Delicious Homemade Ice Cream Recipes

Ice cream can be made in two different ways. The first is a French custard style and the second is the American style.

Custard style ice cream is made with eggs, giving it the custard base. The egg yolks are natural emulsifiers that allow the fats and water to mix together. The mixture does need to be cooked before chilling the mixture for churning. The ice cream made with a custard base is very smooth and rich.

The American or Philadelphia style is made using cream and sugar. No cooking is required. Still quite delicious, but if you compare the two types side-by-side, you will most likely agree that the custard-style is much richer and silky smooth.

A custard base is the key to a rich, creamy ice cream. Throw in extra vanilla, and this recipe becomes a family favorite.

Ingredients

* 2 eggs
* 1 cup sugar
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 2 1/2 cups whipping cream
* 2 cups half-and-half cream
* 2 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract

1. In a heavy saucepan, combine the eggs, sugar, salt, whipping cream, and half-and-half cream.
2. Cook over medium to low heat while stirring constantly.
3. When mixture is thick enough to coat a metal spoon, and reaches 160 degrees F, remove from heat.
4. Set the pan in ice to cool quickly. Stir the mixture.
5. Cover and refrigerate until chilled. Or you can freeze the mixture immediately.
6. When ready to freeze, pour custard and vanilla into the cylinder of an ice cream freezer.
7. Freeze according to the manufacturer's directions.

You can also add vanilla bean or extra vanilla. Some people use a vanilla paste instead of vanilla extract. Using vanilla paste gives you the black vanilla bean specks.

The recipe can be modified to make almost any flavor of ice cream.

* 1 cup heavy cream
* 1 cup light cream (half and half)
* 1/2 cup sugar
* 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1 pinch salt

1. Combine and stir until sugar dissolves.
2. Chill before freezing.
3. Freeze according to ice cream freezer's directions.

The easiest way to make your own ice cream is with one of the new electric ice cream machines. But, that's not the only way to make this delicious treat.

You can use an electric hand mixer to break up the ice crystals during the freezing process. And if you don't have a mixer, you can always use a fork or whisk. When it comes to making your own ice cream, there is always a way!

Choose the recipe you are going to use for your ice cream. Mix the ingredients. Follow the recipe up to the point of adding the chilled mixture to the churner.

Next, place your ice cream in a freezer safe bowl or container. Place in the freezer for about two hours. Remove the ice cream from the freezer and beat it with a hand mixer or fork to break up any ice crystals that are beginning to form.

Place bowl back in freezer. And repeat.

After four hours in the freezer, your ice cream should be thickened, but not thick enough to scoop.

At this point, you can add fruit, cookies, nuts or anything else you want to flavor your ice cream.

Now you want to freeze the ice cream until it is hard enough to enjoy. So, place your ice cream in a freezer container with a lid. Don't fill your container completely. You need to leave about 1/2 inch at the top of the container for expansion.

Once your ice cream is frozen, scoop your frozen treat into bowls or cones and enjoy!!

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