How To Make Ice Cream
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April 1st, 2021
Can you make ice cream at home without an ice cream maker?
Yes. Ice cream makers are convenient as they churn and cool the custard mix at the same time. The constant motion helps prevent ice crystals form in your mix, giving you a smooth and consistent result. Without an ice cream maker, you simply have to break up the mixture with a fork every hour or so.
However, use ice cream stabiliser - and you'll have velvety smooth ice cream, with minimal crystals (with or without an ice cream maker).
Stabiliser is a magic mix of glucose and natural thickeners made from vegetable or seaweed extract. Undetectable in flavour, the stabiliser delays the formation of crystals while your ice cream sets, and gives the mix a thicker, more velvety texture. It’s best to mix your stabiliser with the sugar in your recipe, to make sure it is well incorporated.
5 tips for perfect homemade ice cream
- Most ice cream recipes require a hot custard base, which is then cooled. Speed up this process by adding cold cream to your custard at the end of the recipe, rather than at the beginning with your milk.
- Have fun with flavour pairings! Sharp or herby flavours work well with creamy bases. Try a dash of balsamic, or experiment with flavours such as bay leaf or fresh mint.
- Use ice cream stabiliser for velvety smooth results! The stabilizer needs heating to be activated (during the custard-making), so it won't work in recipes that simply combine fruit and ice.
- Think about texture - and try incorporating chopped nuts, dried fruit, chocolate chips, crystallised petals or cocoa nibs to your recipe.
- Think beyond the scoop, and make your own ice cream cake. Sandwich a layer of homemade vanilla ice cream between rich chocolate sponge. Or put a twist on Edd Kimber’s matcha roll and make your own green tea arctic roll.
9 ice cream recipes to try
Liquorice ice cream pops
Frozen into bite-sized balls, these dark ice cream pops are packed with sweet-spiced liquorice flavour. Dip them into fruity sharp raspberry powder for a treat that harks back to childhood sherbet dips. We’ve added natural black food colouring for even more dramatic effect.
Fruits of the Forest ice cream
Crack through delicate white chocolate shells on these ice creams on sticks, to discover rich fruits of the forest centres. The ice cream is flavoured with Lakrids world-renowned Danish liquorice for an extra hit of flavour. Beautifully decorated with petals and pistachios, these homemade ice creams are something very special.
Dark chocolate ice cream petit fours
Finest quality dark chocolate and Valrhona cocoa powder make this chocolate ice cream recipe dark, indulgent and very grown-up. We’ve wrapped small spheres of the chocolate ice cream in a cocoa nib coating for an even more luxurious finish. Think ‘Ferrero Roche meets mini Magnums’!
How to make pistachio ice cream
A favourite at Sous Chef HQ, this ice cream recipe is one we make again and again. The key is the fantastic-quality Italian pistachio paste, which is rich nutty and not too sweet. And using ice-cream stabiliser creates the silky smooth texture, truly reminiscent of Italian gelaterias.
Tonka bean ice cream
The many flavour profiles of tonka beans make them a delight to cook with. Create a dessert with hints of sour cherry, almond, vanilla and coconut with the grating of just one bean. We’ve served it with a griddled peach for the ultimate summer pudding.
Pomegranate molasses ice cream
Sweet, sharp and with real citrus bite – pomegranate molasses pairs beautifully with this rich and creamy base. Serve alongside a fragrant orange blossom cake, with a scattering of fresh pomegranate seeds.
Matcha green tea ice cream
Grassy, sharp and almost savoury – matcha green tea ice cream is incredibly refreshing in the heat of summer. Make the most of the vibrant green colour, and serve it simply on a dramatic black bowl.
Pumpkin & chestnut honey ice cream
A beautiful marriage of sun-drenched autumn flavours, pumpkin puree is blended with a custard base for a thick, super-smooth ice cream. The custard is laced with chestnut honey which adds a depth of flavour, and also helps prevent crystals from forming.
Panettone Ice Cream
Use Italian panettone, or its year-round alternative filone cake, to make an ice cream with rich, buttery brioche notes. The added nuts and fruit give this ice cream fantastic texture, against a backdrop of creamy vanilla.
Feeling inspired? Find more recipes for homemade ice cream here, and make sure you take a look at our ice cream stabiliser for super-smooth results.
