Home Made Ice Cream (2002–2012)

[Swisskaese]

Here is a butter pecan ice cream recipe that I haven't tried yet, but it doesn't mix the butter in the custard, it mixes the butter with the pecans.

http://www.epicurious.com/run/recipe/view?...rd=butter+pecan

[HungryChris]

As strawberry season looms on the horizen here in CT, I'm looking for a decent strawberry ice cream recipe. I have made it a few times and some are better than others. The one reccuring problem I have is that the product is icey and I think it is because the California Berries I have used are large, but not really sweet like the ones you pick in season locally. I suspect that the California ones, because they are so big, but not sweet, bring more water into the equasion than the basic recipe accounts for. The one I've used is straight from the Lello Dessert Maker manual:

2 pints strawberries washed and hulled

1/2 cup plus 2 tbs superfine sugar

3 tbs fresh lemon juice

1 1/2 cup heavy cream

I am hoping that when I use the local, sweeter berries, this ice problem will go away.

Cheers,

HC

[Moopheus]

The one reccuring problem I have is that the product is icey and I think it is because the California Berries I have used are large, but not really sweet like the ones you pick in season locally

That's very likely the case--the variability in the actual sugar content of the fruit can definitely be sufficient to make a difference in the final texture of the ice cream.

[bloviatrix]

What do you guys use to remove the ice cream from the canister? The ice cream/sorbet that comes in direct contact with the canister starts to set up while I'm transfering, and I need a way to speed up my transfer.

[justjuice2000]

The one reccuring problem I have is that the product is icey and I think it is because the California Berries I have used are large, but not really sweet like the ones you pick in season locally

I haven't made strawberry icecream, but I find that the fruit itself makes a big difference to the texture of the icecream. I have made mango icecream many times with different varieties of mangoes. One variety comes out really smooth, while others come out a bit icy. And I've tried banana icecream too, which comes out hard as a rock!

Have you thought about trying dessicated strawberries? I don't know if that would work, but it would certainly reduce the water content. You could possibly rehydrate them in the milk if necessary.

[justjuice2000]

What do you guys use to remove the ice cream from the canister? The ice cream/sorbet that comes in direct contact with the canister starts to set up while I'm transfering, and I need a way to speed up my transfer.

I use a rubber spatula so that it won't damage the freezer bowl.

Sounds like your freezer bowl is too cold and it starts freezing as soon as the mixture comes into contact with it. That happens to me if I leave the bowl in the freezer for too long before making the ice cream. I find if I leave it in for about 20 hours (manufacturer's directions), it doesn't do this. Obviously it would also depend on the temperature setting of your freezer.

[nightscotsman]

The one reccuring problem I have is that the product is icey and I think it is because the California Berries I have used are large, but not really sweet like the ones you pick in season locally

I haven't made strawberry icecream, but I find that the fruit itself makes a big difference to the texture of the icecream. I have made mango icecream many times with different varieties of mangoes. One variety comes out really smooth, while others come out a bit icy. And I've tried banana icecream too, which comes out hard as a rock!

Have you thought about trying dessicated strawberries? I don't know if that would work, but it would certainly reduce the water content. You could possibly rehydrate them in the milk if necessary.

Rose Levy Beranbaum's "Cake Bible" has a method for reducing the water content and intensifying the flavor of strawberry puree while still maintaining the fresh flavor. Either start with frozen berries (which are generally better quality that most fresh supermarket berries, anyway - cheaper, too) or freeze your fresh berries. Put the frozen berries in a strainer over a bowl and let them defrost completely. You will be left with a strainer full of berry flesh and a bowl of strawberry juice. Put the juice in a sauce pan, bring to a boil and reduce by 1/2 to 2/3. Add the juce back to the reserved berry flesh and puree. By cooking the juice separately you will maintain the bright, fresh flavor with none of the dull "cooked" taste. This will also let you use less puree, adding less water to your ice cream.

[Scotty O]

I made some cinnamon ice cream the other night using a 2:1 ratio of cream to milk along with 4 egg yolks for the base. The final product leaves a film on the spoon and on the roof of my mouth, which I don't find to pleasant. Using typical values of 4% and 30% butterfat for the milk and cream respectively, I get about a 21% butterfat content using some cocktail napkin math. Should I adjust the milk/cream ration or leave out some egg yolks next time I try this recipe?

I'd also like to know if there are ideal levels of butterfat that should be used for different types of ice cream. I know lower levels of fat are needed when using more delicate flavors, or things like chocolate, but I don't know enough to formulate my own recipes--which I'd like to do.

[Moopheus]

The film on the spoon may be more from the egg than from the cream. You don't get that with eggless ice cream. Heavy cream is usually on the order of 36 to 40 percent fat. So you might have even more than 20% butterfat, which is pretty high. (commercial "premium" ice cream is usually 15-18%). Generally, very high butterfat levels are avoided because it can make the body of the ice cream chewy, and not smooth. But it is possible to make perfectly good ice cream with a lot of cream; if the results seemed otherwise good to you, I'd try leaving out the eggs.

