Ice Cream Maker

[RawSunflower]

I need help understanding how raw ice cream turns out with a ice cream maker before I buy one. :confused: Does it get creamed in the maker and then I freeze separately in my freezer? Or does the whole machine go inside my freezer. My freezer is not that big, that's why I ask. :p

Also, I heard that raw ice cream in a self-defrosting fridge/freezer doesn't turn out as good as the old style fridges. :(

[raweater]

The cheap machines (under $300-400, which are normally $20-60) have a bowl filled with a liquid that keeps cold well, you keep this bowl stored empty in the freezer at all times when not using the machine. When you want to make ice cream, first make the cream mix in the blender with the flavorings you want (I use an equal amount of water and cashews or macadamias blended into a cream as the base for most of my ice creams).

When you're done making the mix in the blender, take out the ice cream machine's bowl from the freezer and put it in the ice cream machine, turn it on, and pour the mix in. In 10-30 minutes, depending on the quantity you're making, you'll have ready to eat ice cream.

The only problem I've had is that most ice creams will turn to a solid block of ice if you store it in the freezer, so be prepared to make ice cream fresh each time, it's really fast and easy anyway, identical to making a smoothie, except you then pour it in another machien and wait a few more minutes before it's done.

Also don't forget the bowl will need to be recharged in the freezer before you can make another batch, so you can at most make 2 batches a day.

The $300+ ones have a built in refrigeration system and do not need freezing a bowl and can make batch after batch.

I love my ice cream maker, I have the Cuisinart 2 quart model (for the 2 quart thinking how great it would be to make and store 2 quarts at a time, but as I said it doesn't quite work that way, I still am glad I got the 2 quart for when there are many guests and it's design is nicer than the smaller models and matches my other appliances, it's black/silver).

[nanetteb]

I used to have an old fashioned White Mountain ice cream maker. It was a wooden bucket and then you filled the outer part with rock salt and ice and the inner part with your ice cream ingredients. It made the best, fluffiest ice creams but I really had to be in the mood to make ice cream to haul it out and buy rock salt and make a lot of ice. It was also extremely loud.

Now I use the Cuisinart 1 1/2 quart ice cream maker. I haven't tried anything raw in it yet but I've used it for fruit juice sorbets and vegan ice creams made with tofu. I really try to get everything as cold as possible before adding it to the cylinder (I keep the inner cylinder in the freezer at all times) so I make the ice cream mixture first, chill that really well, then add to the ice cream maker. I agree with Raweater - the ice cream from the cylinder model type of ice cream makers is best eaten fresh.

[raweater]

I would recommend reading on www.mercola.com the dangers of soy products, especially tofu, they are very dangerous and contain many natural toxins, including naturally occuring MSG, carcinogens, neurotoxins, hormones, etc.

Raw ice craem will taste a million times better (it tastes better than any SAD ice cream) and won't cause you any diseases.

[nanetteb]

I'm really looking forward to trying some raw ice cream recipes as soon as the weather warms up. I did one raw recipe but it didn't use the ice cream maker - you just puree frozen bananas, almond butter, and raw agave nectar in the food processor. It was really good and I still have some in the freezer -oddly enough this concoction doesn't get rock hard in the freezer like most of my homemade ice creams.

[RawSunflower]

Thanks for the info. I really appreciate it. I am buying a used 4 quart ice cream maker and not sure if the "bowl" part will fit in my freezer. I just don't want to do all that travelling to go and pick it up if it won't fit. The person I'm buying isn't good at understanding these kinds of things.