An electric counter top ice cream maker
This
We purchased ice cream every once in a while but not as often as I would have liked because of budget and health reasons. This amazing little gadget takes care of both of those issues. I can make it as healthy as I’d like (and even if I make it with sugar, it’s way better than the stuff at the store) for much cheaper.
4 Reasons I Love My Automatic Ice Cream Maker
No ice and salt necessary
We had an electric ice cream maker which we used every once in a while. It was a pain to remember to buy or make ice and have the salt on hand. Now, I just dump my ice cream mixture into the frozen bowl and am ready to go.
No Unnecessary Ingredients
Vanilla: MILK, CREAM, SUGAR, SKIM MILK, HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, CORN SYRUP, NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL VANILLA FLAVOR, CELLULOSE GUM, VEGETABLE GUMS (GUAR, CARRAGEENAN, CAROB BEAN), SALT, ANNATTO COLOR.
Strawberry: INGREDIENTS: Fresh Grade ‘A’ whole milk, strawberries, sugar, cream, corn syrup, modified corn starch, natural strawberry flavor, stabilizer blend (monoglycerides, cellulose gel, cellulose gum, carrageenan), artificial colors red 3, yellow 6, blue 1.
Have you ever looked at the ingredients on the ice cream carton from the store? The majority have a dozen ingredients or more. Most of them being processed ones that aren’t good for you. When you make it at home, you know exactly what goes in it. Cream or coconut milk, sweetener, flavoring, maybe eggs and thickener.
Customizable
You can make frozen yogurt, sorbet, or ice cream with whatever flavors and add ins you like! You aren’t stuck making a gallon of one kind like you do in a rock and salt machine. Here you can do 2 quarts or even less. You also aren’t stuck to the flavors found in the store.
Price
So yes, you can buy a half gallon of the cheapest (and not very good tasting) ice cream for $2.50, the middle of the road product is $4 for a half gallon (on sale) and when you get to the good stuff with real ingredients you are going to be spending $3-$4 a pint! With this amazing machine, you can make it for a fraction of the cost.
Tips for using your Ice Cream Maker
1. If you have space, keep the freezer bowl in the freezer. This eliminates the need to plan the night before and you can satisfy a last minute craving or feed drop in guests in no time.
2. If you cook your ice cream base or are using room temperature products (canned coconut milk), refrigerate your ice cream base until completely chilled. This is a must. You will end up with a much thicker and creamier treat.
3. If you have a large family and are worried that 2 quarts of ice cream won’t be enough, buy a second freezer bowl
Do you have any ice cream makers
Linking up to these fun parties!
Now this is a cool idea! I might have to look into one of these babies. Hope all is well and that life has slowed down a bit for you. Have a fabulous week. Carrie, A Mother’s Shadow
I LOVE this machine! Just ask someone in my family. I talk about it all the time, ha ha. I have a thing for ice cream though. I don’t like spending money but when my machine breaks, I’m getting another one.
Wow, this looks really good! I may have to get my hands on one of these. Thanks for the info!
I LOVE this machine! My family probably gets tired of hearing me rave about it. 🙂 If you find a good deal on one, snatch it up!
We have an automatic ice ceam maker, but don’t use it often enough. Your post has inspired me to get it out and start creating. I really want to try the banana and peanut butter combonation. I like that I can control the ingredients in the ice cream
I LOVE using mine. I probably use it too often, ha ha. Creating is so fun. We’ve done some fun combinations lately. I like doing the banana “ice cream” in the blender too – it’s really good.
Hi Deanna! I’m stopping in from Let’s Get Real today. We are huge ice cream fans, but like you I don’t like all of the artificial ingredients. So far, that has limitied us to make smoothies and sorbets from frozen fruit. I also like to make banana ice cream from frozen bananas. I’ve been wanting one of these machines for quite a while. You have really talked me into it with this post.
I love the banana “ice creams” as well! They are really good. You should definitely get one of these ice cream machines. They are pretty incredible. It’s so easy to make up a batch of ice cream – we just did vanilla bean tonight for my husband’s birthday. I saw one at a thrift store in town last week, but I wondered if it really worked.
