Ice Cream maker - who has one?

Raymond Lin · 2 Jul 2011 at 02:00

Simply put, I want to get an ice cream machine. There is always ice cream in my freezer, whether it is vienetta, cornetto, Ben & Jerry's Haagen daz etc. So I thought why not try it myself. All it seems it takes is getting the base right, and then experiment to the max for some funky results.

What particularly interest me is making my own frozen yogurt...can't for the life of me find anything other than Cherry Garcia! and at £4 a tub it isn't cheap.

So after doing some research, it seems the machine with a built in compressor are the best bet. Mainly for 2 reasons.

1 - No need to chill the bowl a day or over night before hand. So if i want to make ice cream on impulse, i can.

2 - I saw some youtube vide, the "bowl" for the machine i wanted to get are WAY huge, it doesn't look like it will fit in my freezer, not without taking some food out.

With the 2 above, the lack of planning (i am too impulsive when it comes to food) and can't keep the bowl in the freezer all the time it means i will seldom use it.

Which leaves the option of getting one of those with a built in compressor which after some research....this one.

Gaggia Ice cream maker

It is a little pricey (though it is the same price as my Gaggia espresso machine), but for a life time of fresh ice cream?

Anyone got an ice cream machine? whether a bowl one or a compressor one? If you got a bowl one, did you wish you got one with a compressor or vice versa?

Azza · 2 Jul 2011 at 02:07

How often do you eat ice cream?! £200 seems a lot! :eek:

Raymond Lin · 2 Jul 2011 at 02:10

Azza said:
How often do you eat ice cream?! £200 seems a lot!

It's not £200 for a month, i am expecting this to last yearssssssssssssss.

Reading reviews, some lady had the previous model for 10 years and still working, that's £20 a year! I've had my Gaggia Espresso machine 3.5 years now and that was £200 too.

Azza · 2 Jul 2011 at 02:23

Ah okay fair enough. I say go for it if they last that long, it's stylish as well, as style goes for ice cream makers.

May as well pay for a quality product instead of an Argos value thing for a tenner which breaks after the 2nd attempt of using it!

How do you make ice cream in it any way, different flavours etc?

Raymond Lin · 2 Jul 2011 at 09:36

You make the base, which mostly a custard like liquid. You pour it in and press the button. If you put the custard straight into a freezer it'll be a block of hard solid ice. In the machine because it is turning all the time it stops that crystalisation, so you get a smooth product in the end. The different ice cream comes from different flavours you chuck in while it is turning. Ie smash up some Ferrero Roche for Ferrero Roche flavour. Mint & mango? Done (but you should caramelise the mango in a pan first to break it down a little and let it cool down beforehand) the possibilities are endless.

oli collett · 2 Jul 2011 at 13:12

I've got one - it's ace. Expensive, yes, but the results are far better than what you'd get out of a pre-freeze one.

syke · 2 Jul 2011 at 13:15

I have a Philips HR2304, just a cheapish one - but I don't always make ice cream, and the freezer disk is always in the freezer, so I can make ice cream when I decide. It makes 1L at a time, which is enough for me. Will buy another freezer disk though..to make more than one ice cream at a time. Doesn't take too long either. Would buy a more expensive one, but haven't got THAT into making ice cream yet..

Raymond Lin · 2 Jul 2011 at 14:18

oli collett said:
I've got one - it's ace. Expensive, yes, but the results are far better than what you'd get out of a pre-freeze one.

Which one have you got? I've read some of them are rather loud in operation. The Gaggia one is over 12kg so it can't be moved around and it says it shouldn't either as if you do, you need to wait 24 hours for the coolant to settle first before using it.

oli collett · 2 Jul 2011 at 20:06

Raymond Lin said:
Which one have you got? I've read some of them are rather loud in operation. The Gaggia one is over 12kg so it can't be moved around and it says it shouldn't either as if you do, you need to wait 24 hours for the coolant to settle first before using it.

I've got the cuisinart one - I don't think there's much to chose between them really as they work in v much the same way, I don'tknow if some have a bigger capacity though

They are loud yes, but it's only for ~35mins while it's churning. Not moving it could be a pain, I don't think it's an issue if you just move it horizontally, it's when you start turning it that it becomes a problem.

mangobreeder · 2 Jul 2011 at 22:16

they are quite big, would it fint in your mums kitchen?

personally, i try not to get one task gadgets, as they just tend to take up space.

Hxc · 2 Jul 2011 at 22:37

I work at a place that sells a £290~ Cuisinart and it does make fantastic ice cream, obviously at a price though! Makes 1.5litres a go

Raymond Lin · 8 Jul 2011 at 23:38

I think i am going to get one....will worry about the space later lol

Ahleckz · 8 Jul 2011 at 23:51

I had one, it was such a faff that it was used about twice and then lived at the bottom of the cupboard and never loved, or indeed missed, ever again.

Raymond Lin · 8 Jul 2011 at 23:52

Ahleckz said:
I had one, it was such a faff that it was used about twice and then lived at the bottom of the cupboard and never loved, or indeed missed, ever again.

Which one did you have?

Ahleckz · 8 Jul 2011 at 23:53

Raymond Lin said:
Which one did you have?

I couldn't tell you I'm afraid. Much like one night stands, I can't remember the name of the unloved ice cream maker.

shroomz · 8 Jul 2011 at 23:53

why not go the Heston Blumenthal way: beater + LN2? :cool:

Would love to make my own ice cream some time

Hairybudda · 9 Jul 2011 at 00:08

LN2: it's all fun until someone loses a bollock

Ahleckz · 9 Jul 2011 at 00:11

Can the general public buy LN2?

Raymond Lin · 9 Jul 2011 at 00:12

LN2? Liquid Nitrogen?

Ahleckz · 9 Jul 2011 at 00:17

Yea.

A quick google shopping search shows it's bloody expensive stuff!