Making ice cream or gelato at home – with or without an ice cream maker – has become quite the trend these days. You can choose high-quality basic ingredients or unusual flavors to spice it up a little. And if you don’t make one of these 5 mistakes, the results will be fantastic!
Error 1: Fat
Ice cream needs an element of fat for its creamy texture. If you want a fat-free dessert, then maybe ice cream is not for you. Of course, you can always make sorbet, but sorbets are also high in sugar (and in any case, it’s not ice cream). So – whether you use cream or coconut oil, it’s always necessary to add fat to the basic recipe.
Error 2: Cream
Cream: After all, it’s the fundamental ingredient in ice cream or gelato! The base for all ice cream flavors is practically always some kind of custard. Some flavors don’t have eggs, but they do have cream (always involved in the first steps of making the ice cream). The cream must have the perfect consistency and must be filtered to avoid lumps if necessary.
Error 3: Random ingredients
Since you have the chance to make good ice cream at home, don’t skimp on ingredients! If you choose chocolate, make sure it’s top quality. If you choose fruit, follow seasonality. And if your ice cream is a simple flavor like crema, use very fresh eggs. Fresh ingredients make all the difference!
Error 4: Temperature
To make a good batch of ice cream at home, you must make sure the attachments or bowls are very cold (or set in the freezer for at least one hour). This is true for ice cream makers and for blenders with steel attachments. And always be sure to pay attention while you’re cooking the custard or cream. Once you have prepared the base by heating fresh cream, sugar and eggs in a saucepan, you have to let it cool completely before processing into ice cream.
Error 5: Freezing and thawing
Once frozen, the ice cream can be stored in the freezer for a few days. If you take it out of the freezer to portion it, do so as soon as possible. If it is too cold to portion out, wait for it to soften a bit, but be sure you consume it all! Fruit ice creams, having less fat, stay frozen for a longer time, so if you make a large amount of it, freeze it in small portions. It’s a great habit to do the same with ice cream. Single-portion cups are always an excellent solution – plus, they keep you from eating too much!
Our recipe for homemade ice cream
500 ml whole milk or fresh cream, 100 g egg yolks, 175 g sugar, Vanilla pod
Method
First, heat the milk or cream in a saucepan and melt the sugar. Then whisk in the egg yolks over a very low heat. Once the temperature reaches 185°F (85°C), turn off the heat and stir again to prevent the eggs from clotting. (It’s essential to have a kitchen thermometer!) Let the mixture cool to room temperature, then transfer it to the fridge for a couple of hours. Once cold, process the cream in the ice cream maker with the frozen attachment. Place the ice cream in the freezer and eat it within 7 days. Divide into single portions if desired.
Fruit ice cream (without the ice cream maker!)
It's the smartest ice cream there is. It can be made at home without an ice cream maker and you can use it as a base for a variety of recipes! The base? Frozen bananas. Just slice them and transfer to the freezer. Blend once frozen, adding coconut oil to make the mixture creamy – plus some dates to for some sweetness. At this point, make the “ice cream” however you want: with cocoa powder or chocolate chips, for example. Or with frozen avocado or berries! This dessert works perfect as a snack for the kids – it hides the fruit!
Browse our photo tutorial above for more tips on homemade ice cream prep!