We have to show you our new toy. We just bought a new ice cream maker. Well, it's not exactly new; it's used and bought for a song off Craigslist. It was a steal of a deal!
So what makes this new ice cream maker so special?
This maker is an upgrade from our current Cuisinart model: the Cuisinart Automatic Ice Cream Maker. Our current model retails for about $40; the new one retails for $400 (although you can get it on Amazon for under $300).
The difference? The newer model has a built-in compressor, so it freezes the mix without any help from a pre-frozen bowl. In fact, you can put the mix directly in without chilling it first, and you can make numerous batches consecutively.
This is a huge improvement over our current model, which can only make one batch at a time before the bowl has to be re-frozen for at least 24 hours or overnight.
Of course, this is a bit of a luxury (and I got it for a quarter of the price, I might add, since I bought it used) but I've always wanted one and the fact that I'm making ice cream for my wedding in September was the excuse that pushed me over the edge!
Haven't tried it out yet, but will soon, and I'll be sure to report back. Do you have a compressor-model ice cream maker? If so, how do you like it?
• Cuisinart ICE 50BC Supreme Ice Cream Maker, $258 at Amazon
Here are a few seasonal ice cream recipes from The Kitchn:
• Strawberry Ice Cream with Cacao Nibs
• Mint Chocolate Cookie Ice Cream
• Sweet Corn Ice Cream
Related: Two Great Ice Cream Makers
(Images: Faith Hopler)
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oh man. that's a fantastic toy!! keep us posted on new ice cream adventures!
Oh, you really must report back to us! I wanted an ice cream maker with a built-in compressor, but I couldn't bring myself to spend the money. Not without confirming that I would actually use it regularly. I ended up getting the attachment to my Kitchen Aid stand mixer. It works well, and I'm using it a lot. I've definitely got my eye on something like your treasure for my next purchase.
I've been thinking lately about trying to convince friends to go in on a shared ice cream maker. It is one of those appliances which you want to use occasionally but not all the time which otherwise would take up space.
I'm cream with envy! I've already got my first ice cream flavour planned in advance in preparation for the day I invest in a machine: Pie crust and saba swirled into vanilla. I can't wait to hear about what delectable frozen desserts you create with your new "toy"!
I have an ICE-50 too. I LOVE it. I don't know if you'd want to, but I purchased an extra bucket and dasher from the Cuisinart website. I think they were less than $20 before shipping. Those make multiple batches a breeze.
I also bought a cheap placemat to put under the monster. This way, I can easily push it into the corner where it lives most of the time, and I don't have to lift to pull it out.
I particularly enjoy the ability to go from impulse to ice cream in less than 2 hours if I have the ingredients. I haven't tried it yet, but I have read that the ICE-50 (probably most ice cream makers at that...) can make really good slushy drinks.
Right now our favorite is Basil Ice cream from Haalo's Cook Anything at least Once blog
http://cookalmostanything.blogspot.com/2007/01/basil-ice-cream.html
I just got this about a week ago for my birthday. Love it. So far, I've already made Guinness Milk Chocolate, Toasted Almond & Candied Cherry w/Fudge Ripple, Parsley as well as Fig Ice Cream. Very easy to use, although it is quite loud. I recommend puchasing the book The Perfect Scoop, by David Lebovitz. Have fun !
I've longed for one to make our own ice cream... have so many flavour ideas...
Faith, what flavours are you thinking about making?
One of my favourites has been lemon ice cream - simultaneously lemony and creamy, without suffering from the over-sweetened overly-tangy quality of sorbetto.
But there are so many others too... (a friend of mine has an ice cream shop and makes Strawberry sour cream. Oh so good...)
So any reports on this? We got one of these as a wedding gift but haven't yet had a chance to fire it up!