We are by no means ice cream experts, but that doesn’t mean we don’t like our ice cream.  After all, that’s why we’ve tried out and recently short-listed our favourite Calgary ice cream and gelato destinations!  Now, some might think we are extreme frozen dessert enthusiasts because we happened upon and bought an almost-new-once-used-still-in-the-box Cuisinart ice cream maker at a garage sale some months back that we scooped up for $20.  We eagerly brought our new acquisition home and put it to the test.  Needless to say, our first batch was an epic fail and we both concluded that this unit was a dud.  Little wonder it was being sold at a garage sale for a bargain price in mint condition.

Christa remained determined to give this another shot.  So, after a little more on-line research as well as chatting with friends about their homemade ice cream experiences, we happened upon a recipe that has become our almost-fail-proof go-to favourite.  Thanks to our dear friend, Carol, who has clearly mastered the art of this – and we suspect some other – homemade ice cream recipes, we have regained some confidence.

Here is “Carol’s Recipe” and a few tips on how to get it right, with some variations we’ve tried on this theme.

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs
• 1-1/4 cups sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups whipping (~35%) cream

In a large mixing bowl:

• Beat eggs until foamy
• Gradually add sugar and beat until thickened
• Add cream, vanilla and salt.  Beat thoroughly.
• Pour contents into ice cream mixer drum.
• Add more cream to the fill line on the drum and stir well.
• Freeze as directed on machine.

C&D’s notes:

• Deep yellow-yolk organic eggs and brown vanilla may affect the colour.
• We are vanilla lovers, so we actually add 2 to 3 tablespoons of vanilla to our recipe!
• Eggs beaten into a rich, stable foam will impart a more aerated feel to the final product.
• We are pretty generous with the mixing time of the batched ingredients prior to transferring to the ice cream drum.  We mix this for up to 10 minutes at medium speed.
• The ice cream drum must be well chilled prior to adding the mixed ingredients.  We store our empty drum in the freezer for at least 24-hours prior to use to ensure that it is thoroughly chilled and only remove it from the freezer just before we need to pour the mixed batch of ingredients into it.
• Once the filled drum is in position and the mixer is started, we then top up with additional cream.  The quantity will depend on how aerated your mixed batch was upon transfer.  We estimate it will be between ½ to 1 cup of extra cream.
• Let the ice cream mixer run as per the directions in your machine’s instruction guide.  We usually run ours for 20 minutes.  By this time the ice cream consistency is well aerated and thickening up.  There may be some evidence of freezing of the product on the drum walls.
• Transfer the mixed batch into a lidded container (~2 litre capacity) that can be well sealed.  To minimize wastage, you may want to scrape the residual frozen product off the walls of the drum with a silicone or non-rigid scraper.
• To minimize the risk of freezer burn, we stretch a layer of plastic Seran wrap over the top of the fluid before sealing.
  • We have introduced some flavour variations at this point by swirling in
    • (1) tinned mango puree (~ ½ a cup) for a decadent fruity variation, or
    • (2) butterscotch or caramel syrup, and / or
    • (3) crushed candied pecan nuts for a little bit of crunch.
• Freeze for at least 6 to 8 hours or until thoroughly set.
• This recipe is by no means egg-free, dairy-free or sugar-free!  Depending on what variations you add at the end, it may also not be nut-free!  It is also DEFINITELY NOT GUILT-FREE!!

ENJOY!

Featured image by Food Photographer | Jennifer Pallian on Unsplash