Ice Cream Time

It's hot here in Columbus. It just rained, but instead of cooling things down, it just made it more humid and stickier. Summer is here, and of course that gets me thinking about ice cream. I worked at Casper's Ice Cream in Cache Valley for two years, and am now studying ice cream here at Ohio State. Some would call me something of an ice cream expert. Anyway, that reputation has grown here in our ward in Ohio, and a couple of weeks ago I was asked to show the scout aged boys how to make homemade ice cream. It forced me to finally put my ice cream formulation into a recipe format. I thought it would be a good idea to share it, so everybody can give it a try. It was developed for a five quart ice cream maker:

Professional Vanilla Ice Cream:

Ingredients:
1/2 Cup Powdered Milk
1 1/3 cups sugar
1/4oz Unflavored gelatin
3 Cups Milk
1 quart heavy whipping cream
1/3 cups corn syrup
1 egg yolk
2tsp Vanilla

Mix dry ingredients together in a bowl. In a separate pot add milk and cream (do not heat). Slowly add dry ingredients to wet ingredients making sure powdered milk does not clump. Once dry ingredients are added, turn on heat. Add corn syrup and egg yolk while heating and stirring. Stir mix constantly until temperature reaches 175˚F (Almost to boiling, but do not let boil). Quickly remove from heat and place pot in tub (sink) of ice water. Stir until mix reaches below 50˚F (slightly cool to touch). Place mix in ice cream maker container, cover, and refrigerate overnight.

The next day: Add vanilla to mix. Place container in ice cream maker. Layer two inches of ice then a layer of rock salt until ice reaches the top of the container. Freeze until paddle slows down. (The harder you freeze the mix in the ice cream maker the better texture you will have). Harden ice cream in freezer overnight.

Makes approximately 1 gallon of ice cream.


Simplified Vanilla Ice Cream:

Ingredients:
1/2 Cup Powdered Milk
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 Cups Milk
1 quart heavy whipping cream
2tsp Vanilla

Mix dry ingredients together in a bowl. In a separate bowl add milk and cream. Slowly add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, making sure powdered milk does not clump. Add vanilla. Place in ice cream maker container. Layer two inches of ice then a layer of rock salt until ice reaches the top of the container. Freeze until paddle slows down. (The harder you freeze the mix in the ice cream maker the better texture you will have). Harden in freezer overnight.

Makes approximately 1 gallon of ice cream.


To make different flavors I just mostly experiment. I can give these tips however:
Added flavoring extracts should be about two teaspoons.
To make a flavor base (actual fruit, etc.) add some light corn syrup and blend. Flavor bases can be added before heating or after (depending on microbial risk). A good rule of thumb is about 10% of the mix.
To test if there is enough flavoring in the mix, it should be slightly stronger than what you want in your final ice cream. This is because the freezing process adds air and dilutes the flavor.
A base that I like to use is 1/3 cup cream cheese mixed in well with 2/3 cup corn syrup.
Freeze the ice cream as hard as possible before adding inclusions (cookies, candies, whole pieces of anything), then stir in the inclusions to the ice cream.

I hope you enjoy your ice cream this hot summer. Go ahead and call or e-mail me if you have any ice cream questions. It's fun for me to share my ice cream knowledge.