10-05-28
By Lori Weisberg
When the slight chill of spring gradually gives way to the warmth of
summer, thoughts and cravings turn to sun-soaked afternoons on the water,
outdoor barbecues and, of course, the cooling comfort of ice cream.
Sure, we can turn to our always reliable friends at Ben & Jerry's,
Haagen-Dazs and Baskin-Robbins to satisfy our primal urge for this most
elemental of desserts, but instead of heading to the nearest ice cream
parlor or supermarket freezer case, why not make it ourselves as a way to
celebrate the summer holidays?
With little more than a moderately priced electric machine, a saucepan,
cream, eggs and sugar, you can churn your way to bliss with homemade
versions as basic as vanilla and chocolate and as elegant as caramel pecan
laced with a crunchy brittle.
Whatever your passion, there is nothing quite so satisfying and instantly
gratifying as ice cream prepared at home using a touch of inspiration and
quality ingredients, free of all the additives and stabilizers commonly
found in the store-bought varieties.
While there are a couple of key steps that require a watchful eye when
making the custard base used in many ice creams, the process itself is
relatively simple and can be honed after just a couple of test runs. And if
you want to try more healthful options, fruit-laden sorbets are an ideal way
to satiate one's desire for a still silken frosty dessert.
"With some of the trends in food right now and the economy, people are
getting back to our roots, which is more family time and doing things
together, and making your own ice cream at home is a great way to get the
kids involved," said pastry chef Melissa Logan of the Grand Del Mar resort
in San Diego. "And using a machine, you get to reap your reward almost right
afterward, plus it makes you feel good. You feel like, 'Wow, I can actually
do this myself just like Grandma churned her ice cream at home.'"
The rich creaminess and velvety texture we associate with top-flight ice
creams derive largely from the heavy cream and milk that, when melded with
egg yolks, form the foundation of the custard base, not unlike the process
used to make a pot de creme or vanilla dessert sauce.
While ice cream can be prepared at home without the use of eggs, the end
product won't be quite as rich. Gelatos typically do not use eggs, but
purists say a special machine is needed to make them because their denser,
stickier texture is defined by having less air whipped into them.
The key thing to remember when making custard-based ice creams is to take
care to temper the eggs when incorporating them into the hot cream and milk
so as not to scramble them. This may take a little practice, but with
patience and keen attention, it will make a big difference in the texture
and consistency of your base.
Once the milk, cream and sugar are heated, the egg yolks are slowly eased
into the mixture through a tempering process in which a portion of the hot
liquid is slowly blended into the eggs to avoid shocking them. Then comes
the stage where a little more finesse is required.
"It's just a slow and low process, meaning you want a low heat and take
it slow," advises Logan. "Use a heat-resistant rubber spatula instead of a
whisk, which can't get into all the crevices, and constantly scrape the
bottom of pan as it slowly thickens. We'll take our spatula and pull it out,
and when you can draw a line through the sauce with your finger, it's done."
James Foran, the pastry chef at Market Restaurant and Bar in Del Mar,
Calif., suggests using a double boiler as opposed to cooking the custard
over direct heat to further ensure that the yolks will not curdle. He offers
a technique that he uses in the restaurant to avoid overcooking the custard
base.
"I put the sugar in the milk and cream and bring it to a scald, which
prevents the milk and cream from scorching," said Foran, who's so fond of
ice cream he incorporates it into the Market dessert menu year-round. "When
you add sugar, it takes a hotter temperature to bring it to a boil. When I
temper that hot mixture with the eggs, I don't have to further cook it. It's
usually done."
Before even getting to the heating process, it's a good idea to have an
ice bath ready to help hasten the cooling of the base, especially when eggs
are involved. Once the custard has cooled, it's best to refrigerate the
mixture overnight, not only to further cool it down but to give added
flavorings like lemon zest or vanilla time to permeate the mixture.
Ice cream provides an ideal opportunity for taking advantage of in-season
fruits, like berries and various stone fruits, which can be pureed or
chopped and mixed into the custard base. For an even more intense fruit
flavor, sorbets are the way to go and require not much more than sugar,
water and an infusion of fruit juice or puree.
Where home cooks can get especially creative is with the add-ins that can
give your ice cream a little crunch and whimsy. David Lebovitz, the
Paris-based author of "The Perfect Scoop" cookbook, likes to enhance his
ginger ice cream with candied peanuts, or he'll raid the icebox for some
leftover brownies or homemade peppermint patties to enliven a vanilla or
mint ice cream.
Logan, too, is a fan of sweet and crunchy additions. Just remember, she
says, to fold those in after churning the ice cream while it's still
relatively soft.
"You get to, in essence, be Ben and Jerry and play with different
things," she said. "When I eat ice cream, I like something crunchy. For
example, I'll do an espresso macadamia nut crunch in the restaurant. It's
great fun, especially with little kids, because they can make up their own
flavors, like chopping up a candy bar, or you can make a caramel sauce and
drizzle that in the ice cream after it's churned."
When it comes to choosing the machine you'll use to freeze the ice cream,
most home cooks will likely opt for the canister style in which you
pre-freeze the metal container that is filled with a liquid coolant. The
only downside is that the canisters do require freezer space and they must
be refrozen for each batch of ice cream.
Alternatively, there are self-refrigerating models that have a built-in
compressor but are far more costly.
In its upcoming fall issue of Cook's Illustrated, America's Test Kitchen
will rate the six models it tested, including both the self-refrigerating
and canister types. Of those that require pre-freezing, the favorite was
Cuisinart's ICE-20, which sells for $50. Among the self-refrigerating, the
top pick was the Whynter ice cream maker, which retails for $220, according
to Jack Bishop, editorial director for America's Test Kitchen. The ice cream
made in each was equally good, he said.
Bishop pointed out that ice cream churned at home with a machine is
preferable to the store-bought variety simply because it hasn't been
refrozen repeatedly as it makes its way from the manufacturer to the
supermarket and then to your freezer. He noted that after ice cream is
churned in the canister-style home machines, it needs to stay in the freezer
for a couple of hours to harden.
But then, who can really wait that long?
Lori Weisbert writes about food for The San Diego Union-Tribune.
COPYRIGHT 2010 THE SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE.
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