[nightscotsman]

According to the formulas we used in school, the ideal butterfat content in an ice cream made with egg yolks is 8% of the total weight. The percent of yolks should be 3%. If you are using a flavoring that adds fat, such as chocolate or nut pastes, then you will need to take the added fat into account and consider using an emulsifier instead of yolks for cleaner flavor.

[Moopheus]

Only 8%? Jeez, that's practically ice milk. The federal minimum for packaged commercial ice cream is 10% butterfat; anything less can't be called "ice cream".

[nightscotsman]

That's 8% butterfat when using egg yolks, which most commercial ice cream manufacturers don't use. The total fat content is closer to 11%. Trust me, it won't taste like ice milk.

[Scotty O]

thanks nightscotsman. would you be willing to post a sample recipe so I can see this 8% in action--it does sound much lower than most of the recipes I have been looking at, but I may be doing my calculations wrong.

[nightscotsman]

Vanilla Ice Cream

1036 g milk

70 g non-fat milk powder

2 vanilla beans

203 g sugar

56 g glucose powder

37 g invert sugar (such as Trimoline)

372 g cream (35% fat)

56 g egg yolk

6 g ice cream stabilizer

5 g monostearate (an emulsifier)

The stablilizer and monostearate aren't required, but will improve and help maintain a smooth texture longer.

[Scotty O]

Well thats about what I was coming up with, but I am still amazed at how much of a departure this is from typical recipes. Most I have seen contain at least 1:1 milk to cream and many times 1:2 milk to cream, all the while containing more yolks than the above recipe.

For home use would you sub cane sugar for the other two sugars? I guess corn syrup could stand in for trimoline, but I don't know what to sub for glucose. Also, could lecithin be subbed in for the emulsifier, or does it have different properties than the monostearate.

One more question--I have seen some recipes that call for whole eggs. Are these just too lazy to seperate the eggs? I can't really think of what the egg white could possible contribute to the recipe.

[Scotty O]

By the way--frozen desserts would make a great eGCI course if anyone who has the know-how also has the time. It's one of those things that once you understand the underlying principles and formulas it opens the door for tons of experimentation with different flavors.

[tan319]

That's 8% butterfat when using egg yolks, which most commercial ice cream manufacturers don't use. The total fat content is closer to 11%. Trust me, it won't taste like ice milk.

Neil,

when one is using non fat dry milk powder, that's giving you richness too, correct?

Edited June 8, 2004 by tan319 (log)

[Moopheus]

Well thats about what I was coming up with, but I am still amazed at how much of a departure this is from typical recipes. Most I have seen contain at least 1:1 milk to cream and many times 1:2 milk to cream, all the while containing more yolks than the above recipe.

The main exception being Italian gelato recipes, which often have little or even no cream, but sometimes a lot of egg.

For home use would you sub cane sugar for the other two sugars?  I guess corn syrup could stand in for trimoline, but I don't know what to sub for glucose.  Also, could lecithin be subbed in for the emulsifier, or does it have different properties than the monostearate.

For home use there's no reason not to just rely on cane sugar and egg for the emulsifier.

One more question--I have seen some recipes that call for whole eggs. Are these just too lazy to seperate the eggs? I can't really think of what the egg white could possible contribute to the recipe.

Egg white is sometimes added to sorbet as a stabilizer when there's no butterfat to trap air bubbles, and it would behave similarly in ice cream, though it isn't really necessary; most ice cream is made without.

[nightscotsman]

That's 8% butterfat when using egg yolks, which most commercial ice cream manufacturers don't use. The total fat content is closer to 11%. Trust me, it won't taste like ice milk.

Neil,

when one is using non fat dry milk powder, that's giving you richness too, correct?

Well, the milk powder enhances body and acts as an additional stablizer by adding milk solids without adding more water. Since it's non-fat, I don't think it actually adds "richness". The trick to getting an ice cream with good mouth-feel that's not too sweet and doesn't coat your mouth in fat is to carefully ballance the water, fat, solids, and sweetening power of all the ingredients in the recipe. The above recipe was developed by a group of scientists and pastry chefs working together to optimize all of these variables. It produces a very smooth, clean and rich tasting product.

Egg white is sometimes added to sorbet as a stabilizer when there's no butterfat to trap air bubbles, and it would behave similarly in ice cream, though it isn't really necessary; most ice cream is made without.

Egg yolk works as an emulsifier in ice cream because there is a lot of lecithin in the yolks. I don't think the protein in egg whites would work as a stablizer because they also add a lot of water which would tend to make the finished product icy.

For home use would you sub cane sugar for the other two sugars? I guess corn syrup could stand in for trimoline, but I don't know what to sub for glucose. Also, could lecithin be subbed in for the emulsifier, or does it have different properties than the monostearate.

