Ice-cream makers produce a smooth, light ice cream, because
constant churning allows more air into the mixture and the agitation reduces
the size of the ice crystals, writes home economist Jacque Malouf.
However, you don't need an ice-cream maker to make most types of ice cream.
The 'still-freezing' method involves beating the mixture at
regular intervals. You can also still-freeze sorbets, using a base of flavoured
sugar syrup. Lower fat frozen desserts, such as low-fat frozen yoghurt, must be
made by machine or the low fat and high water content means you
will end up with a hard and gritty result.
Making Ice Cream Without A Machine
The Custard
Most ice creams are made from a custard base, created by
mixing vanilla-infused heated cream and/or milk with egg yolks and sugar. The
mixture is then thickened in a bowl over a pan of simmering water.
When the mixture coats the back of a spoon (step 1), plunge the base
of the bowl in iced water. Stir until cool, then cover the surface of the
custard with cling film to avoid a skin forming on top.
Freezing
Pour the cooled custard into a wide freezer-proof container.
Cover with a sheet of greaseproof paper to avoid ice crystals forming on the
surface (step 2). Cover with a lid and place on a level surface in the coldest
part of the freezer.
Beating
After between ½-1½ hours, the sides of the ice cream
will be solid, and the middle will remain a wet slush. Transfer it to a bowl
and whisk with an electric beater, or by hand, until uniformly thick (step 3).
You could also pulse it in a food processor. When smooth, replace it in the
freezer. Repeat 3 times, every ½-1 hour, or until the ice cream is uniformly
thick. Freeze for another hour.
Scooping
Scoop the ice cream using one long motion along the longest
side of your container (step 4). Cover any leftovers and return them to the freezer.
Tips For Perfect Ice Cream
-
Tepid custard is an ideal breeding ground for germs, so
make sure your custard mixture is cooled quickly to minimise the risk of
bacteria multiplying. This happens most rapidly between 5°C and 63°C,
which is known as the 'danger zone', and foods should be kept within this range
for the shortest possible time.
- Glycerine can make an ice cream smoother and easier to
scoop as it helps prevent ice crystals forming. It is a colourless, odourless
syrup derived from animal fats and oils. There is a vegetarian version
available.
- The optimum temperature for freezing is -18°C. Basic
freezer thermometers can be bought for a few pounds.
- Always freeze ice cream in a wide, shallow freezer-proof
container. A large surface area will not only minimise the freezing time, but
also make the ice cream easier to scoop.
- Ice cream will expand slightly when frozen, so allow about
5mm in the container for this.
- Place the finished ice cream in the fridge to soften for
20 minutes prior to serving.
- Dunk a large spoon or ice-cream scoop in a bowl of hot
water for a few seconds before you start scooping. This will give you a
smoother ball of ice cream.
- Do not refreeze dairy-based ice cream if it has completely
melted. Bacteria may begin to breed in the soft ice cream and in any case it
will refreeze as a solid mass. A water-based sorbet can be refrozen, provided that
step 2 and 3 are repeated.
- Homemade custard-based ice cream will keep for up to 2
weeks if correctly stored. If ice creams are kept for too long they can lose
their smoothness and creamy flavour.
- An ice cream made using uncooked eggs or dairy products
will only last a few days, as the raw ingredients are likely to spoil.
- Ice cream tends to absorb the flavours of foods stored
around it, so make sure that you seal your freezer container well.
- Alcohol has a relatively low freezing point,
so ices flavoured with alcohol take longer to freeze. If
there is too much alcohol it may never freeze.