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OT – HELP! Making Ice Cream

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MCR
MCR Posts: 270
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
I have been making homemade ice cream. I love the end product for the taste and rich texture but my problem is adding fresh fruit.

They freeze and become like flavored ice cube within the ice cream. How to integrate fruit into the ice cream?

Did some research on the internet but didn’t find the perfect solution yet.
- Adding sugar did succeed to extract some water but still not enough, seem to be working better with certain fruits.
- Adding alcohol, I should use the frozen fruit as floater in drink mix. The alcohol taste was too strong and would still freeze.

Is there a solution other than “puree”? I would like to have nice size chunk as you see with some cherry ice cream.

Thanks
Marc
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Comments

  • kolbdriver
    kolbdriver Posts: 403
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    marc, Ice cream is really hard to make on the egg!

    Otherwise, adding fresh fruit is a wonderful treet, however we have found that it does not do well unless eaten just after making. That's the best time anyway..





    .
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  • Brew'nQue
    Brew'nQue Posts: 44
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    When have you been adding the fruit? I add it in the last few minutes of churning. That gives it enough time to be distributed in the ice cream without all going to the bottom of the container...and without freezing too much. Of course if you freeze the ice cream solid before eating it, that won't solve your problem. (I like my homemade ice cream as soft serve)

    Also, if all else fails...you could just make vanilla ice cream, then add the fresh fruit on top of the already served ice cream.
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  • MCR
    MCR Posts: 270
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    Thanks for the comments...

    No, The Ice Cream was freeze for few hours and them transported on ice....

    I will be changing my habits by making the Ice cream last minute and serving soft.

    Thanks Again!
    Marc
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  • MCR
    MCR Posts: 270
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    Thanks for the comments...

    No, The Ice Cream was frozen for few hours like the night before if I recall and them transported on ice.... It was still frozen when served specially the blueberries.

    I will be changing my habits by making the Ice cream last minute and serving soft or serving the fruit on top as your mentioned. Just that specific time, We were travelling and wanted to keep the finish work to bare minimum.

    You have a good point with the fresh fruit, make ahead some simple vanilla ice ceam and serve with the available fruit or easily be able to serve multi flavors at the same meal.

    Again, Thanks!
    Marc
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  • Kailas
    Kailas Posts: 146
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    kolbdriver wrote:
    marc, Ice cream is really hard to make on the egg!

    Otherwise, adding fresh fruit is a wonderful treet, however we have found that it does not do well unless eaten just after making. That's the best time anyway..





    .

    I thought that was what "cold smoking" was for?

    duh!
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  • Kailas
    Kailas Posts: 146
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    oops
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  • Doug in Eggmonton
    Doug in Eggmonton Posts: 1,999
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    Maybe do both if you are avoiding last minute work, some of the fruit very fine and mixed with the ice cream when you are making it before hand and some to serve on top when serving.

    Doug
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  • PhilsGrill
    PhilsGrill Posts: 2,256
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    I have never been successful making ice cream on the egg for some unknown reason. :blush:
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  • MCR
    MCR Posts: 270
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    An other option...

    Thanks Doug.
    Marc
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  • MCR
    MCR Posts: 270
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    Maybe I should try cold smoking as well.... I think I need a Mini for proper cold smoking!
    Marc
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  • MCR
    MCR Posts: 270
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    Phil,

    Try this recipe. I never tried it myself but it should work.

    It's relatively easy and simple, the winter is the most important ingredient. No need for lump or charcoal...

    Set Wok on spider, stabilize dome temperature at 25º F or less.

    Pour cream, eggs, sugar and vanilla into the WOK, stir until you reach the desired texture. If you spread the cream evenly all around the Wok, it will firm-up even faster.

    Please post photos!
    Marc
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  • PineTree
    PineTree Posts: 53
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    What if you add some sugar and "roast" the fruit, to help take out more of the moisture, it should make them have a more concentrated flavor too, that you COULD do on the egg, low and slow. Use the macerated liquid in the ice cream and mix in the cooled fruit in at the end. I wonder if that would work? Sounds like a lot of testing needs to happen, let us know when and where, I bet you might have some help. -Trish
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  • MCR
    MCR Posts: 270
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    Trish,

    I tried what you describe. I heated some fruits (strawberries, blueberries and mango, seperately, 3 tests) in butter with sugar. It did not work! It’s like you mention probably need more testing and experimentation. I believe the fruit needed more heat than what I applied because the fruits still looking like fruits rather than looking jam or jelly.

    Thanks for your comments
    Marc
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  • Little Chef
    Little Chef Posts: 4,725
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    MCR: Have you tried adding thawed frozen fruit? (key word here is thawed when added to the churn). They are already softened and expelled enough liquid that it should work better than fresh. I would still toss with sugar and allow it to expell more liquid before adding.
    With fresh, there really is no option other than to slightly mash the fruit so the flesh is exposed, and mix with sugar and a pinch of salt. After about an hour, liquid should have been expelled, then sautee it off for a few minutes (think med-high heat) until the fruit is soft. Allow to cool, then add to the churning process just for the last couple of minutes. Water content + freezing = ice, so you have to reduce the interior water content of the fruit. Add the liquid from the fruit to the ice cream as well, and you have more concentrated flavors.
    Keep us posted! And dang...I just put my ice cream freezer bowl in the freezer. Thanks for the craving! :laugh:
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  • MCR
    MCR Posts: 270
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    Michelle,

    No, I did not try the thawed/frozen fruit but I tried the sugar for few hours, also sautee at medium heat on fresh fruit.

    I never taught about the freeze & thaw process to eliminate the water content from the fruit. I might try it with fresh fruit later this summer.

    Thanks for your ideas.
    Marc
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