'I Scream' Dilemma

Yeah, George. Sure. Evaporation.

Thinking, I probably should have added rum (or?) to my failed pumpkin ice cream; it turned into concrete with a taste of drywall.

Penn State has a famous 9-day course in ice-cream. It's on my bucket list.

Thank you so much for your work on my behalf, I really do appreciate it. Will look at the link as soon as I've sent this.

I had a go at the Amaretto Ice Cream but the whole thing turned into an episode of Laurel & Hardy; first off I bought a new machine, my previous one although a Magimix cuisinier was just puny and only had room for 1/2 litre of mix, I got totally fed up with it, the new one is supposed to make 1.4ltr . Not being rich enough to buy myself a machine that freezes and churns (apart from anything else you have to have the room to have it out in the kitchen all the time, they apparently don't respond well to being moved around) it's still your bog standard freeze the bowl first kind. Having bought it I went on-line to read some customer reviews, (note the time-line - I read the reviews AFTER I bought the machine - it gives you an idea of my quite astonishing organisational skills!~) they all said much the same thing, great machine but...
a)
you couldn't make it up

OOps, pressed a wrong key there!
Great machine BUT :-
a) when the mix had fully churned quite a few were unhappy at the consistency, it wasn't firm enough for them ,
b) when the ice-cream was stored in the freezer it set too hard and they had to wait for it to ripen, and ,
c) as the mix is poured into the machine it set very, very hard around the walls and this seemed to really upset some of them,
also without exception they complained that the recipe booklet that came with the ice-cream maker was useless as it was full of weird things we can't get in this country. Non-fat dairy creamer, half & half, egg substitute ? seems a bit strange to me, surely the point of making your own ice-cream is to not have to eat all sorts of chemicals and stabilisers, why would you want to make your own out of nothing real?

So I starts, I'm thinking of mounds of luscious, tasty homemade fabulousness and I know that the machine takes 950ml to make a full batch. I made the custard,(400ml) measure out 500ml of double cream and get whisking, I've totally forgotten that when whipped the cream will be alot more than when its liquid so I fold in the custard and start pouring into my jug, it was only when I realised I was close to overflowing that I twigged. Not to worry I think.

Note to self-next time use a jug that has a really good pourer because whisked up light and fluffy ice-cream mix doesn't just pour it OOZES down the spout of the machine, over the sides of the jug, down the front of the jug, and any spoon or spatula that you put into the mix doesn't rest snugly against the side of the bowl it sort of slides down as though disappearing into quicksand - are you getting the picture? by this point I've got goo pretty much everywhere the machine, the jug, the counter, the floor, the curtains.

I'll just churn this first batch and I'll do the rest when it's finished, so I stand watching the paddles go round and I can see what the reviewers meant about the sides of the bowl freezing with mix, so I have ny next brainwave, I'll just poke a spatula down the opening and push what I can reach back down onto the paddle, NOoooh, the machine started groaning, the paddles started shuddering and I thought the thing was going to blow up, so I switch it off, take off the lid (paddles stayed in churn), scrape down the sides, sort of smooth it out a bit then try to re-align the paddle back in the lid and get it closed, this is bad idea number (I've lost count) I couldn't get the damn thing slotted back together and with all the faffing about the whole lot has set like concrete in the bottom of the churn!

So I'm back to being covered in goo as I try to gouge the frozen mix out of the machine and into a lock'n'lock, but I am still determined to get this damn thing made, luckily I happened to have a huge quantity of fresh mix in a jug in the fridge, so I wash the paddle,scrape every iota of mix from the bowl and start again. By this time I'm also feeling slightly sick from all the tasting I'm doing to make sure I have the balance right, so back to pour, pour, ooze, ooze, and talking to myself that not under any circumstances will I poke anything into the machine - but do I listen? I can't seem to help myself. After about 10 minutes it starts to look done to me and I'm thinking 'it's not supposed to be that quick but I'd better put in the amaretto, so off I go a cautious tablespoon at a time, but not alot seems to be happening, I'm trying to scoop little spoons of the mixute without interfering with the paddles to see if I can taste it but what seems to be happening is I've got frozen to the walls ice-cream,hard, stuck around the paddles ice-cream soft-scoop and a puddle of booze in the bottom going nowhere.

