Wednesday 29 October 2008

Homemade Ice Cream

Homemade ice cream will, I think, be in the same category as homemade pasta. Very worthwhile, but somewhat time consuming. A special treat to spoil my family, rather than an everyday must-have. We rarely have ice cream and if we do have it, it's because Dh has bought it....not I, the family scrouge! So it was with a great deal of joy that we have delved into this little treat the past two nights. The kids have been so excited to have had dessert!!!

Vanilla Ice Cream

5 egg yolks
3/4 cup castor sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or essence)
600ml thickened cream

  1. Combine egg yolks, sugar and vanilla in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Make sure the bowl doesn't touch the water. Use an electric hand mixer and beat over medium heat for about 5 minutes or until mixture pale and very thick.
  2. Add 1/2 cup cream. Beat for two more minutes and remove bowl from heat. Set aside to cool for 20 minutes.
  3. In a separate bowl, beat the remaining cream until thick. Combine the whipped cream with the egg mixture and mix well.
  4. Pour mixture into an airtight container and freeze for 6 hours until almost set making sure you leave room for expansion.
  5. Transfer mixture to a food processor and process until smooth. Return to the container and freeze overnight.
Makes 1 litre
You will find that the volume of the ice cream drops after processing, making me wonder if it would work to use an electric hand mixer for the second beating.

You can also add all sorts of different things to the ice cream when you beat it after the first freeze. My friend has given me all sorts to try: passionfruit & white chocolate, coffee & white chocolate, caramel, turkish delight & pistachio. The choices are only limited by your imagination.

6 comments:

Left-Handed Housewife said...

Tracy--Repost this in June, would you? It just got freezing cold here (unusually so) and while this recipe looks wonderful, it makes me want to go pull a quilt up over my head!

Tracy said...

I tell you what Frances, I'll pop it over on my side bar there and you can find it whenever you like ;)

I know we don't get snow here, but ice cream lovers tend to ignore the weather!

Anonymous said...

Glad you decided to make some ice cream! I love ice cream any time of the year!

The more you beat the ice cream as it freezes - the better the texture will be - the idea of an ice cream maker - constant churning and beating. Your method is great! Not as time consuming as other methods - I've made ice cream without an ice cream maker like this http://www.serving-ice-cream.com/homemade-ice-cream-2.html

Tracy said...

Hi Jen! The texture wasn't a problem. It was smooth, creamy...not at all icy. It was better than any store bought ice cream we've ever had. It was just the difference in volume after that second time of beating it, in the food processor. I think it knocked out whatever air was in it, giving it volume. I'll experiment with it next time.

There's no way I'd be coming back every 30-40 minutes to beat it. I don't have that much patience!

Anonymous said...

Yum! When can I come to your place for dessert?

I find the food processor reduces the volume of things too.

Kate

Tracy said...

Perhaps when I make another batch?
LOL

We've had a real dessert week this week which is VERY unusual. It's something we only normally would have if we have people over for a meal.