Homemade Ice Cream

There's nothing like a bowl of homemade ice cream with its cold, creamy texture balanced with that fresh taste. If you crave making your own homemade ice cream all you need is a good ice cream freezer, a great recipe, the best ingredients and these tips.

1. Be familiar with the directions of your ice cream maker prior to choosing a recipe.

2. Make sure ice cream base is cold before putting it in the machine. Refrigerating overnight is preferred, but at least an hour or two will suffice.

3. Chill ice cream machine bowl and dashers/beaters prior to adding the ice cream base. This depends on your ice cream machine model and make.

4. Only fill ice cream container 3/4 full. Air is incorporated while mixing the ice cream base and it will rise to the top of the container.

5. Fruit should be ripe prior to adding it to the ice cream base. Puree or mash at least half, if not all of the fruit, for a deeper fruit flavor. Adding a little fruit extract will also enhance the flavor.

6. Additives such as chocolate, cookies, whole fruit and/or nuts should be in small chunks and pre-frozen before adding to ice cream.

7. Don’t add those ingredients until the very end of mixing. This keeps them from sinking to the bottom of the container. Mixing by hand prior to putting in the proper freezer container is preferred.

8. Pre-chill or freeze container to be used for ice cream.

9. Place ice cream in freezer for a couple of hours prior to serving, if possible.

10. Allow the ice cream to sit at room temperature for 10 minutes prior to serving. Serve your ice cream in chilled bowls, preferably glass.