HM ice cream help

pixie1

I've tried to make ice cream for the first time today following a Hugh F-W recipe. Whilst we could eat it, it had a slightly grainy texture.

Any ideas as to why? I wanted to serve this on Christmas Day and right now it's just not good enough

I thought that I heated the sugar and water for ages as it wouldn't thicken - confused

Thanks

Pix

angeltreats

Can you post the recipe, or at least the method? It sounds like this wasn't a custard-based ice cream.

nuatha

Hi Pixie
Can you link to the recipe?
Did you use a machine or work by hand?
Sorry to be asking questions but some additional detail might mean you get a more useful answer.

joedenise

Nigella made a coffee icecream this week. Looks really easy and no cooking required.

If IIRC you pour a tin on condensed milk into a bowl, pour in a tub of double cream (think it was 200ml), 2 TbSp of espresso coffee powder and a little coffee liqueur. Whisk it all together until soft peak stage, then turn into container and freeze.

Personally I don't like coffee icecream so may try a vanilla version using vanilla extract and a TbSp of vodka. You need the alcohol to stop it freezing rock hard.

Might be worth trying - certainly looked good.

The recipe will be on the BBC website.

Denise

nearlyrich

joedenise wrote: »

Nigella made a coffee icecream this week. Looks really easy and no cooking required.

If IIRC you pour a tin on condensed milk into a bowl, pour in a tub of double cream (think it was 200ml), 2 TbSp of espresso coffee powder and a little coffee liqueur. Whisk it all together until soft peak stage, then turn into container and freeze.

Personally I don't like coffee icecream so may try a vanilla version using vanilla extract and a TbSp of vodka. You need the alcohol to stop it freezing rock hard.

Might be worth trying - certainly looked good.

The recipe will be on the BBC website.

Denise

I was just watching this earlier will still be on iPlayer it looked lovely and very simple I thought....

babyshoes

It sounds like you didn't stir it enough while freezing. An icecream maker stirs the mixture constantly while freezing to make the ice crystals small. If you are making it without one, the ice crystals grow slowly and end up being large, so you need to take it out after the first hour and mix it up well every half hour-ish until it is too solid do so.

My luxury icecream recipe is this: 1 tin condensed milk, 300ml double cream, 6 egg whites whipped till stiff, flavourings of your choice*.

Whisk the cream until it is a thick pouring consistency. Mix in the c.milk - I tend to leave a tablespoonful or so in the bottom of the tin to stop it being too sweet. Mix in your flavouring then fold in the egg whites. Pour into suitable tubs and freeze, stirring frequently until frozen.

*The flavourings are what make this interesting. I like to use flavoured or plain greek yoghurt, which bulks it out a bit and makes it less rich (but can also make the ice cream crystallise if you use too much). Vanilla is also good as it is very rich. Cream liqueurs are nice, but the alcohol doesn't freeze so you need to be careful how much you use as it can end up as a semi-liquid slush at the bottom! Any chocolate can be mixed in as you like, so really the only limit is your imagination!

[Note that this recipe contains uncooked egg whites, so unless you use pasteurised eggs or are 100% sure your eggs are salmonella free, don't give it to babies or people with poor immunity.]

pixie1

Hi Everyone,

Sorry i didnt post the link earlier, i was posting via my phone and didnt know how to.

This is the recipe - http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/realvanillaicecream_14294
It sounds like the reason is because i dont have an ice cream maker, so i just popped it in the freezer stiring every so often.

Does anyone know of a tradional vanilla ice cream recipe that doesnt require an ice cream maker? Or should i ask on a different thread?

Thanks for your help

Pix

nuatha

pixie1 wrote: »

Hi Everyone,

Sorry i didnt post the link earlier, i was posting via my phone and didnt know how to.

This is the recipe - http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/realvanillaicecream_14294
It sounds like the reason is because i dont have an ice cream maker, so i just popped it in the freezer stiring every so often.

Does anyone know of a tradional vanilla ice cream recipe that doesnt require an ice cream maker? Or should i ask on a different thread?

Thanks for your help

Pix

Good morning Pix,
That's a method I haven't come across before. With that recipe I'd try chilling the mouse in a fridge for a couple of hours before freezing it. I'd then be using an electric whisk to beat it every 20 minutes to break down the ice crystals as they form. Continuing until it was too frozen for the beaters to churn it.

A more common method is to begin with making a custard, for example this BBC recipe though I would still chill the custard and beat the freezing liquid.

My first forays into ice cream making (pre ice cream machine) were based on Indian Kulfi recipes, whipped evap milk, lightly whipped sweetened double cream, spices (often cardamon, but definitely did vanilla as well)mixed well together and frozen (no beating) which produces a really rich creamy texture. In the summer I came across a set of recipes based on condensed milk which were gorgeous. I'll dig out recipes later and add them to this thread.
I'm also tempted by Babyshoes' recipe.
HTH

nuatha

Recipes as promised,
Kulfi
Put a A1T can of evaporated milk in the fridge overnight (approx 400g size)
Whip the evap milk until it doubles in volume. set aside.
Add 150g of caster sugar to 200ml of double cream. Add either a teaspoon of vanilla extract or the seeds from one vanilla pod. Whisk until the sugar has dissolved and the volume has increased by around half. Add a third of the evap milk and whisk until combined, add rest of the evap and whisk again until evenly mixed.
Scrape into moulds or a freezer container, cover surface with clingfilm and either add lid or wrap container in clingfilm. Freeze for at least four hours and preferably overnight.

This produces a lighter version of kulfi, but is still very dense and creamy. Traditionally kulfi is flavoured with cardamon seeds.

Simple Condensed Milk Ice Cream
200g Condensed Milk
600g Double Cream
Vanilla Extract or Seeds from pod (I find extract works best for this, though the seeds are pretty)

Place the three ingredients in a large bowl and whisk/beat with an electric mixer until firm (effectively stiff peaks)
Scrape into moulds or a freezer container, cover surface with clingfilm and either add lid or wrap container in clingfilm. Freeze for at least four hours and preferably overnight.

If I was doing it for a posh dinner, I'd probably do the second one.
Have fun.