Information and Tips for
Making Homemade Ice Cream

Information and Tips for Making Homemade Ice Cream ... all about adding fruit, yogurt, sugars, flavor, and more.

Yogurt - yogurt is basically fermented and coagulated milk. It is the result of milk sugars (lactose) being converted to lactic acid.

Yogurt is available with different fat content levels. If you use a yogurt with a fat content of less than 10 percent, there is a chance that it will separate in the ice cream mixture, and cause an icy layer. If the ice cream recipe calls for yogurt, try to use one with at least 10 percent fat content.

Fruit - including fruit in an ice cream recipe is the ingredient in the recipe which usually has the most variables. Texture, taste, water content, colour, and sweetness, or lack there-of, can all vary considerably, depending on how fresh your chosen fruit is. Fresh, ripe, (not over or under ripe fruit) of good quality, and in season, will produce the best ice cream.

---

---

Also, the sugar content of one particular fruit may vary greatly with the sugar content of another fruit. Raspberries, for example, have a lower sugar content than a banana. The amount of water per weight in each fruit varies as well. Therefore, the amount of sugar and water added to each recipe is calculated according to the fruit's natural content (which will vary according to the season).

Some people prefer to use only organic raspberries when available, for ice cream making. These people claim that the flavour of the resulting ice cream creation is more intense, and the pulp is free of sprays and pesticides.

Water - water from the faucet is quite variable in composition from one to another. For example, some water contains larger amounts of calcium and magnesium, resulting in "harder" water than other areas. This may affect the colour and texture of some foods, so if you would consider this a problem, it is recommended to use filtered, or bottled water.

---

---

Sugars - the type of sugar that is included in the ingredient list for ice cream recipes varies, here are examples of some of the sugar and sweeteners:

Extra-fine Sugar - this sugar is used in almost all ice cream recipes, unless otherwise specified. The smaller crystals allow extra-fine sugar to incorporate more air than other sugars, which makes it very suitable for creating a creamy, light, ice cream. The finer grains also dissolve faster, which is great when making syrup and custard ice cream bases.

Vanilla Sugar - you can purchase vanilla sugar, or you can make your own. To make your own vanilla sugar, add a vanilla bean to an airtight jar filled with extra-fine sugar and allow the flavour, and aroma, to infuse for one week or more.

Brown Sugar - brown sugar is basically white sugar with molasses added to it. Brown sugar is often used in a recipe when a richer, caramel flavour is desired. Examples of brown sugars include: soft brown sugar (light or dark), raw brown sugar(larger crystals), and molasses sugar.

---

---

Confectioner's (Icing) Sugar - confectioner's sugar is a powdery, very white coloured sugar that dissolves very quickly when added to a liquid.

Corn Syrup - corn syrup is a by-product of the sugar-refining process. Corn syrup adds distinctive flavour and colour to ice cream.

Maple Syrup - maple syrup is the boiled-down sap of certain types of maple trees. It gives a distinctive flavour and sweetness.

Honey - the flavour and aroma of honey depend on the flowers from which the nectar has been obtained. Generally, the darker the honey, the stronger the flavour. So, choose a honey based on how strong you want the flavour to be.

Here (below) are examples of ice cream maker machines.

I am very happy with my Cuisnart Pure Indulgence Ice Cream Maker (the first item below)

Click on the images below for more detailed product information and customer reviews.

Here follow suggestions for Ice Cream Recipe Books you may be interested in to try many different homemade frozen treats!

*Note - the one at the bottom right is for Vegan Diets

---

TOP of Tips for Making Homemade Ice Cream

RETURN to Raspberry Ice Cream Recipes

RETURN to Tips and How to

HOME to Homepage