Make your own ice cream with an ice cream machine: cool tips
Need to cool down? Your ice cream machine is guaranteed to be a kitchen star this summer. With this smart gadget, you can conjure up sorbets, gelatos and trendy ice cream recipes in no time at all, without stress. How do you get started? Here are some cool tips!
Quick ice cream recipes for the ice cream machine: That is what matters
The ice cream machines for home use work on different principles, but they all have the same goal: delicious home-made ice cream.
- Self-cooling ice cream machines work similarly to the professional devices. They actively cool down the ice cream mixture and prevent the ice crystals from forming by stirring. The result? Vanilla ice cream, just like from a pastry chef.
- In the ice cream machines with an external cooling element, the cooling is carried out through the freezer compartment or freezer: Pour the ice cream mixture into the container, freeze, then process in the ice cream machine and serve.
Top results are possible with both types of devices. If you want to make your own ice cream with an ice cream machine, the most important things are the recipe and the ingredients. The basis for vanilla ice cream is sugar, fat and flavourings such as fruits or nuts. To minimize the formation of ice crystals, follow these tips:
- The fattier, the better: The higher the fat content of milk or cream, the less water it contains. This in turn means that fewer ice crystals can form.
- Not all sugar is created equal: Classic refined sugar lowers the freezing point of your ice cream, but other types have even more to offer: Mix granulated sugar with dextrose for your ice cream recipe. Dextrose lowers the freezing point by around 130 percent!
- Add the larger ingredients at the very end: Nut or fruit pieces should only be added to the ice cream mixture in the last five minutes. Ice crystals can form on them.
- Create a bond: Adding a little starch or locust bean gum creates a strong bond in the ice cream mixture, giving the ice crystals no chance to form.
- Cook first, then cool: If you boil the ingredients together before putting them in the ice cream machine, they build up strong bonds, water evaporates, and the ice cream becomes creamier.
Extra tip: Vanilla or chocolate? Anyone can do that! In Lidl recipe world you will find many unusual ideas for ice cream creations with a gourmet touch.
Quick recipe: Strawberry ice cream made with an ice cream machine
You will need (for 4 servings)
- 150 g fresh strawberries
- 70 g sugar (preferably 50 g granulated sugar + 20 g dextrose)
- 125 ml whole milk
- 50 ml cream
- A little lemon juice
Wash and hull the strawberries, then puree them with sugar, lemon juice and milk. Whip the cream until almost stiff and fold it into the mixture. Cool in the ice cream machine until the desired consistency is reached. You can modify this quick ice cream recipe for the ice cream machine to your heart's content. Use different berries, replace some of the milk with Greek yoghurt, or add the other flavour components such as vanilla or a touch of balsamic vinegar.
No ice cream machine available? Swap the fresh strawberries for frozen ones and put everything into a high-powered blender. Serve the ice cream immediately.
The ultimate summer dessert: Ice cream from the grill!
Ice cream is as much a part of summer as delicious food from the grill. Why not combine both? Grilled ice cream sounds impossible, but it works quite simply: Beat egg whites with powdered sugar until stiff. Make sure you use a clean, grease-free bowl. The quickest way is with a hand mixer. Place the ice cream from the ice cream machine onto tartlets. You can simply buy these ready-made. For perfect ice cream scoops, it's best to use an ice cream scooper. Cover the ice cream on the tartlets with the meringue. There should be no gaps. Proceed carefully so that the meringue doesn't collapse. Place the tartlets on the grate of your grill, close the lid and let them bake briefly until the meringue has a light brown crust. Serve immediately and enjoy!