This is fabulous post! Im so excited I am finding all these great things to do! After I read your post. I have put the ice creamer maker on my list of MUST HAVES!!!
Your blog is so great! I have book marked it
Take Care Maria
http://www.simplenaturedecorblog.com
Yay!!! I hope you get it soon and use it lots. I LOVE my machine. It might get used too often, ha ha! But hey, at least it’s better for me if I’m making it from scratch. Right?? Thanks so much for stopping by and your kind words.
A new trick I’ve learned this week is clean the bowl quickly and put it back in the freezer before it fully de-thaws. My bowl normally takes 24 hours to freeze, but this way I can make a second batch in about 8. (Sometimes less!) That’s helpful since yesterday I only had enough ingredients for 1/4 batch strawberry and then accidentally ate the whole thing immediately afterwards without saving any for hubby, so I’m making a full batch right now. I also like to keep a couple flavors in the freezer to help with the not enough ice cream per batch problem.
Another nice thing about homemade ice cream is you get all the options of Cold Stone Creamery, but it’s so much cheaper!
I LOVE that tip! Is it okay if I add it to the post with a link back to you? I have noticed that it is really cold still when the ice cream is done so I can see how sticking it back in the freezer would greatly decrease freezing time.
Exactly! I love all the options too. There are so many yummy ones. I’m having too much experimenting.
I LOVE that tip! Is it okay if I add it to the post with a link back to you? I have noticed that it is really cold still when the ice cream is done so I can see how sticking it back in the freezer would greatly decrease freezing time.
Exactly! I love all the options too. There are so many yummy ones. I’m having too much experimenting.
My hubby and I eat ice cream almost every night so I’m sure we’d get a lot of use out of one of these!
Carrie! You should get one of these machines. It is my FAVORITE. (And I’m not exaggerating.) I love the thing – just ask my parents and siblings. I use it all the time. My daughter gets pretty excited when she hears the machine start up. I don’t like spending money, but when this hand me down machine dies, I’m getting a new one.
We have one of these and love it. Homemade ice cream is the best. (Thanks for visiting Happiness is Homemade, hope to have you link up next week!)
Aren’t they amazing?! I’m obsessed with ours and maybe use it a little too much.
I have one of those ice cream makers where you still need ice and salt. I think it’s one of the reasons I don’t make it more often! A frozen bowl ice cream maker is def on my “want list!”
Jump on it if you ever find a good deal because these machines are incredible! I don’t think I’ve used my ice and salt one since I got this. I suppose I’d need to pull it out if we were having a ton of people over but haven’t had to yet.
Hi Deanna,
I see that you published this years ago. 😮 Have you updated this recipe? Or is it tried and true? I love ice cream..like LOVE it and I just received the ice cream maker attachment as a gift to go with my KitchenAid. This recipe sounds amazing!
I still follow the same basic method! I pretty much add ingredients and don’t follow a precise recipe now. I made ice cream Saturday for my daughter’s birthday and made a custard type of base with 4 cups half and half (plus a cup of milk I had) – heavy cream would obviously make it creamier and even more good. Started heating that on the stove while I whisked 2 whole eggs and 2 egg yolks with sugar (started with 3/4 cup and a little stevia) and a 2 teaspoons arrowroot powder or cornstarch. I then slowly whisked it into the warm milk and let let heat until it was thick. Whisking fairly consistently. At the end I tasted to adjust the sweetener. After off the heat I added a pinch of salt, and then vanilla extract for vanilla ice cream or Saturday I added peppermint extract for the birthday girl’s request of peppermint ice cream. Stir regularly while it’s cooling to prevent the skim from forming on the top and then cool completely in the refrigerator. I prefer to chill it overnight, but this time I cooled to room temperature and refrigerated for almost 6 hours and it did okay. When it was almost done in the ice cream maker we added candy cane pieces. It’s also when I would add chocolate chips or whatever add-ins you want!
So, all that to say, we still love our ice cream maker. I hope you enjoy yours!!!
Yummy! Thank you so much for the details, it’s very much appreciated! This is going to be my first but last batch.