A Beginner’s Guide To Making Ice-Cream
First thing’s first: what are the key ingredients?
“If you want to use the traditional method, it will involve egg yolks, sugar, milk, cream and flavourings,” says Cesar Fernandez, home economist at Miele. He suggests infusing your combination of milk and cream with flavours such as vanilla, cinnamon, cardamom or some strong coffee.
Can you make any substitutions?
Yes, says Sara Lewis, head chef at Vintry & Mercer. “You could use yogurt instead of milk and cream and use a flavouring with natural sweetness or something like a lower-percentage chocolate instead of adding any sugar,” she explains. “You can also use egg yolks to help with creaminess, but only if you’re using a recipe that contains egg – don’t just add them in as extras.” Liam Dillon, head chef at The Boat Inn, likes to make his ice-cream with artichoke (see his recipe below). This recipe can also be exchanged for different vegetables, such as white beetroot or celeriac – ideal if you’ve ordered a veg box and have a few random ingredients you’re not sure what to do with.
Which milks work best?
Sara suggests full-fat milk, or condensed milk if you’re after a sweeter taste. Liam explains: “I would use full fat milk, but try to use whipping cream. This reduces the amount of ice crystals in the ice-cream, which might form if you are not using a machine.”
What kitchen equipment do you need?
Thankfully, making ice-cream at home mostly involves using standard kitchen equipment: a mixing bowl, scales, sieve, whisk, a container to freeze the mix in and a saucepan if you’re making a classic egg-custard base. If you’ve got a temperature probe, this will also come in handy, says Liam.
Is an ice-cream maker necessary?
“You can easily make ice-cream at home without one,” says Sara. “However, the churner does help the mix become smoother while the freezing process begins.” Liam agrees: “I would always use a machine and I would be lost without ours in the restaurant. With ice-cream machines readily available, I’d say get one if you want to have a few goes at making your own. There are a range of machines that are basic or have built-in freezers.”
But don’t worry if you don’t have one to hand. Cesar offers this method, which uses double cream, condensed milk and any flavouring you want to add: “Whisk the cream to stiff peaks and then slowly add in the condensed milk and flavouring. Transfer to a suitable container and freeze – it’s as easy as that.”
If you don’t have an ice-cream machine at home, Norma’s Ben Tish suggests making a semifreddo instead: “Whip up eggs yolks with sugar until the mixture goes pale and fluffy. Separately whisk the egg whites and some rich double cream. Grate in some bitter dark chocolate and combine everything together. Freeze in a tub for a few hours and you’ll have a delicious homemade dessert without the churning.”
Is the process the same for sorbets?
It’s actually a lot easier, says Liam. “It doesn’t need eggs, so you can literally throw everything in together. If you’re doing it without a machine, use a nice thick fruit puree for better results.” Meanwhile Sara suggests stirring the sorbet mix every few hours to ensure a creamy, even mix rather than an icy broken sorbet.
Sorbet is also is a great way to prevent any egg whites going to waste, says Cesar. First make a sugar syrup by combining the same quantity of sugar and water in a saucepan, warming gently until it’s fully dissolved and the texture has thickened a little bit. Allow to cool down, then transfer to a food processor and blend with any fruit of your choice (raspberries, strawberries, pineapple and lemon work well) for a minute or two. Next add the egg whites, blend for another minute and transfer the mixture into a container and freeze. “As you’re whipping the egg whites into the mixture, you will end up with a very light and airy sorbet once is sets in the freezer,” he explains.
Are there any pitfalls to avoid?
“Don’t put big chunks of anything in the ice-cream as this breaks up the mixture when scooping,” warns Sara. “Break chunky things down to ensure you get a full smooth scoop.”
What are your favourite combinations?
“I love both mint chocolate chip or coffee and clotted cream,” says Sara. “And I like to serve it with a classic simple wafer and chopped nuts – that was always my chosen topping when the ice-cream van came to our street when I was a kid.” And for Liam? “Lots of chocolate sprinkles will do the trick!”
Any final tips?
“Make sure to put your container in the freezer at least a few hours before using and always close with a tight-fitting lid or use cling film directly on top of the mix to avoid ice crystals forming on top,” says Sara. Cesar also recommends making sure your mixture is really cold before churning with an ice-cream machine. If you don’t have one, place the mixture in the freezer and whisk the mixture every hour to prevent any ice crystal forming too quickly. “Repeat this process three to four times and then just leave the ice-cream in the freezer until ready to serve,” he adds. Liam goes one step further: “If you have time to allow your ice-cream mix to cool and mature in the fridge for 24 hours before you start to freeze it, you should. It helps with the end depth of flavour of the ice-cream.”
Inspired? Why not try one of these four at-home recipes...
Jude’s Vegan Almond Milk Ice-Cream
INGREDIENTS
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600ml of almond milk
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1 tsp of vanilla bean paste
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140g of white marzipan
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½ tsp of powdered xanthan gum
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2 tsp of liquid pectin
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150g of icing sugar, sifted
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Small handful of pistachio nibs, to serve (optional)
METHOD
- Gently warm the almond milk and vanilla bean paste in a medium saucepan and, just as the milk begins to simmer and steam rises from the surface, remove from the heat. Using the coarse side of a box grater, grate the marzipan into the milk and stir intermittently until the marzipan melts, roughly 5-6 minutes. If any pieces of marzipan are refusing to melt, briefly return the pan to the heat and continue to stir until they disappear.
