Ice Cream Maker Question (rum, ingredients, frozen, yolk)

[kyled]

I bought an ice cream maker (Cuisinart) a few months ago, thinking that maybe homemade ice cream would be better and cheaper than anything you could buy, but after using it about 3 or 4 times I stopped using it. Part of that is because it's more expensive than I thought to purchase the necessary ingredients but the main reason is the ice cream is always grainy. For the past few months I just resigned myself to the fact that it's because it's a cheap model but really I think the only problem is the paddle doesn't scrape the edge of the bowl and allows large crystals to form in cream...seems like an easy fix but I couldn't find anywhere online that offered a solution. Has anyone with this problem been able to solve it?

[netwit]

Originally Posted by kyled

I bought an ice cream maker (Cuisinart) a few months ago, thinking that maybe homemade ice cream would be better and cheaper than anything you could buy, but after using it about 3 or 4 times I stopped using it. Part of that is because it's more expensive than I thought to purchase the necessary ingredients but the main reason is the ice cream is always grainy. For the past few months I just resigned myself to the fact that it's because it's a cheap model but really I think the only problem is the paddle doesn't scrape the edge of the bowl and allows large crystals to form in cream...seems like an easy fix but I couldn't find anywhere online that offered a solution. Has anyone with this problem been able to solve it?

Ice cream will be grainy if it isn't made from a proper cooked custard.

For vanilla ice cream, I use this recipe:

2 1/3 cups milk
2 1/3 cup heavy cream
1 whole vanilla bean
3 large eggs
4 large egg yolks
1 1/8 cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract

Combine milk and cream in heavy saucepan. Split and scrap out vanilla bean and add to milk/ cream mixture. Bring mixture to slow boil over medium heat, reduce heat to low and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Combine eggs, egg yolks and sugar in medium bowl. Beat until mixture is thick and pale yellow.

Remove vanilla bean from milk-cream. Measure out 1 cup milk-cream and slowly add to egg-sugar mixture, beating well. Then pour the egg mixture back into pan with the hot milk- cream mixture, stirring well and constantly. This is very important because you don't want the eggs to cook into little chunks - you want to keep it smooth. Do it slowly and try to keep the heat just below boiling. Some people strain the mixture I, in spite of their best efforts, it doesn't look smooth.

Keep cooking it until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Remove from heat, add vanilla. Transfer to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap on the surface so a skin oesn't form. Chill completely. I usually let it chill overnight in the fridge.

Then put it into your ice cream maker and about 20 minutes later you should have a nice, creamy soft ice cream. If you want it firmer put it in the freezer for a while.

[Dogmama50]

I've had the cheap cuisinart for years and haven't had that problem, so I suspect it's the custard also. If I'm too lazy to make ice cream I just throw in yogurt and mix in some honey and fruit.

[nALgirl]

We have considered buying a cuisinart. We only eat frozen yogurt--does this come out ok?

[Wry_Martini]

Which model do you have?

I've had this one for about 2 years and have been really happy with it. Never had an issue with grainy ice cream.

nALgirl, I use mine to make frozen yogurt, too. I get the best results with greek yogurt.

[kyled]

That is the model I have. So I assume all of you make a custard and it isn't grainy? Hmm...that was going to be my next try but I ran out of ingredients before I could do it. I suppose I thought it should work either with or without a custard (technically that's not ice cream...but that's just semantics). Thanks for the help, I'll get some cream and try it out again...probably come back and update in case someone else searches for the same thing.

[jasper12]

Ice cream does need to cure as well...do you wait a day?
How to Cure Ice Cream | eHow

[burdell]

Originally Posted by kyled

That is the model I have. So I assume all of you make a custard and it isn't grainy? Hmm...that was going to be my next try but I ran out of ingredients before I could do it. I suppose I thought it should work either with or without a custard (technically that's not ice cream...but that's just semantics). Thanks for the help, I'll get some cream and try it out again...probably come back and update in case someone else searches for the same thing.

I don't make a custard and haven't had the graining problem. Try the simple recipe below that always brings requests for more:

Coconut Ice Cream

Put
1 Cup whole milk
1 15oz can sweetened cream of coconut
in a blender and blend until well combined
Pour into bowl and stir in
1 1/2 Cups heavy cream
1 Tbsp dark rum
and chill thoroughly

When thoroughly chilled, I usually 'shock chill' it for 15 minutes in the freezer, then place in ice cream maker and start freezing. The original recipe called for 1 1/2 cups of tightly packed sweetened coconut which I found a bit much. I take the coconut from the bag and chop it a bit with a knife, otherwise it tends to clump together, I sprinkle in until it looks 'right', probably around 1/3-1/2 bag.

[lubby]

I have a Cuisinart Ice cream maker too and my Ice cream never came out grainy. I have not made Ice cream in a while but this thread brought up a good point that I should make some this weekend.