Corn syrup is basically glucose, so you could use that, but you would have to recalculate the water content to allow for it's liquid form. You could also use a smaller amount of powdered dextrose which might be easier to find.

Trimoline is very different from glucose and corn syrup. glucose has a lower sweetening power than sucrose (white sugar), while trimoline is higher. By controling the sweetening power of the mix you can control the freezing point and how soft and scoopable the finished product will be. Trimoline also has an emulsifying ability that glucose doesn't have.

If you use yolks and Trimoline in the recipe you can probably get away without using the monostearate. Adding lecithin would also work, but unlike monostearate, lecithin had a distinctive flavor which may give your ice cream an off taste.

[Moopheus]

The above recipe was developed by a group of scientists and pastry chefs working together to optimize all of these variables.

I forgot to have scientists perfectly balance the mango-yogurt ice cream I just made. Maybe I shouldn't eat it. Oops, too late. Gone now.

[tan319]

The above recipe was developed by a group of scientists and pastry chefs working together to optimize all of these variables.

I forgot to have scientists perfectly balance the mango-yogurt ice cream I just made. Maybe I shouldn't eat it. Oops, too late. Gone now.

awww, look, Moopheus is right.

At home there's no reason to use all this stuff, unless you want to experiment and have fun.

It could get expensive, I guess.

I was always striving to make ice cream that could compete, head to head with any commercial product, in my own work as a pastry chef.

Since I went with the kind of formulas that Neil is talking about, I think I can say I've accomplished that.

I made a COMPLETELY KILLER peanut butter ice cream last week to go with a new dessert ( features milk chocolate, of course) that just slayed everyone, including me, and I don't really ever go overboard talking about my stuff.

I mean, the taste, texture, mouthfeel, everything about this one blew me away.

I can honestly say I've never had better.

It took a lot of balance and a lot of salt.

And 500 grams of Jiffy!

[Moopheus]

At home there's no reason to use all this stuff, unless you want to experiment and have fun.

It could get expensive, I guess.

I was always striving to make ice cream that could compete, head to head with any commercial product, in my own work as a pastry chef.

It could be expensive in any case, what with the price of cream what it is this days. One thing that annoys me is that in my neighborhood I can't buy unadulterated cream; I have to go across town to the Whole Foods to get cream that usn't ultra-pasteurized and without gums and/or polysorbate-80 added.

My mango ice cream is still a work in progress, though. I've been trying to make it taste like a frozen lassi, and I can't get the cardamom flavor strong enough. I've been infusing pods in the cream, but the flavor doesn't come through in the finished product. I think I have to try using powdered cardamom.

I still think that Neil's formula sounds more like gelato than American-style ice cream, not that there's anything wrong with that; a well-made gelato is a wonderful thing. It's not the only way to make good ice cream, though.

Commercial ice cream, feh; a low standard. Certainly nothing in the supermarket is going to be like fresh ice cream, and good ice cream shops are few and far between.

[tan319]

What I meant by commercial product is more of a textural thing then a flavor thing.

Maybe my stuff has that "homemade" feel going for it because I'm spinning with rocksalt and ice!

Yeah, that's the ticket!

I'm integrating "new food science" and "old fashioned" technique to make an ice cream that's a "bridge' between the centuries!

Or some such nonsense

RE: cardamom coming up: If you're not already, season with salt, it should come right up into focus.

I have to do that with my coffee cardamom ice cream, works like a charm.

I would use kosher salt though, as I would expect you would anyways.... Good luck.

[russ parsons]

i did a piece 10 years ago on testing the different fat levels in homemade ice cream (all made without egg yolks). i came up with 18% fat (2 cups cream, 1 each of half and half and milk). more fat that that gave you an unpleasant mouth-coating texture. less and it just wasn't quite as good. i also tested different sugar concentrations and came up with about 14% (between 1/2 cup and 2/3 cup per quart of liquid). of course, other ingredients will affect that: chocolate, sweet fruit, etc. this was just for plain "fior di latte" style. it really is interesting trying to balance all of the flavors and textures, and a good way to spend a couple of summer afternoons.

[Moopheus]

What I meant by commercial product is more of a textural thing then a flavor thing.

Maybe my stuff has that "homemade" feel going for it because I'm spinning with rocksalt and ice!

So, did I, at least in part. The advantage of fresh ice cream is that's fresh, and you get to eat it before it's degraded by the freezer.

RE: cardamom coming up: If you're not already, season with salt, it should come right up into focus.

I have to do that with my coffee cardamom ice cream, works like a charm.

Oh, duh (need forehead-slapping smiley here). Yes, you're right, that should help.

I made a COMPLETELY KILLER peanut butter ice cream last week to go with a new dessert ( features milk chocolate, of course)

Can I get that with some marshmallow creme topping?