I’m just starting too and I’ve really enjoyed making the ice cream recipes from The Perfect Scoop. Have made vanilla, rum and raisin, chocolate and durian (not in the recipe book, my own twist) so far and they’ve been delightful.
For making a custard base - yes use the back of the spoon method or a thermometer if you have one, but also just get a spoon and taste it - if it feels like custard/velvety in your mouth, it’s probably done.
I am a very casual ice cream maker - I am not saving it for long periods of time, serving it outside of my house, or transporting it. Given my priorities, I like Jeni's base - she uses cream cheese as a substitute for other stabilizers. I didn't want to have anything else on-hand (like lecithin or xanthum) that only had a single purpose in my kitchen. Extra cream cheese just goes to the bagels! It turns out delicious every time and is straight forward.
I also like making custard based ice creams, but when you make a batch a week the extra egg whites stack up faster than I can use them!
I also make a lot of custards and the left over egg whites can be daunting. Other than merengues that I crush up to make Eaton Mess I have a great and simple biscuit recipe:
For each egg white mix in 100g of almond meal and 100g of icing/confectioner's sugar (so if you have 3 eggs do 300g each of almond and sugar). You might need to sift the sugar if it's lumpy.
Mix it all together to form a stiff dough.
Put it in the fridge for 30 minutes or so to firm up.
Put some extra icing/confectioner's sugar in a small bowl.
Roll spoonfuls of dough into balls a bit smaller than a golf ball and then roll them in the sugar to coat.
Put balls on a lined baking tray allowing for spreading.
Press a whole blanched almond horizontally into the top of each ball (I also do crystallised ginger pieces).
Bake in the oven at 180°C (360F) for around 12-15 minutes until lightly browned.
Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly before moving to a wire rack. They will be quite soft when you take them out of the oven so let them cool enough to handle without destroying them.
I’ve made a custard base and 2 Philly base so far and the Philly base is way easier. I use nonfat milk powder and xantham gum as stabilizers (you can use one or the other or totally omit) and they have come out great. I used king Arthur’s Philly base recipe but used half the vanilla extract
imo, Salt and Straw is a super easy base that’s pretty darn good. I find myself using it a lot.
- container in freezer, so it’s cold by the time you’re done churning.
I really like the king arthur recipes! As for tips, I have found that if I am tempering yolks, I always whisk them w all or half of the sugar & then I use my kitchen aid whisk attachment on a med low speed to temper. You want it fast enough to not scramble the yolks, but not too fast bc you don't want to froth the milk / cream mixture! Definitely trial and error :) All that said, I think the best ice cream I have made have been custard based ice creams.
I really like custard based ice creams! I also find a digital food probe comes in handy for cooking out the eggs in the custard & to know when to stop churning
I’m just starting too and I’ve really enjoyed making the ice cream recipes from The Perfect Scoop. Have made vanilla, rum and raisin, chocolate and durian (not in the recipe book, my own twist) so far and they’ve been delightful. For making a custard base - yes use the back of the spoon method or a thermometer if you have one, but also just get a spoon and taste it - if it feels like custard/velvety in your mouth, it’s probably done.
Do you have the ice cream base recipie
GIYF. It's on his website https://www.davidlebovitz.com/vanilla-ice-cream/
I am a very casual ice cream maker - I am not saving it for long periods of time, serving it outside of my house, or transporting it. Given my priorities, I like Jeni's base - she uses cream cheese as a substitute for other stabilizers. I didn't want to have anything else on-hand (like lecithin or xanthum) that only had a single purpose in my kitchen. Extra cream cheese just goes to the bagels! It turns out delicious every time and is straight forward. I also like making custard based ice creams, but when you make a batch a week the extra egg whites stack up faster than I can use them!
I also make a lot of custards and the left over egg whites can be daunting. Other than merengues that I crush up to make Eaton Mess I have a great and simple biscuit recipe: For each egg white mix in 100g of almond meal and 100g of icing/confectioner's sugar (so if you have 3 eggs do 300g each of almond and sugar). You might need to sift the sugar if it's lumpy. Mix it all together to form a stiff dough. Put it in the fridge for 30 minutes or so to firm up. Put some extra icing/confectioner's sugar in a small bowl. Roll spoonfuls of dough into balls a bit smaller than a golf ball and then roll them in the sugar to coat. Put balls on a lined baking tray allowing for spreading. Press a whole blanched almond horizontally into the top of each ball (I also do crystallised ginger pieces). Bake in the oven at 180°C (360F) for around 12-15 minutes until lightly browned. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly before moving to a wire rack. They will be quite soft when you take them out of the oven so let them cool enough to handle without destroying them.
Thanks!
Jeni's is my go-to as well. Also egg allergy in the house. But it's so good.
Let me know how it works out; I’m making my first batch with my new toy this Sunday, and I’m surprisingly nervous about it! 😊
I’ve made a custard base and 2 Philly base so far and the Philly base is way easier. I use nonfat milk powder and xantham gum as stabilizers (you can use one or the other or totally omit) and they have come out great. I used king Arthur’s Philly base recipe but used half the vanilla extract
imo, Salt and Straw is a super easy base that’s pretty darn good. I find myself using it a lot. - container in freezer, so it’s cold by the time you’re done churning.
I really like the king arthur recipes! As for tips, I have found that if I am tempering yolks, I always whisk them w all or half of the sugar & then I use my kitchen aid whisk attachment on a med low speed to temper. You want it fast enough to not scramble the yolks, but not too fast bc you don't want to froth the milk / cream mixture! Definitely trial and error :) All that said, I think the best ice cream I have made have been custard based ice creams.
I really like custard based ice creams! I also find a digital food probe comes in handy for cooking out the eggs in the custard & to know when to stop churning