There is almost a magical nature in the store-bought treats, like ice cream, being so prevalent. You can choose precisely what goes into it, and secondly, the process is really fun and allows you to create flavours you may never find in stores. Whether one is a classic vanilla lover or more adventurous with flavours such as lavender honey, an ice cream machine can make it all possible. Great for surprising family and friends or treating oneself to a special something, at least it will be made with fresh ingredients and will not contain additives. For everything to stay oiled properly, though, the machine needs regular soft serve ice cream machine repair. Now, let us get down to business and just how easy and rewarding making scrumptious homemade ice cream can be.
Prepare the Ice Cream Base
Just mix all of your chosen ingredients well. For custard based ice cream, warm the milk and sugar over the low heat, stirring in the egg yolks until it is thicken. This cooks the egg yolks, and this will create a silky texture, one of the desired ends of ice cream. If you want an easier base, combine your dairies with sweeteners and whisk until smooth. Once it’s made, put the mixture in the fridge to chill for at least a few hours or overnight. It allows for a deeper infusion of flavours and preps the base for churning.
Pre-chill the Freezer Bowl
Before actually churning, ensure to chill your ice cream machine’s freezer bowl before starting to churn. It will be worthwhile if you allow the bowl to chill, preferably frozen 12 to 24 hours ahead of time so that it will be sufficiently chilled for you to use. But if it is not frozen enough, your ice cream will not be at the best it can be in terms of consistency and might be more soupy than creamy. Save yourself the irritation and place the bowl in the freezer between batches for it to be ready for you the next time you want to make some ice cream.
Churn the Ice Cream Mix
Now it is time to churn the mixture. Pour the base into the ice cream maker and let it get going in churning. It takes generally about 20-40 minutes, which depending on the model and recipe, will allow the machine to aerate the mixture and freeze it to a perfectly smooth, creamy consistency. Keep an eye on the consistency-they will know the churning has stopped when it looks like soft-serve ice cream.
Add Mix-ins
Add now some mix-ins to be able to add flavour and texture. These can be a piece of chocolate, fruits or nuts bits, etc that could enhance your ice cream and make it a more exciting ice cream. Introduce mix-ins during the last few minutes of churning so they get to be well-distributed without getting crushed. Be careful not to overmix, as this would adversely affect the texture.
Freeze for Firmness
You are now done with churning. Your ice cream at this stage will be in a soft-serve consistency. To get a stiffer structure, scoop the ice cream into an airtight container and store it in your freezer for at least 2-4 hours. That longer time in the freezer will help the ice cream set properly, so you can scoop it much easier. Store it in the freezer, sealing the container airtight and free from the development of freezer burn, which would eventually spoil the flavour and texture. If stored for months in the refrigerator, it would be best to cover plastic wrap over the surface of ice cream before sealing the container.
Conclusion
Making ice cream at home with an ice cream machine becomes a delightful art of food experimentation, a way to feed those delicious and creamy frozen desserts made by processing all the tastes of the maker. A quality base and sufficient preparation, chilling of the machine beforehand, and attention to the churning and freezing process all come together to create many ice creams that can please any palate. And don’t forget regular soft-serve ice cream machine repair to keep your machine running like the proverbial top.
