AUGUST: ICE CREAM MONTH!!!

A couple weeks ago I got an ice cream maker. I have basically gone out of control. I have already made tons of amazing ice creams. I decided to share them all over the month of August. I plan to share custard based recipes, Philadelphia style recipes, sherbets, granitas, cones, stir-ins, etc….

To start off I am going to just tell you a little bit about what I have learned about ice cream during the past month or so.
Can any one guess what kind of ice cream this is? Comment and tell me what kind of ice cream you think it is.

CUSTARD vs. PHILADELPHIA
There are two basic kinds of homemade ice creams: custard, or French-style, and Philadelphia style. The custard base ice cream is my favorite because it tends to be richer, creamier, and smoother. It is made on the stove top and uses egg yolks. It takes a bit more work than the Philadelphia style, but I think it is worth it. Philadelphia style ice cream is made by simply mixing the milk, cream, sugar and other ingredients. It is a good kind for making fruit ice cream because the ice cream base isn’t so rich that it overpowers the fruit flavor. It is also a good choice because it is quick and easy.
 
This is my little beauty. You just freeze the bowl part and pop on the top when its time to mix.

TIPS FOR FREEZING ICE CREAM
It doesn’t really matter what kind of ice cream maker you have, just follow the instructions that come with them. I have a fairly inexpensive one, and it still works great.  My brother and sister in law got it as a gift for us. Thanks Abe and Chels! You freeze the bowl which has a coolant inside it. If you don’t already have a maker, I suggest going with a table-top kind that you freeze the canister. Cuisinart and BacktoBasics have some good ones. They are just easier. That said, the kind that you must add ice and rock salt too, have major benefits, too. They are more of a hassle, but they freeze the ice cream more completely and usually have a much bigger canister. These are better for parties where you want to serve it right out of the maker. You can usually find a really cheap on at a thrift store, too.  I also have a few tips for making helping your ice cream to get nice and thick and creamy:

1. Thoroughly chill ingredients before churning it. Use a metal bowl. It will hold in the cold better. Either chill it for a couple hours in the back of the fridge, or four about 45 minutes in the freezer. If you are making a custard, it really helps to put it in an ice bath first. I will tell you how in the custard recipes and instructions.
2. Make sure the bowl/canister is completely frozen before using it. At least 24 hours. I just keep mine in my freezer.
3. Your ice cream should be soft-serve thickness. Freeze for a couple of hours for a firmer ice cream. Store in a Tupperware. It is best after a few days. The flavors ripen and the texture improves.

Note: Why do you even need the ice cream maker? While freezing the ice cream, it whips air into the ice cream so the result is creamy, not icy. 
A sneak peak of some of the flavors you can look forward to :

• Blueberry cheesecake
• Malted Milk Ice cream
• Passion Fruit Mango
• Chocolate Brownie
• And many more!