Blackcurrant ice cream

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Blackcurrant ice cream
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judith

Joined: 16 Dec 2004
Posts: 22789
Location: Montgomeryshire

Posted: Tue Mar 15, 05 10:34 am Post subject:
Well, the stirring in the ripple part was a bit of a disaster, but I don't think the ice cream suffered as a result. Not if the empty tupperware box is anything to go by

cab

Joined: 01 Nov 2004
Posts: 32429

Posted: Tue Mar 15, 05 10:41 am Post subject:

Judith wrote:

Well, the stirring in the ripple part was a bit of a disaster, but I don't think the ice cream suffered as a result. Not if the empty tupperware box is anything to go by

Ahh, yes, you have to be really gentle with the ripple. Make some swirls in the almost set ice cream as gently as you can... Still, it sounds like a resounding success

When they come into season, try making a double raspberry ripple. It's even better.

Foghorn

Joined: 23 Nov 2004
Posts: 49
Location: Barcombe, E Sussex

Posted: Tue Mar 15, 05 12:21 pm Post subject:

An alternative - and considerably easier - approach is to make gelato. Simply process 225g blackcurrants with about 200ml of water, add 170g caster sugar, and then add 50g double cream. I have an ice-cream maker which lives in the freezer. When needed, I take it out, pour in the mixture and leave (out of the freezer) for about 20 mins. Works brilliantly with raspberries - haven't tried blackcurrants yet, so you might need to adjust the sugar content.

Bugs

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 10744

Posted: Tue Mar 15, 05 12:27 pm Post subject:

Do people think an ice cream maker is worth the hassle?

Last summer saw enormous success with Delia's easy vanilla ice cream recipe (but cost wise it was not worth it, and you can't buy organic condensed milk that I can see); and raspberry and blackcurrant yoghurt ripple mmmmm. Both done with my own fair paws (and a bit of help from the Braun to begin with

). We also like sorbets and I will have a go at this gelato - looking for something cold and lickable that isn't quite as bad for you as icecream.

I'm almost certainly not going to buy one, no space, but I wondered if it makes a big difference to the texture/how easy to make.

cab

Joined: 01 Nov 2004
Posts: 32429

Posted: Tue Mar 15, 05 12:38 pm Post subject:
Our ice cream maker gives us a softer, smoother ice cream, and it does so faster than we achieve in the freezer. It's a handy gadget.

Bugs

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 10744

Posted: Tue Mar 15, 05 12:45 pm Post subject:
Have you got one you freeze the bowl of, or a fancy one with its own freezing thing, Cab?

cab

Joined: 01 Nov 2004
Posts: 32429

Posted: Tue Mar 15, 05 12:45 pm Post subject:

Bugs wrote:

Have you got one you freeze the bowl of, or a fancy one with its own freezing thing, Cab?

One where you freeze the bowl. The fancy ones are WAY too expensive, and WAY too big.

Bugs

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 10744

Posted: Tue Mar 15, 05 12:47 pm Post subject:
That's what I thought. Do you know the make of yours? They all seem more or less the same though. I am not going to get one. I do not need one. No indeed. No.

cab

Joined: 01 Nov 2004
Posts: 32429

Posted: Tue Mar 15, 05 12:49 pm Post subject:

Bugs wrote:

That's what I thought. Do you know the make of yours? They all seem more or less the same though.

I am *not* going to get one. I do *not* need one. No indeed. No.

No. You're not going to get one. I believe you. I really do. Honest.

Off the top of my head I can't remember the make. Remind me to look later.

judith

Joined: 16 Dec 2004
Posts: 22789
Location: Montgomeryshire

Posted: Tue Mar 15, 05 1:04 pm Post subject:

Bugs wrote:

That's what I thought. Do you know the make of yours? They all seem more or less the same though.

I am *not* going to get one. I do *not* need one. No indeed. No.

That's where I am with the concept of the pasta maker. I *know* I don't need one, I won't use it, yadda, yadda, yadda. But all this talk of fresh pasta in other threads is making me jealous.

I have a really el cheapo manual ice cream maker. It is one stage up from the tupperware box and fork method, but only just!

Vic

Joined: 16 Feb 2005
Posts: 387
Location: Sherborne, Dorset

Posted: Tue Mar 15, 05 2:29 pm Post subject:

We've got one of those bowls inthe freezer ones and I can't remember the name of it either...but it is a very useful thing to have.

Sorbets are always a good less fattening option - can't remember the exact recipe from Elizabeth David (its one of those days) but you dissolve the sugar in the water, boil for five minutes, and cool. Cook the blackcurrants for about 15 minutes with a bit of sugar, then press through a sieve. combine with the watersugar mix and its yummy. a word of warning tho - adding cassis gives it an extra depth but don't add the cassis until very near the end otherwise you'll have problems with it actually freezing.

thos

Joined: 08 Mar 2005
Posts: 1139
Location: Jauche, Duchy of Brabant (Bourgogne-ci) and Charolles, Duchy of Burgundy (Bourgogne-�a)

Posted: Tue Mar 15, 05 2:41 pm Post subject:

My six-year old wanted an ice cream maker for Christmas. I know she wanted one of those children's ones you where you mix the powder with water, but I brought her a proper one (EUR20 through ebay - nothing is too good for my daughter). We are still experimenting, but have made some really awful ones.

The real problem is maintaining the consistency. I do not know whether it is because it is a cheapo machine or the ingredients or whether they are all like that, but the icecream stops freezing after 20-30 minutes when it is still quite soft. When I transfer the mixture to a container it flops a bit and when I take it out of the freezer it is solid.

Can I get home-made icecream to the consistency of the bought stuff or is that why the commercial producers add all those emulsifiers?

dougal

Joined: 15 Jan 2005
Posts: 7184
Location: South Kent

Posted: Tue Mar 15, 05 3:08 pm Post subject:

thos wrote:

... but the icecream stops freezing after 20-30 minutes when it is still quite soft. When I transfer the mixture to a container it flops a bit and when I take it out of the freezer it is solid ...

No expert, but it sounds like the bowl (freezer?) might not be cold enough, or the quantity or temperature of the mixture too high, or even that the room temperature might be higher than the manufacturer allowed for...
In that situation, its probably simplest to pre-chill the mix a little harder than you have been, so the "coolth" of the bowl has less work to do...

PS - A �300 Gaggia seems to be half that price in Italy. And I admit that at *that* price, I do quite fancy one... OK, it takes up space, doesn't take to being moved before its used and I really don't need more clutter, but I do quite fancy one.

Foghorn

Joined: 23 Nov 2004
Posts: 49
Location: Barcombe, E Sussex

Posted: Tue Mar 15, 05 5:13 pm Post subject:

I have a two piece stainless steel thing made by a company called Midas - it cost about �40 and was a good investment. You simply freeze it for 7 hours, then take it out of the freezer and add the mixture. It is ready in 20 mins. No moving parts, no hassle, easy to clean.

Problems with texture and consistency usually arise when the wrong amount of sugar is used, in my experience. It's usually a case of trial and error to get it right.

cab

Joined: 01 Nov 2004
Posts: 32429

Posted: Tue Mar 15, 05 5:22 pm Post subject:

thos wrote:

It'll always have a tendency to hardness when it's been frozen, but when fresh it can have a heavently texture. It takes a long time to get soft out of the freezer, but it's worth the wait. I take it out when serving the main course, and serve it after the main course has started to digest.

It helps to get the ingredients all REALLY cold before putting them in to churn, and it'll help to practice with the amount of sugar and lemon juice you need. Err on it being ever, ever so slightly too acid and too sweet, and odds are the texture and flavour will be perfect.

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