- Tip the xanthan gum into a small bowl and add 2 tbsp of the warm almond milk mixture. Stir to combine until you have a thick, soft and uniform paste. Return this paste to the saucepan and continue to stir until dissolved. Remove from the heat. Stir in the pectin and icing sugar and again, stir until smooth and uniform. Set the mixture aside to cool for 2 hours.
- Pour into an ice-cream machine and churn to a soft set following the manufacturer’s instructions, or until the blade stops. Spoon the soft ice cream into an airtight, freezer-proof container and put in the freezer for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight, until firm. Remove from the freezer and allow the ice cream to soften for 5-10 minutes before scooping. Serve with pistachio nibs, if using.
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Jude’s Honey, Fig & Thyme Ice-Cream
INGREDIENTS
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300g of ripe black figs, stalks removed and roughly chopped into 1-2cm chunks
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25g of soft dark brown sugar
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2 tbsp of clear honey
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3-4 thyme sprigs
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Juice of 1/2 lemon
For the vanilla base:
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350ml of double cream
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250ml of whole milk
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1 vanilla pod, slit in half lengthways
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A pinch of salt
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6 medium egg yolks
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100g of golden caster sugar
METHOD
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Pour the cream and milk into a small saucepan. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla pod into the cream, along with the empty pod. Place the saucepan over a very gentle heat for 8–10 minutes and, when the cream is almost boiling, remove from the heat and leave to cool for 20 minutes, allowing the vanilla to flavour the milk.
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Meanwhile, make the fig puree. Gently heat the figs, sugar, honey and thyme sprigs in a small saucepan, stirring and squashing with a wooden spoon until the fruit starts to break down, about 5 minutes. Cover, reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the figs break down and the mixture is thick and jam-like. Remove from the heat, pick out the thyme sprigs and stir through the lemon juice. Use a stick blender to pure the jam uniformly. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
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Return to the vanilla base. Using a wooden spoon, beat the salt, egg yolks and sugar together in a large mixing bowl for 2–3 minutes until light and uniform. Remove the pod from the warm cream mixture and slowly pour it into the sugared yolks and continue to beat together until combined. Return the lot to a clean saucepan and cook over a gentle heat, stirring continuously, for up to 10 minutes. The mixture will thicken to a custard consistency, just thick enough to coat the back of the wooden spoon. At this point, remove from the heat and transfer to a clean bowl (this prevents any further cooking). Set aside to cool for 1 hour before stirring three-quarters of the fig puree through the ice-cream base.
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Pour into an ice-cream machine and churn to a soft set following the manufacturer’s instructions, or until the blade stops. Spoon the ice cream into an airtight, freezer-proof container and loosely stir the remaining fig jam through the ice cream. Cover and freeze for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight, until firm. Remove and allow the ice cream to soften for 10 minutes before scooping.
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Jude’s Ultimate Vanilla Ice-Cream
INGREDIENTS
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300ml of double cream
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300ml of whole milk
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1 vanilla pod, slit in half lengthways
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A pinch of salt
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6 medium egg yolks
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100g of golden caster sugar
METHOD
- Pour the cream and milk into a small saucepan. Use the tip of a sharp knife to scrape the seeds from the vanilla pod and into the cream, along with the empty pod. Place the saucepan over a very gentle heat for 8-10 minutes and, when the cream is almost boiling, remove the pan from the heat and leave to cool for 20 minutes, allowing the vanilla to flavour the milk.
- Meanwhile, using a wooden spoon, beat the salt, egg yolks and sugar together in a large mixing bowl for 2-3 minutes until light and uniform.
- Remove the pod from the warm cream mixture and, working slowly, pour the mixture into the sugared yolks and continue to beat together until all is combined. Return the lot to a clean saucepan and cook over a gentle heat, stirring continuously, for up to 10 minutes. The mixture will eventually thicken to a custard consistency, just thick enough to coat the back of the wooden spoon. At this point, remove from the heat and transfer to a clean bowl (this prevents any further cooking). Set aside to cool for an hour.
- Pour into an ice-cream machine and churn to a soft set following the manufacturer’s instructions, or until the blade stops. Spoon the soft ice cream into an airtight, freezer-proof container. Cover and put in the freezer for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight, until firm.
- Remove from the freezer and allow the ice cream to soften for 5-10 minutes before scooping.
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Liam Dillon’s Jerusalem Artichoke Ice-Cream
INGREDIENTS
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1,000g of whole milk
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150g of whipping cream
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650g of cooked artichokes (peeled and poached in milk, which can be reserved to use in this recipe)
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25g of milk powder
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200g of yolk
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200g of sugar
METHOD
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Whisk the milk powder, yolks and sugar together until pale.
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Bring the milk, whipping cream and artichokes to the boil, then pour over the first mixture.
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Whisk together and then place on the heat and bring up to 84°C.
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Once there, pass through a sieve and allow to cool.
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Once cool, transfer into the container you want to use in the freezer or ice-cream maker.
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If you are not using a machine, stir the ice-cream at regular intervals until it is firm.
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