Making Water Ice at Home - Sans Ice Cream Maker?

[scase805]

Hi all, this is my first post on eGullet. Woohoo!!!

Anyway, my question revolves around making water ice at home. I was hoping to surprise my girlfriend with her favorite - vanilla chocolate chip - during these cold winter months (trust me, she craves it, despite the weather!), however I don't own an ice cream maker. Anyone have any suggestions/recipes for how to make authentic water ice at home sans ice-cream maker?

By the way, I wouldn't be opposed to investing in an ice-cream maker if I absolutely need to, although I am on a rather limited budget, so i would have to buy a manual model as opposed to the schnazzier automatic brands. Suggestions on where i could find one for around $25?

Thanks in advance for your help, and I'm looking forward to hearing back!

Cheers,

Scott

[Tonyy13]

Can you please give a brief description of water ice? I am unfamiliar with what it is???? (I'm too lazy to go and google it too, figure you are just going to have to post #2...) WELCOME!!!!!

[phifly04]

Welcome to Egullet Scott!why not just go this route?

http://www.ritasice.com/ this will explain Tony

Dave s

[jackal10]

McGee gives the formula in "The Curious Cook"

1 1/2 cups water

14 Tbs sugar

Boil together with the vanilla pod, or ad a tsp vanilla essence.

Let get cold, then put in a deep freeze or freezing compartment of the fridge. Stir and mush with a fork every half an hour, When it begins to get musshy add the chocolate chips.

[scase805]

Thanks Jackal!

Sounds easy enough...when i open my first water-ice stand, the first scoop is on me!

[scase805]

Tony,

You may know water-ice as "italian ice." here in the philadelphia region, the two are pretty much synonymous (being a transplant from CT, I was unfamiliar with the concept of water-ice as well). There is a slight difference I think between the two - my best guess is that the consistency of water-ice is smoother than that of italian ice. Could be wrong though, as its been some time since my last italian ice!

Anyone else have a better definition?

Scott

[fiftydollars]

I was once pretty desperate to make some ice cream and the insert for my ice cream machine was not in the freezer so I decided to improvise.

I filled my sink with ice and got out my largest stainless steel bowl. I spread rock salt over the ice, put the chilled custard into the stainless steel bowl, and proceeded to stir with a silicon spatula.

Well it worked.

The stuff started to freeze fairly quickly. It was a little difficult scraping the stuff off the sides because it tends to want to stick. It was also kind of difficult keeping any salt/salty ice from getting into the cream, but overall it wasn’t difficult at all and the results were decent.

I won’t be trying it again soon, but if I ever have to again…

I’ve made granitas and sorbets before by just stirring the mixture periodically as it freezes. I seem to recall the result was ok although it had larger ice crystals than you would get in an ice cream maker or another technique that keeps the mixture in constant motion as it freezes.