If one searches on the Ebay for an Ice Cream Machine, almost all found
items will have "soft serve" in their Title fields. Does it mean that
small ice cream machines cannot produce "hard" ice cream ?

I am thinking of buying a small machine with its own freezer, but would
like to make sure first that it is capable of producing the regular ice
cream - not sorbet, not soft serve, not gelato, but the regular creamy,
hard-to-scoop stuff. Also I would appreciate any recommendation for a
specific machine.

Ptich wrote:

> If one searches on the Ebay for an Ice Cream Machine, almost all found
> items will have "soft serve" in their Title fields. Does it mean that
> small ice cream machines cannot produce "hard" ice cream ?

It's 'soft serve' straight out of the machine. It will freeze good and
hard after a few hours in your freezer.

Mmmn, time to make pumpkin ice cream...


Dawn

Ptich wrote:
>
> If one searches on the Ebay for an Ice Cream Machine, almost all found
> items will have "soft serve" in their Title fields. Does it mean that
> small ice cream machines cannot produce "hard" ice cream ?
>
> I am thinking of buying a small machine with its own freezer, but would
> like to make sure first that it is capable of producing the regular ice
> cream - not sorbet, not soft serve, not gelato, but the regular creamy,
> hard-to-scoop stuff. Also I would appreciate any recommendation for a
> specific machine.

"Ice cream machine" typically refers to the commercial or consumer soft
serve freezer / dispenser units.

"Ice cream maker" typically refers to the consumer hard ice cream
makers, some hand crank, some motorized and some with refrigeration vs.
ice and rock salt.

In the ice cream maker range there are a number of units available
including a fairly recently introduced unit from Kitchenaid that is an
attachment for their stand mixers. I happen to have this one and like
it, though having one of their stand mixers is a prerequisite so it's
expensive overall. It consists of a double layer freezer bowl with an
ice-gel type filling, and a mixer paddle attachment for the mixer. You
pre-freeze the bowl in your freezer and indeed you can store the bowl in
the freezer so it's always ready to go. It works pretty well.

Pete C.

Oh pshaw, on Tue 14 Nov 2006 08:21:09p, Ptich meant to say...

> Pete, thanks for the clarification with Ice Cream Makers vs Machines,
> it helped a lot with googling for the right thing.
>
> From
> http://www.epinions.com/Ice_Cream_Ma...range_220_1200
> it seems that the main problem with < $500 makers is that they are easy
> to break once the cream becomes sufficiently hard. I was looking for
> something reliable in $300-$400 range, but it looks like I was too
> optimistic.

I've had an Il Gelataio machine that has it's own freezer and it has worked
flawlessly since the late 1970s. Unfortunately, that model is no longer
available.

However, any breakage that may occur is due in large part to not removing
the frozen mixture before it become *too* hard. The machines were not
designed to freeze the mixture rock solid. Even commercially made ice
cream is removed from the churning freezer to containers and then placed in
a standing freezer to mature and further harden. If you keep this in mind,
you should have few problems with any of the machines.

Il Gelataio still makes a smaller machine (1 quart capacity) and can be
found for $200-250. My machine produces 1-1/2 quarts.

--
Wayne Boatwright
__________________________________________________

A good man has few enemies. A ruthless man has none.

Pete, thanks for the clarification with Ice Cream Makers vs Machines,
it helped a lot with googling for the right thing.

From
http://www.epinions.com/Ice_Cream_Ma...range_220_1200
it seems that the main problem with < $500 makers is that they are easy
to break once the cream becomes sufficiently hard. I was looking for
something reliable in $300-$400 range, but it looks like I was too
optimistic.

Ptich wrote:
>
> If one searches on the Ebay for an Ice Cream Machine, almost all found
> items will have "soft serve" in their Title fields. Does it mean that
> small ice cream machines cannot produce "hard" ice cream ?
>
> I am thinking of buying a small machine with its own freezer, but would
> like to make sure first that it is capable of producing the regular ice
> cream - not sorbet, not soft serve, not gelato, but the regular creamy,
> hard-to-scoop stuff. Also I would appreciate any recommendation for a
> specific machine.