At this point.losing the will to live, I gave up. Back to scoop, scoop, scrape, scrape, gooey hands because it's hard to scrape out frozen ice-cream with wooden spoons and plastic spatulas (musn't use sharp objects for fear of damage to the churn) I bunged in some more amaretto, stirred it all up, put it in the freezer and went to bed. I couldn't even havc a nice relaxing drink 'cos I felt too sick!

You really couldn't make it up for television. I've decided that next time I'm going the gelato route, no custard, no whisking, and loads of booze seems to be the only way to get ice-cream that isn't set like a brick.

It's obviously not going to be possible to make an ice-cream that is the texture of bought, even B&J's is hard straight from the freezer.

So, the Amaretto/Apricot Swirl is still a work in progress, I'll let you know the next bit of the saga when I summon the energy to have another go, it needs to be soon though before all the cream in my fridge turns into cheese!

SMS xx

I don't mind if you want to share that saga, I can only type it once.
S xx

Thank you for your reply Irish, in my internet searching I've come across the vodka idea, do you actually taste it though or do you use it just for its 'un'setting quality?
sms

I've got to ask - what is a bucket list? and how fabulous would a 9 day course in ice-cream making be? is that followed by a - How to lose weight quickly course?

That is a hilarious description. You have my complete empathy...

I looked it up in my Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream recipe book. It looks like you may be pushing the threshold a bit with the quantity.

This is what they have to say about liqueurs in ice cream:



I think Boomer's idea about soaking the fruit in the liqueur is probably going to have the best results. Here's what Ben and Jerry's has to say about adding fruit:



Here's their recipe for Kahlua Amaretto. It may help you figure out the liqueur quantity for your recipe.

They make it with their Sweet Cream Base 1 (recipe for that will follow).

Here are a few more recipes to help you judge the quantity for yours:

Amaretto Ice Cream

Bon Appétit | September 2001

Maestro, McLean, VA

yield: Makes about 4 cups
subscribe to Bon Appétit
Ingredients

* 1 1/2 cups whipping cream
* 1 1/2 cups whole milk
* 6 large egg yolks
* 3/4 cup sugar
* 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
* 3 tablespoons amaretto
* 1/3 cup coarsely chopped toasted almonds


Preparation

Bring cream and milk to simmer in heavy medium saucepan. Whisk yolks, sugar, and corn syrup in large bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in hot cream mixture. Return to saucepan; stir over medium-low heat until custard thickens and leaves path on back of spoon when finger is drawn across, about 5 minutes (do not boil). Strain into medium bowl. Chill until cold. Whisk in amaretto. Process in ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions. Fold in almonds. Transfer to covered container and freeze. (Can be made 1 week ahead. Keep frozen.)

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Amaretto Ice Cream

Ingredients:
3 eggs
2 cups milk
1 cup sugar
2 cups whipping cream
2 teaspoons vanilla
6 amaretti cookies -- crumbled
1/3 cup amaretto liqueur

Directions:
Beat eggs and milk together in a large saucepan. Add sugar. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until thickened, about 10 min. (Mixture should smoothly coat the back of a wooden spoon). Cool, then add cream and vanilla. Chill thoroughly. Begin soaking cookies in liqueur. Pour custard into ice cream maker; begin processing according to manufacturer's directions. About 1/3 of the way through, add the cookies, along with some (not all) of the liqueur. Continue processing. When processed, stir in remaining liqueur. Spoon mixture into airtight freezer container and freeze thoroughly.

