This is my new way to make ice-cream. For bulk I make up the mixture for 3 batches and store in the fridge until it’s cool, usually overnight, and just churn each, one at a time on the same day, in succession.
During September and October we get 2 goose eggs each day so I make ice-cream a couple of times each week and usually make a large ice cream cake or an assortment of ice cream flavours for Christmas desert and for the coming year.
In 2019 and I completely changed the way I make ice cream. I was never happy with the taste and texture of my ice cream. It had the best quality ingredients but there was sometimes an oily mouth feel and it was rock hard. It was not as amazing as it should have been considering the cost of the ingredients, time and effort that was involved.
I bought a new ice cream machine which has the refrigeration built in and I worked on getting air into what was my normally rock hard ice cream.
The first revolution came when I beat the egg yolks and sugar together in the stand mixer until the sugar had dissolved and the mix was a pale, almost fluffy, yellow. Half of the milk/cream mixture was put in the freezer to get it really cold and the other half heated to 80°C. The hot milk was added to the whisked egg and sugar in the stand mixer to be tempered then it was transferred back to the saucepan and heated while stirring until it reaches 80°C. It was then strained into the super cold cream/milk mixture, refrigerated then churned.
The next revolution came when I decided that a few steps could be omitted by using the high speed food processor instead of the stand mixer. The mixer jug and a second large jug, a saucepan and a silicone spatula are the only things that are needed, no ice bath, no mixer bowl, sieve, or whisk. It’s very quick and efficient.
LARGE BATCH FRENCH STYLE ICE-CREAM in the high speed processor
This is a great, quick way to make a few batches of ice-cream without a lot of effort. This gives three x 1 litre batches of ice cream in my machine. The cooking and mixing is done in one go and then churned one batch at a time, in succession.
Although the proportions of milk, cream and egg yolks doesn’t seem to make much difference I have decided to use a weight for the yolks so it doesn’t matter what type of eggs I use. In my house it could be chicken, duck or goose. These are home grown eggs, not graded so the sizes can vary depending on the age, what time of year and breed of poultry.
This recipe uses whole contaner quantities of cream and milk, I hate waste and I hate having things hanging around in the fridge.
I often doouble this but it really gets messy trying to handle the size of the batch.
Things to get together
- a bowl or large jug (not necessary if a high-speed mixer is involved)
- a large saucepan
- a high speed food processor/blender
- 2 empty 2 litre milk cartons or 2 litre jugs
- containers to store the ice-cream in when finished. I use 1 litre containers.
- an instant read thermometer
- rubber spatula
Ingredients
- 600 ml cream (1 x 600ml)
- 2000 ml milk (1 x 2 litre)
- 425g white sugar (can use brown for a taste difference)
- 225g egg yolks
- 2 tsps vanilla extract
- Pinch salt
- 1 shot of alcohol of choice per churned batch, choose your flavour depending on the flavour of the ice-cream.
- optional add-ins
- optional flavours
Method
- This requires a huge jug – around 3 litres or put half the milk and cream into a jug and the rest of the cream into the 2 litre milk container. Shake and stir to mix. It is a good idea to have an additional milk container for after the mix is turned into custard.
- Put the jug of milk and cream into a saucepan. Add the vanilla to the remaining mix, put the lid on and shake well. Place the milk container in the freezer or fridge. It needs to be cold enough to cool the custard to stop it turning to scrambled eggs,
- Put the yolks, salt, and sugar in the bowl in a high speed food processor.
- Then process until the sugar is dissolved and the mix has changed to a creamy pale yellow.
- Meanwhile heat the cream mix in the saucepan, on medium heat, stirring occasionally, until small bubbles are forming on the edges and it is just simmering. It should be a bit over 85°C, but it doesn’t really matter. I have overheated many times.
- If you are infusing flavour into the mix it is good to add the flavour to the milk/cream mix and heat on low for at least half an hour. For something like mint or lemon myrtle remove the herbs after this time then start whipping the eggs and sugar. Remove the leaves or infusion ingredients before adding to the egg yolks.
- When the egg mixture is light and creamy coloured pour the warmed milk slowly into the egg mixture, with the machine running slowly. This tempers the egg mix.
- Meanwhile get out the super cold milk and cream mix and pour off half into another jug. Have them both ready for the custard when it is ready to come out.
- Turn the mixer up to high speed and insert a digital thermometer in the top and wait until the temperature reaches 83ºC.
- Immediately it hits temperature add half to each container of the cold cream/milk mix and shake or stir to bring the temperature down quickly.
- Put each of the mixes into the freezer to chill quickly or into the fridge over-night before churning.
CHURNING
- Briefly shake or stir each batch before adding to the churn. Add the custard and a shot of alcohol to the churn. Choose something that complements the flavour. The alcohol helps to stop the ice cream setting too hard. The mix should be just above the paddle. It will expand as it chills.
- Add any flavours and add-ins that need to be fully incorporated. Leave the things that should be in chunks, like cookie dough or chocolate chunks, until the churn is nearly complete
- Churn until set.
- Put the churn tub into the freezer for an hour to continue setting or put the custard straight into the container it will be stored in.
- Don’t forget to lable the containers with the flavour.
Biscoff biscuits make amazing ice-cream sandwiches.
SINGLE BATCH FRENCH STYLE QUICK ICE-CREAM in the stand mixer
This ice cream lasts longer and is creamier than one made without eggs, the ultimate ice cream, as our tasters say it is “to die for”
Things to get together
- a bowl or large jug and a sieve set over it
- a saucepan
- a stand mixer with a whisk attachment
- an instant read thermometer
- rubber spatula
Ingredients
- 300ml cream
- 500ml milk
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 goose egg yolks (or 5 chicken yolks)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch salt
- 1 shot of alcohol of choice
- optional add-ins
- optional flavours
Method
- Measure the milk and cream into a jug, stir to mix.
- Put half of the milk and cream mix into a wide based saucepan. Add the vanilla to the remaining mix in the jug, stir well and place the jug in the freezer or fridge.
- Put the yolks, salt, and sugar in the bowl in stand mixer set with the whisk attachment. Stir with a rubber spatula until combined. Then whisk until the sugar is dissolved and the mix has changed to a creamy pale yellow. It may be necessary to scrape the sides and base with the spatula a couple of times.
- While the eggs are being whisked heat the milk/cream mix in the saucepan, on medium heat, stirring occasionally, until small bubbles are forming on the edges and it is just simmering. It should be a bit over 80°C.
- Put the ice cold mixture in a bowl beside the pan, with a sieve over it and have a spatula ready for stirring
- Pour the warmed milk slowly into the egg mixture into the stand mixer bowl, with the beater running slowly, to temper it, then add the mix back into the saucepan, on a medium/low heat, stirring continually until the temperature reaches 80ºC.
- Immediately add the hot mix through the sieve, to the milk/cream in the bowl of cold milk/cream, stirring to bring the temperature down quickly.
- Put the mix into the freezer to chill quickly or into the fridge over-night before churning.
CHURNING
- Put the container that the ice-cream will be stored in into the freezer.
- Add the custard to the churn with a shot of alcohol. Choose something that complements the flavour. The alcohol helps to stop the ice-cream setting too hard.
- Add any flavours and add-ins.
- Churn until set.
- Put the churn tub into the freezer for an hour to continue setting or put the custard straight into the cooled container that it will be stored in.