Ice Cream Help please!

[GypsiAnsara]

Vitamix or ice cream maker?
I have a Vitamix, but what I've tried to make so far hasn't come out very well and is usually more like a super thick smoothie. So I was thinking of investing in the automatic ice cream machine I saw at the cook shop.

I'd like to make enough to save in the freezer. This is mostly for my daughter - I'd really like to stop buying the soy dream she likes, but haven't been able to make a suitable substitute yet.

Any favorite recipes or helpful tips you'd like to share?

Cheers!

[eachpeachpearplum]

I have a great list of recipes from the raw ice cream book: Vice Cream. Send me a mail and I will send it to you.:) :p

http://www.rawfoodtalk.com/showthread.php?t=9872 Post #10 has a pic of one of the ice creams I made!

Cheers,

EPPP

BTW: I have the cuisinart ice cream maker, very simple just stick bowl in freezer. dessert is done in 15min at the time it was $40!

[Revvell]

We just use a food processor. It's sooooo easy.

Revvell

[Rawkinlocs]

I think my ice cream is very good and my kids LOVE it...I make vanilla, strawberry and chocolate. For me, the key is to (as Revvell stated) use a food processor and also, to add some "creme" to the frozen banana ice cream to make it really creamy and scoopable.

I have a recipe on my site: (Note: I use bananas AND cashew creme because to me, it balances out perfectly. With bananas only, it can be "too banana-y" and not really creamy nor scoopable enough. With the cashew-only base, it's too, "cashewy" and almost too rich. But having the combination of the two is a perfect combination, IMHO and to date, I have had great success with freezing the remaining ice cream in a container and being able to scoop it out!)

Vanana-Banilla Ice Cream
by Cherie King
www.eatlivingfood.com/recipes.htm

A creamy, rich and delicious dairy-free confection! You' WON'T miss the bad stuff with this!

3-5 really ripe bananas that have been peeled and frozen solid
dash or two of sea salt
1/2 - 1 tsp. vanilla
1/8-1/4 c. cashew creme (recipe immediately below this recipe)

Blend all ingredients in food processor. Blend until the consistency of soft serve ice cream. Serve immediately.

Variations:
-Top with raw chocolate sauce, nuts and berries for a delicious, raw and living ice cream sundae (as pictured on my site)
-Add nuts of choice into the ice cream and pulse chop
-Add strawberries into the ice cream for strawberry ice cream or any other fruit of choice
-Add raw cacao powder or raw carob powder into the ice cream for a "chocolate" ice cream.

Cashew Creme
Blend 1/2-1 c cashews with 1-2 c water (in other words, 1 part cashews to 2 parts water) until smooth. If you do not own a high-powered blender such as the Vitamix, soak the cashews for a couple of hours or so first, drain and then blend with water. After adding what is needed to your ice cream recipe, any left-overs can be frozen in an ice cube tray and then the frozen cubes of creme can be blended with the frozen bananas in the ice cream recipe.

If you try it, please let me know how it turns out for you!

[eachpeachpearplum]

Rawkinlocs: Oooo that's sounds perfect I will HAVE to try it. I agree that the all nut ones can be to rich. I loved the texture of the RFRW recipe but I am not a coconut fan and no matter what you do it is made with coconuts and therefor tastes like coconut . But your idea of combining banana sounds like a perfect solution!:p

[StarFire]

I was just gunna say I use my fp also...

normally I use
frozen bananas
frozen coconut milk (not water but the milk)
a small drizzle of agave
1 or 2 vanilla beans
then sometimes I will add fresh or frozen fruit!!

so as I'm scrolling down the page ... THEN... I read RAWKINLOCS RECIPE --- OMG!!! thanks Rawkinlocs for posting that!! I'm definitely going to try it!

http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s43/FireStar_830/23_30_109.gif

[GypsiAnsara]

Oh this is all such a great help!!
I think my problem was using too much banana. So I need to balance that. I'm going to try my various machines with your recipes here - and see how well they keep. Hope it works because I don't think I have any more room for appliances!!!
Thank you everyone!
:D