Do most home ice cream makers just make the soft type ice cream?

[eleny]

I bought a small one years ago that I chose for price and size. I just made some very nice fresh peach ice cream for tonight. It's fat free and sugar free, too.

But if I could get an electric machine that made old fashioned type harder ice cream I think I'd do it.

Any experience with that kind of ice cream maker?

[hippywife]

1. It does make hard ice cream

but you have to make the soft ice cream the night before and then freeze it. I have one of those old Tupperware lunch kits and I spread the soft ice cream in the box, seal it and freeze it until the next night.

[eleny]

2. Thanks - I have my ice cream hardening in the freezer now

I was looking at some of the rock salt & ice electric freezers. But I'm going to wait till tomorrow and see if my current batch meets expectations.

Making it fat & sugar free won't result in store bought texture since I'm not adding any other ingredients to make a smoother consistency. So I might just stick with my current little machine and just enjoy what it makes. It's easy enough!

[Stinky The Clown]

3. You have to 'harden' your fresh ice cream in the freezer overnight

Or you do like me and eat it right out of the churn before it melts totally! :)

[eleny]

4. I've got some in the bottom of the churn that was too hard to pour out

I'm "taste testing" it as it melts. :D Mmmmm.... peach.

The rest is freezing overnight - if I can wait that long.

[MagickMuffin]

5. I've been using the ice and rock salt freezers for decades now

I'm about to upgrade to the White Mountain 6 qt. freezer. It's a little pricey, I just hope it's worth it. One of the reasons I wanted this machine is because it has a duel action dasher. Which the reviews I've read said makes the ice cream creamier and provides the ingredients to blend together better.

The one I'm using now is a 4 qt. Rival. It does ok, however, after the machine stops the ice cream is not really that frozen. I take the dasher out and allow the ice cream to harden in the rock salt mixture. Of course I have to have a small bowl before I harden it further, the sides of the canister has the best consistency.

Usually after an hour to 90 minutes it has had a chance to become much harder. After it gets harder I have another bowl or two and then store the rest in plastic bowls and I cover it with plastic wrap and then the lid.

I usually make a french vanilla custard.

[eleny]

6. I was reading about the White Mountan freezers last night

They sound like the real deal and with a motor, too. I read that they're somewhat noisy. But if I ever get one I'll just leave it in the detached garage to do its work.

I haven't read about fat & sugar free recipes for the White Mtn. freezers. So I'll do some searching and maybe write to the company.

Last night's peach ice cream froze hard overnight and tastes good but the ice crystals are larger than I'd hoped. Next time I'm going to use a cooked recipe that calls for some plain gelatin added. It's fun fiddling with this since the results at least always taste good.

French vanilla custard sounds dee-vine!

[MagickMuffin]

7. My hubby ordered my White Mountain last night

I should be getting it later this week. I read readers comments about them being noisy but the one I have now is rather noisy as well. Hopefully this one won't be as noisy.

I already have my ingredients to make a batch. My vanilla custard recipe calls for more sugar and eggs than I use. I cut down on eggs from 6 to 4, sugar from 1 1/2 cups to 1 cup. I also use half and half along with cream.

Tip for ice crystals: Place plastic wrap on the surface of the ice cream and make sure it adheres to the whole surface. I use this technique and it helps a lot on cutting down on the ice crystals.

I'm glad your peach ice cream turned out good.