Allow me to explain. Instead of going to the movies, my boyfriend and I make ice cream on Friday nights. And over four years, we’ve observed ourselves in some taste territories higher left uncharted. We’ve primarily based most of our adventures on a recipe from Cook’s Country’s sister guide, Cook’s Illustrated. It calls for the usage of an ice cream maker to create a delightfully rich and high-quality texture, and it can accommodate all styles of flavors and mix-ins.
An ice cream maker works by churning a mixture (typically milk, cream, sugar, and egg yolks) as it freezes to maintain the ice crystals small as they form and to incorporate air so that instead of a stable block of frozen milk, you have got silky, scoop-in a position ice cream.
But did we want to use the system? Last year, I discovered a recipe for a no-churn orange ice cream tucked in my editor’s grandmother’s recipe file. It called for whipping heavy cream in a blender to stiff peaks and then blending in sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, corn syrup, sugar, and citrus zest and juice, approximately a minute of labor: no ice cream gadget, no churning. You pop the blended mixture inside the freezer and wait.
The results rocked my world: Velvety, creamy, scoop-in a position ice cream. How should it be?
As I examine the element listing, one piece of the puzzle becomes clear. The whipped cream or, extra specifically, the air trapped inside it, stood in for the air typically integrated by an ice cream maker. But in my experiments, I found out that too much air turned into a hassle. When I used a stand mixer instead of a blender to whip the cream, I brought too much air and ended up with a texture similar to that of frozen whipped topping. Not bad; however, it wasn’t ice cream. I’d stay with the blender, which produces whipped cream that’s not quite as fluffy a nice right here.
The sweetened condensed milk and corn syrup called for within the heirloom recipe, each liquid sweetener, helped create a clean texture. I’d preserve those. I should update the evaporated milk with complete milk (which I had on hand) with no poor outcomes. Two cups of cream to one cup of sweetened condensed milk and 1/4 cup of whole milk turned into a satisfactory, maximum consistent ratio.
This simple system proved very adaptable. A hefty 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract and 1/4 teaspoon of salt (to enhance the flavor) produced an extreme vanilla ice cream with a texture that would keep a beneficiant scoop of add-ins.
Melted chocolate included superbly. Soft stir-ins, which include jams and caramel, took a bit extra experimentation, however with a few tinkering and a mild hand, I found the ratios that worked. With a blender, some pantry ingredients, and touch information, the ice cream global can be your oyster. (But please don’t put oysters in your ice cream or Brussels sprouts. Trust me.)
Dark Chocolate No-Churn Ice Cream
Dark chocolate, coffee powder, and a touch of salt (to enhance the flavor) produced intensely chocolaty ice cream. To melt the chocolate, microwave it in a bowl at 50 percent power for two to 3 minutes, stirring it now and then. The cream aggregate freezes faster in a loaf pan than in a taller, narrower box. If you don’t have a loaf pan, use an eight-inch rectangular baking pan.
Serves eight to ten (makes approximately 1 quart)
2 cups heavy cream, chilled
1 cup sweetened condensed milk
6 oz bittersweet chocolate, melted
1/4 cup whole milk
1/4 cup light corn syrup
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon instant coffee powder
1/4 teaspoon desk salt
Process cream in a blender until smooth peaks form, 20 to 30 seconds. Scrape down facets of the blender jar and keep to process till stiff peaks form, about 10 seconds longer. Using a rubber spatula, stir in condensed milk, melted chocolate, whole milk, corn syrup, sugar, vanilla, espresso powder, and salt. Process till very well blended, approximately 20 seconds, scraping down facets of blender jar as needed.
