In the summer heat, I crave ice cream all the time.  I’ve recently been looking into getting an ice cream maker and discovered there are a LOT of different options out here.  Here are of the different kinds of machines out there to consider.

 
Hand Crank Ice Cream Maker:  If you want to feel like you are putting the work into making your ice cream, then you can buy a hand crank machine.  This Aroma Ice Cream Maker features a die-cast hand crank and a solid pine bucket to make it feel old fashioned.  It will make 6 quarts of Ice Cream and at only $89 is a very affordable option.

Affordable Automatic Model: If you are looking for a basic model that will do the work for you, consider the Cuisinart Classic which can make both Ice Cream and Frozen Yogurt.  It is completely automatic, all you do is flip a switch and it will do all the work for you.  You’ll get a lot less volume than with the hand crack model, this machine makes only 1 and a half quarts at a time.  But It’s also the lowest price of the ice cream makers I looked at, only $59.95.
Soft Serve Dispenser Type: A really unique type of ice cream maker that I found, also by Cuisinart, is the Soft Serve Ice Cream Maker.  This one is really cool because it makes soft serve ice cream and dispenses it like you see in ice cream shops.  Plus it has an area to stack ice cream cones, and three condiment dispensers for sprinkles, chocolate chips or whatever else you want to top your ice cream with.  I was also surprised at the price, which is only $100.  However, this machine is also the biggest of the three and would be the hardest to store when not in use.

Ice Cream Maker Attachment: While not the cheapest option, this one was intriguing to me – Kitchen Aid makes an ice cream maker attachment for their mixer.  For $79, you get a mixer attachment freeze bowl that fits any Kitchen Aid stand mixer made after 1990.  It will make two and a half quarts of ice cream and is the easiest to store.

I’m pretty torn on which of the four to get because they are all so diverse.  Which one do you think I should get?

There are tons of ways you can cool off during the summer, but there’s nothing better than relaxing in the shade with a bowl of healthy homemade ice cream. It’s very easy once you know the steps and if done right, you would never notice the difference. One of my favorite ice cream flavors is strawberry, so here is an easy recipe.
First, you will need:

• A quart of fresh strawberries (hulled)
• 1 cup of heavy cream
• ½ cup of half & half
• 3 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 1 tablespoon of vanilla paste
• ¾ cup of white sugar
• 3 egg yolks

After you have these items, you begin by placing 1/3 of the strawberries into a blender (or a food processor), and blend them until the contents are completely smooth. You then add the remaining strawberries to the mix and turn on the blender for just a little while. Then pour the strawberry mix into a large bowl.

Next you will need to mix the heavy cream with the half & half you bought. Take a saucepan and pour in only 1 ¼ cup of the cream you mixed and heat it on medium; stop when it begins to bubble around the edges of the saucepan. Now, take a large bowl and put in the egg yolks, sugar, corn syrup and the remaining contents of the cream mixture. Stir it up as you slowly pour in the heated cream from the saucepan. Add the vanilla, then pour everything into the saucepan and heat until the sauce becomes thick (you will know this when the mixture is able to coat the back of your metal mixing spoon), which usually takes about five minutes. The mixture shouldn’t come to a boil this time around.

You can then squeeze strained (use a sieve) custard into the berry mix in your blender, mix it up and then place in the fridge until it has chilled. Use an ice cream maker to place the cream mixture in and freeze it (follow the instructions of the manufacturer).

Once frozen, you can pour on the strawberry toppings and enjoy!

If you’re planning to bust out that ice cream maker this summer, which I highly recommend you should, I have one tip to make the experience top!

EAT IT IMMEDIATELY!

Homemade ice cream does not keep well. It gets ice crystals in the freezer, so if you’re planning to have people over for sundaes, this is one job you shouldn’t do in advance. If for some reason you don’t finish it all and want to store it, the less you open the freezer door the better. Or you could take some of my overnight cookies (which do stay fresh longer) and make ice cream sandwiches. Yum!