes. Add a little water, additional salt and ice as needed to freeze ice cream. When ready, ice cream freezes a sold layer around the inside of the can. Use a spoon to scrap ice cream from sides and blend with less frozen center.

Ice Cream In A Bag

Prepare one small bag ice cream ingredients for each person.
In a pint size or sandwich size sealable bag add 1/2 cup whole chocolate milk or half-n-half and chocolate syrup to taste. Add 1 tablespoon sugar and 1/8 teaspoon vanilla. Remove excess air from bag and seal tightly. Place 1-2 small bags of ice cream mix into a gallon size sealable freezer bag. Add 4 cups ice cubes or crushed ice. Sprinkle with 4-6 tablespoons table salt. Seal gallon bag and shake or toss for a few minutes or until ice cream ingredients are frozen. (For
variety, try making with other tasty ice cream ingredients.)

For nutrition analysis go to www.UtahDairyCouncil.com

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