If there is a little gourmet pleasure in the summer heat, it is obviously ice cream! Well, that's good, because it's a recipe that can easily be made at home. Yes, yes, even without an ice cream maker. For a sorbet, it's quite easy:you have to mix fruit + water (and possibly sugar) and put the mixture in the freezer until it sets. For the ice cream, it's a little more complex:there are different recipes available on the net (which all roughly mix egg yolks + sugar + milk/fresh cream + the flavor of our choice) , which allow you to make a kind of custard that you then put in the freezer. Here are some tips to make it a success for sure!
The recurring problem with homemade ice cream is the ice crystals that tend to form when it "sets" (they are due to the water in the ice cream), which sometimes makes it look more like a giant ice cube or a granita. To avoid this, it is therefore necessary to reduce the quantity of water and “aerate” the preparation by substituting fat for the water. We then focus on eggs and dairy products. And for those who shudder at the two words "fat", keep cool, we thought of light versions.
Eggs. It is the egg yolk (=which contains the most fat) that provides the creaminess of the ice cream. The more you add, the creamier the ice cream will be… and rich in calories. For a lighter and more airy ice cream, add whipped egg white to the preparation, once it has already set well in the freezer. Be careful, however, to use very fresh eggs and to consume the ice cream quickly.
Fresh cream. We looked, difficult to make an ice cream without an ice cream maker AND without fresh cream. Indeed, it has more fat than milk, and in fact, less water. So, like egg yolks, the more of them, the creamier. It is added whipped in whipped cream to the preparation. For a lighter version, the solution is powdered milk. As it is a dry material, it slows down crystallization (=creamy ice cream). You can even choose it at 0%. The right dose:100 g of powdered milk for 1 liter of ice cream.
Mascarpone. This is the ideal option for super gourmet ice creams. It's true, it is even richer in fat than crème fraiche, but what a treat... Otherwise, condensed milk is richer than milk, and sweeter, which increases its caloric load but to the benefit, you will have understood it, from its generosity in the mouth. In this case, up to half the quantity of milk is replaced by condensed milk in the preparation.
Sugar. Homemade ice cream recipes incorporate a large amount of sugar into the preparation. And for good reason, it delays the crystallization of it by making it less aqueous. Only, who says sugar says higher calorie content, and, obviously, very sweet taste, which can also alter the flavors of the other ingredients. You can substitute glucose syrup, which is a little less sweet in taste (but just as caloric). For 1 liter of ice cream, simply add 2 tablespoons of this syrup to a liquid ingredient in the preparation (milk or water, heated beforehand). Leave to cool and continue preparing.
Alcohol. Alcohol is an interesting ingredient since it does not freeze, and therefore avoids the “big ice cube” aspect. If we want to make an ice cream for adults (and to be consumed in moderation!), we choose the alcohol of our choice and we incorporate it at the rate of 5 tablespoons for 1 liter of ice cream. The most used are amaretto, limoncello or rum which go well with the flavors of ice cream, especially fruity.
We're not going to lie to each other:making homemade ice cream without an ice cream maker still requires time and motivation! Indeed, after having made the basic preparation according to our tastes and having placed it in an airtight container in the freezer (keeping in mind that the basic volume will increase), it is not over. To obtain a perfect ice cream texture, it is recommended to mix the preparation with the mixer every hour until it sets (usually 5 times). Suffice to say that you shouldn't be in too much of a hurry... but hey, it's worth it, isn't it?
So, shall we get started? Good tasting!
