Comment from lancellot

Excellent

A very nice little write. You have the skill of a master Ice cream maker. I liked the presentation and the steps were clear. You added a sprinkling of humor to keep up the readers interest and enjoyment. Nicely done.

 Comment Written 20-Apr-2014

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reply by the author on 20-Apr-2014

Thanks so much! :)

Comment from emrpoems

Excellent

I think you deserve a six for this.
Quite a surprise with this chapter. How to make ice cream. I thought somehow you would have tied in Ginger with the makig of the ice cream.

 Comment Written 19-Apr-2014

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reply by the author on 19-Apr-2014

LOL! I guess I could make gingerbread ice cream. :) Thanks for reading, Erica. I'm trying to get the six short works needed to be ranked in that category.

Comment from wordsmatter2me

Excellent

I first like the title, for this title is what attracted me to your story. I like that we have in common a practical home appliance. I like that the warm weather is coming and your story has provided much detailed information for making homemade ice cream with all the best quality ingredients.. I liked that I learned something new (sugar does not freeze).
Let's celebrate an day of ice cream together.

 Comment Written 18-Apr-2014

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reply by the author on 18-Apr-2014

Thank you so much. Hope you make some deeeelicious ice cream! I don't think I'll ever grow tired of it. Uh, oh. :)

Comment from michaelcahill

Excellent

My God, I was riveted to this piece. Hahaha!! I am so on board to buy an ice cream machine it isn't funny. Chocolate with crumbled up Heath bars, YES!!! Yep, through in Skor too. This is a great article with great practical detail and I think I could actually make ice cream if I keep this handy. Well done, mikey

 Comment Written 18-Apr-2014

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reply by the author on 18-Apr-2014

Thanks, Mikey. I just now added cherry pie ice cream to the list (which tastes exactly like cherry pie with ice craem on it). They are so easy to make, even a guy could do it. Honestly. You do not have to use the egg yolks if you want to avoid cooking the custard till it ALMOST boils (tricky). Just use 1/4 cup corn syrup instead along with NO MORE than 1/4 tsp each of guar and xanthum. Start with 1/8 of each and next time adjust if needed.

Recipe:

2 cups HEAVY or WHIPPING cream, not light or coffee cream. 1 cup whole milk or low fat milk with two teaspoons of cooking oil.

1/2 cup sugar. Add the gums to the sugar and mix well before dumping into the cream.

1/4 cup corn syrup.

Flavoring extract, such as one teaspoon vanilla.

For chocolate, melt semi-sweet chocolate in some of the milk and add back to cold mix, and/or use 1/3 cup (or to taste) of cocoa powder dissolved in hot milk. You may need to add more sugar to taste, since there are all kinds of chocolate, from mild milk to intense dark... they're all good! Add crushed candy bars (2) in the last minute or two when the ice cream is ready (about 20-25 min.)...

Then.... eat some then freeze some.

Comment from DonandVicki

Excellent

I have been looking for a good ice cream recipe rather than The run of the mill vanilla or chocolate. Well composed essay. Don

 Comment Written 18-Apr-2014

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reply by the author on 18-Apr-2014

Thanks so much! There are plenty online, but I've just begun to invent my own. Pick a base flavor and add "swirls" of any sauce, homemade or purchased, but swirling it on the bottom of the container and on top of each layer of fresh ice cream you add. I use a plastic squeeze bottle left from store-bought butterscotch sauce for my homemade ones or those that come in jars.

Also, you can add toasted nuts, small pieces of strawberry or frozen banana that's been microwaved to bring out flavor, whole berries of any kind, but I don't like the seeds in raspberries. Peaches are very popular but be sure they are very ripe, or use frozen fruits chopped up.

You can add sprinkles into the mix, crumbled Heath bars, Skor bars, Butterfinger (watch it.. crumbles fast so do overdo), bits of cookies, and my new favorite--tiny bits of peanut butter mixed well with powdered sugar, rolled in a rope and sliced then frozen. I put it in chocolate ice cream yesterday....yummy.

Be creative. If you like something, put it in your ice cream! On the web you can find all sorts of extracts for flavors you like, too. Fruit juices like montmorency cherry and grape are good natural flavorings. Which reminds me... I forgot to list my "cherry pie" ice cream!

Comment from adewpearl

Excellent

I like the humor and enticing tone in your opening.
It all sounds positively luscious. I'm not about to make the stuff since I own no cooking equipment and barely do more than boil water, but it was fun to read about and salivate over. LOL :-) Brooke

 Comment Written 18-Apr-2014

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reply by the author on 18-Apr-2014

Thanks a bunch, Brooke. I guess you'll have to keep going to Baskin Robbins, but I'm glad it sounded good. I just added 'cherry pie ice cream' to the list... that was one of the first I made and it's EXACTLY like pie with ice cream on top! :)

Comment from Tootsie

Exceptional

Wow You really gave your all on this one. Thanks for the wonderful recipes, I didn't even know ice cream had all these good things in it. I love ice cream and eat a lot of it, I don't know if I will do it myself , but it's sure tempting. It's easy to tell you have done hours of research for this piece and I for one really appreciate it.
Happy eating!!

 Comment Written 18-Apr-2014

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reply by the author on 18-Apr-2014

Thank you so verrry much for the six star review, Tootsie. You really ought to try it. If you don't have an ice cream machine, you can still make decent ice cream but it's more trouble. Find a recipe online that calls for 2 cups heavy cream and one cup whole milk, as most of them do to make one quart. Using egg yolks and corn syrup will help keep it smooth. Pour the mixture into a metal mixing bowl if you have one. Put it in a maximum cold freezer for a half hour, remove and QUICKLY beat with hand mixer, quickly return to freezer for a half hour, remove and whip air into it again, and repeat one or two more times. Before final freezing it should be like soft serve but perhaps more gritty. It will smooth out in final freezing.

Comment from sherryadalton

Exceptional

I saw no problems, and your recipe suggestions are amazing. The only draw back is a personal one; I am diabetic. I am afraid if I tried the icecream diet my blood sugar would go out the roof and my doctor would have me committed. The whole thing sounds great. Thank you for your ideas. Sherry Dalton

 Comment Written 18-Apr-2014

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reply by the author on 18-Apr-2014

Thank you so verrry much, Sherry. Really appreciate the six stars. I sent you a pm telling how diabetics can eat ice cream. My hubby has diabetes, and he has no problem with the recipes I make for him without sugar. And keep serving size down, of course... IF you can. :)

Comment from winespiller

Excellent

All though pretty complex for most people,this information is the kind of thing I love stumbling across.Good light mix of humor~much more would have been too much.

 Comment Written 18-Apr-2014

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reply by the author on 18-Apr-2014

Thank you so much for taking a look. Be careful with that wine... it stains. :)

Comment from jandeck

Excellent

Makes me want to rush right out and buy some ingriedients to make my own! I've never tried stablizers, but on your recomendation, I will try them.
Lovely article!

 Comment Written 18-Apr-2014

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reply by the author on 18-Apr-2014

Thanks so much, Jan! I hope it's delicious. :)