Recipe Location: http://www.cdkitchen.com/recipes/recs/37/Amaretto_Ice_Cream1825.shtml

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Ah ha! Here's one with the Royal's measurements:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/food_and_drink/recipes/article4416539.ece

Amaretto ice cream
Always one of my favourite flavours at Italian gelati shops
Lucas Hollweg

Serves 4-6

300ml whole milk

90g caster sugar

3 medium egg yolks

3 tbsp amaretto

250ml chilled whipping cream

30g amaretti biscuits (I use the Lazzaroni brand, because it's sold in my local deli)

Use the milk, sugar and egg yolks to make a custard (see link). Stir in the amaretto, then chill. Once cold, stir in the cream, then churn in an ice-cream machine or still-freeze (see link). When the mixture is nearly firm, break the amaretti biscuits into pieces about the size of petits pois and stir in until evenly distributed.

After churning, scrape into a container, cover and freeze for 2 hours until firm enough to scoop. The alcohol should mean it's scoopable straight from the freezer; if not, let it soften for 10 minutes in the fridge before serving.

What I would do is make one of the Amaretto-flavored ice creams and use that as your base to add in some Amaretto-soaked apricots to intensify the flavor.

I wonder if using some almond milk would also help intensify the flavor. I am not familiar with the freezing properties of the stuff so it would be an experiment. Here's some info on the almond milk. You can buy it or make your own:

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-almond-milk.htm

Okay, here's someone's blog comment about using almond milk to make ice cream:

A bucket list is a list of things to do before you die...like climbing Mt. Everest or swimming with sharks or ... attending Penn State's ice-cream school lol. I think it came from the term 'kicked the bucket'.

For the record, I've never had a problem with my ice-cream concoctions ever being too soft after being placed in the freezer -- no matter how much alcohol I add. I even checked the freezer temp. thinking mine must be extra frigid lol.

I found an additive - food-grade glycerin - that helps in keeping it scoopable, but a lot of experimentation is needed to get the amount to add just right. Too little, the ice-cream still freezes like a brick and too much, the ice-cream takes on a slimy mouth feel with a kind of metallic aftertaste.

Mr.Irish has graciously volunteered to be the taste-tester lol.

You guys are truly great. I'm really, really grateful for all of your advice and help, I can't quite believe you took the time to do this much research for me. Thank You.
I'm a bit crestfallen that my brilliant idea for a brand new ice-cream ain't so brand new, it's been done before (and properly), but Heigh Ho I'll live.

I have though made an important discovery, (you all probably know this already, but just in case). When you make your own, you cannot no matter how much of an ice-cream piglet you usually are, eat a huge amount of it. I can quite happily sit with a tub of B&J's or HDz and before I realise it be scraping the bottom of an empty carton. With the ones I've made so far, even the plain vanilla, I only eat a modest bowlful, it would make me ill to eat vast quantities, therefore I've decided that making your own ice-cream makes it practically a Slimming Food!

S xx

I agree. My ice-cream maker is a 2-quart model, I think, and that's why I'm on a search for truly scoopable ice-cream recipes -- in case there are leftovers.

I do make a meal-replacement concoction using coconut milk and protein powder - I just don't use huge quantities of ingredients and I can eat the whole thing. Very filling and delish!

If it were only possible to ship it across the atlantic I'd be happy for you to be my taste tester Irish. Failing that, when I get it right (make that IF) I'll post the recipe and you can all have a go.
I've decided to have a go with liquid glucose instead of sugar in my next batch, you use it to stop the icing on christmas cakes from setting like lead and breaking your teeth, so I'm wondering if it will have a similar effect on the ice-cream. Don't know how it will react to freezing but nothing ventured. If that doesn't work I'll have a go with glycerine as you suggest.
S x

Do you think we should start a discussion on Ice-Cream as a Slimming Tool? I can just imagine the howls of dismay from the food nazis.

sms

Thank you for your replies B, the quantity thing was just a momentary brain freeze (pardon the pun) I know that 950ml of mix will make the total capacity of the machine, I just forgot the increasing volume of whisking thing!

I'm using dried apricots for my swirl, they have a better flavour, no extra liquid from juice and will make a nice thick puree when whizzed - I've got some soaking in liqueur as we speak ready for the final conquest.
S x

That's because most commercially produced ice creams are full of a lot of air. You can test this. Scoop out a half-cup of each into a bowl and let it melt. You'll notice the difference in liquid quantity between the commercial brand and your homemade ice cream.