I have a Cuisinart ice Cream maker with a freezer bowl that has
to be in a freezer for about two days before it can be used to
freeze a batch of ice cream. The process involves cooking the ice
cream custard base, cooling it off, freezing the bowl, then
putting the cooled custard into the freezer bowl mounted in the
machine with paddles in and turn it on for about 20-25 minutes.
The ice cream starts to set up but needs to go into the freezer
for 5 hours or so to really harden up. It has a really nice
texture.

Ptich wrote:
>
> Pete, thanks for the clarification with Ice Cream Makers vs Machines,
> it helped a lot with googling for the right thing.
>
> From
> http://www.epinions.com/Ice_Cream_Ma...range_220_1200
> it seems that the main problem with < $500 makers is that they are easy
> to break once the cream becomes sufficiently hard. I was looking for
> something reliable in $300-$400 range, but it looks like I was too
> optimistic.

The Kitchenaid attachment I noted has a clutch mechanism to prevent
breakage. When it starts to slip and click you know it's time to stop
churning and transfer the ice cream to a container to finish freezing
and maturing in the freezer.

Pete C.

Oh pshaw, on Wed 15 Nov 2006 11:47:00p, Ptich meant to say...

>> Il Gelataio still makes a smaller machine (1 quart capacity) and can be
>> found for $200-250.
>
> I found it on Amazon for $134, called Lello Gelato 4070. But in many
> reviews customers complain that they could not get ice cream as smooth
> as from a grocery store, it always comes out with small chunks of ice.
> So I am wodering - has anybody managed to get ice cream of the same
> consistency as from a factory ?

The discontinued model I have does not have an ice crystal problem. Part
of the problem with the formation of ice is the butterfat content of the
mixture. The richer the mix, the less chance for ice formation while
churning. I generally use heavy cream and half and half, no milk. In most
of my mixes I also add eggs. These all contribute to their smoothness.

It's also important to have the mixture extremely well chilled (overnight
in the refrigerator is best), so that the churning/freezing process takes
less time.

--
Wayne Boatwright
__________________________________________________

My favourite mythical creature? The honest politician.

> Il Gelataio still makes a smaller machine (1 quart capacity) and can be
> found for $200-250.

I found it on Amazon for $134, called Lello Gelato 4070. But in many
reviews customers complain that they could not get ice cream as smooth
as from a grocery store, it always comes out with small chunks of ice.
So I am wodering - has anybody managed to get ice cream of the same
consistency as from a factory ?

Dawn wrote:
> Mmmn, time to make pumpkin ice cream...
>
>
> Dawn

Recipe?
Please!

-L.

-L. wrote:

> Dawn wrote:
>
>>Mmmn, time to make pumpkin ice cream...
>>
>>
>>Dawn
>
>
> Recipe?
> Please!
>

I start with a basic vanilla ice cream recipe, and add a cup of pumpkin
puree, a teaspoon cinnamon, quarter teaspoon nutmeg, and maybe a big
handful of mini chocolate chips if I have any.


Dawn

All icecream starts out as "soft serve," even the commercial stuff you
buy in a box. It is hardened after the initial processing by
"tempering," or freezing it after it has been run through - the
icecream machine. The machine mixes as it stirs; tempering freezes it
while still - this makes it hard.

Steve in Maryland

Ptich wrote:
> If one searches on the Ebay for an Ice Cream Machine, almost all found
> items will have "soft serve" in their Title fields. Does it mean that
> small ice cream machines cannot produce "hard" ice cream ?
>
> I am thinking of buying a small machine with its own freezer, but would
> like to make sure first that it is capable of producing the regular ice
> cream - not sorbet, not soft serve, not gelato, but the regular creamy,
> hard-to-scoop stuff. Also I would appreciate any recommendation for a
> specific machine.