Nothing compares to the taste of homemade ice cream. Indeed, to enjoy the richest, creamiest, and most scrumptious treat, you just need to stick to a couple of basic rules and have a decent ice cream maker. Here, we highlight some of the universal favorites, which are also very easy to make at home. Give them a try and feel the difference – we bet you will never return to store-bought pints!
Vanilla Ice Cream
A true classic, vanilla ice cream is a great dessert on its own, but it also serves as a base for a plethora of variations. All you have to do in order to get a new treat every time is just add one of your favorite extras – choco cookies, nuts, brownies, pecans, or all kinds of berries. According to experts from dreamscoops.com, if you know the principles of ice cream science (they do exist), then your frozen creation is destined to be a huge success. Well, let’s move from words to action!
Ingredients:
- 1 ¾ cup heavy cream
- 1 ¼ cup whole milk
- ¾ cup of sugar
- A pinch of salt
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- Extras of your choice (optional)
Method:
Pour 1 cup of the cream into a saucepan and put over low heat – just to dissolve the sugar and salt. Now add the remaining cream, vanilla extract, and milk, stir to combine, and put in the refrigerator to chill for four hours or overnight. Put the mixture into the ice cream maker and freeze in accordance with manufacture directions.
Chocolate Ice Cream
If you are a chocolate buff (who isn’t?), then you will love the intensive flavor of this very chocolate ice cream. Make sure to use a quality cocoa powder that has at least 20% cocoa fat. Depending on your personal preferences, you can replace the dark chocolate with a semisweet variant for a more “milky” taste, but do not use chocolate with less than 45% cocoa solids. You can also take
Ingredients:
- ¾ cup of sugar
- 1 cup milk
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp quality cocoa powder (unsweetened)
- 3 egg yolk, lightly beaten
- 2 oz dark chocolate (min 70%)
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Method:
Pour milk into a saucepan, add sugar, salt, and cocoa powder, and bring the mixture to a simmer, constantly stirring for smoothness. Put the egg yolks into a mixing bowl and carefully add about ½ cup of the hot milk mixture. Stir and return to the saucepan over medium heat to thicken. Do not bring to boil! Remove from heat and gradually stir in chopped chocolate.
Transfer the mixture into a chilled container to refrigerate for a couple of hours or until completely cooled. Now it’s time to add the cream and vanilla extract. Pup the mixture into an ice cream maker and follow the manufacturer’s instructions for the best results.
Strawberry Ice Cream
Can you think of a more decadent combination than cream and strawberries? This ice cream not only tastes heavenly but also looks gorgeous. If you want to fascinate your guests with a lofty dessert, go for this strawberry extravaganza. By the way, if you do not have a blender, you can use a fork to puree the strawberries. In this case, replace white sugar with powdered sugar.
Ingredients:
- 1 ½ cup fresh strawberries, hulled
- ¾ cup white sugar
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1 cup milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- 2 drops red food coloring
Method
Puree strawberries and sugar in a blender, then add cream, milk, vanilla extract, and salt to the mixture. Blend a few seconds until smooth and whisk in red food coloring. Place your strawberry mixture into the chilled container and keep refrigerated until completely cold, then freeze it for at least two hours. Take out of the freezer, place it into your ice cream maker, and process in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations. Your ice cream is ready to be served or transferred to a sealable container.
Making ice cream at home is not complicated at all, especially if you have an ice cream maker at hand. Of course, buying a ready product is even easier, but the truth is, it will never be as good as the one you made from scratch using your favorite add-ons. Given a plethora of different recipes to suit all tastes and preferences, it is easy to unleash your inner culinary master and create your house specialty ice cream. Can you really afford to miss this opportunity?