Homemade ice cream beats the unhealthy store-bought in price and taste…
Commercial ice cream can’t compete with the one you make. And nothing warms the heart better than the thanks and compliments of family.
You know exactly what goes into the ice cream that you make. That’s not the case with commercial ones. It’s tough to get healthy, high-quality ice cream on store shelves.
What you make at home won’t contain any harmful ingredients such as preservatives, artificial sweeteners, MSG, and other abbreviated harmful substances. If you have the time, you have to make it yourself.
Why homemade ice cream?
Simply because the taste is unbeatable, and it’s fresh. Check out the expiration dates on the store-bought ones. You would be surprised at how long they last. Of course, the freezers play a role in it plus the unhealthy chemicals.
Maybe you’re the adventurous type who wants to spice things up. Perhaps you want to teach kids the joys of creating something for themselves. I haven’t seen any kid refusing to make ice cream.
Even 2-year-olds will jump up and down to pitch in.
Can you lose weight by eating ice cream every day?
When I was looking for the right ice cream maker, I’ve read a review that claimed that it’s perfect for weight loss. If it were a weight-loss ad, I would’ve shrugged it off as hype.
But I’ve read this in an ice cream maker review. A lady was using the low carb diet and lost 30 pounds. And in 6 weeks she managed to drop 10 pounds by eating ice cream every day.
So there’s such a thing as a healthy ice cream…
The secrets of how to make the world’s best ice cream
There are two secrets to creating the perfect ice cream. The first secret lies in the base. If you get that one right, the rest is easy.
Typically the base is made out of cream, milk, sugar, and eggs. Getting the ratios right is the real challenge.
There are two types of ice cream you can make. There’s the Philadelphia style. This relies on heavy cream and no eggs. There’s also the French style. These ice creams are heavy on eggs, and they are luxury (some culinary school knowledge is needed).
The second secret is the cooling temperature. The faster you can freeze it fewer ice crystals form, and it’s smoother.
When you want to make your homemade ice cream, you have two choices. You can pick a Hand Crank Ice Cream Maker or an Electric Ice Cream Maker.
By reading on, you will know exactly which one will suit your needs best. Plus I will share with you the pros and cons of them both,
Hand Crank Ice Cream Maker
Some people swear by it. They say that these makers give a superior tasting ice cream.
Usually, hand-cranked ice cream makers are cheaper than their electric counterparts. They are built to last. Many manufacturers claim that their makers are so good and durable that you can hand it down to the next generation.
There’s an ice cream maker for any budget. Starting with vintage models, which cost’s a few hundred dollars to the best value ones, which are less than $100.
Before buying an ice cream maker, check out the size, and compare it with your consumption. Maybe it’s not big enough. In that case, you can search for a bigger one or buy a second freezer bowl.
Besides the maker, you will need ice and rock salt. If you don’t have rock salt lying around typical table salt will do as well.
How much time does it take to make ice cream?
The freezer bowl has stay overnight or 24 hours in the freezer. Make sure that it’s set to 0 degrees if it’s set to less than it will be dripping. Now, if the temperature is lower, it will freeze so hard that you won’t be able to crank it. There’s a fine line that you have to keep.
The churning part lasts around 20-30 minutes. During this time, somebody manually has to churn the ice cream. Some people do it for 45 minutes.
The main benefit of having a hand crank one is the ease of cleaning.
Since it takes some effort to make ice cream, you won’t be tempted that much.
Rainy days, and you’re starting to sense cabin fever with the kids? Making ice cream is the perfect cure. No kid in the world would turn down ice cream making. It’s a fun activity which will keep them occupied for a few hours.
This is a common observation that kids who have helped to make the food will eat it without questions or fuss.
Having a hand-cranked ice cream maker has a lot of pluses and a few minuses.
Pros:
- Old school churning is more authentic
- Some say the hand crank delivers superior ice cream
- It’s less expensive and easier to clean than the electric one
Cons:
- Somebody has to manually crank the machine for 20-45 minutes
- It’s a real chore for big households
Electric Ice Cream Maker
Electric ice cream makers are for pure convenience. You add the ingredients, and you let it run for 20-30 minutes. After that, you can enjoy a yummy dessert.
There are a few variations of these machines. One which is similar to hand-cranked ones contains a freezing container which has to stay in the freezer overnight. Or there are the other ones who have built-in cooling.
Most ice cream makers come with a recipe book. Since the maker is electric besides ice cream, you can prepare: slushes, frozen yogurt and custard, margaritas, sherbets, and sorbets.
Ice cream makers are a massive hit on birthday parties. I know a good friend of mine who has tricked her guests in getting them to eat super healthy ice cream. They didn’t know it because she didn’t spoil the secret.
One thing you need to know about these makers that they might be noisy. Usually, when there’s a lot of ice, the machine gets louder.
Do you know how to get helpers?
With three magic words: Kids Ice Cream!
In a blink of an eye, you will help your aids by your side. It’s a fun and engaging experience. It does not just pass the time, but it teaches kids something useful.
The electric ice cream makers are long-lasting. They have one complaint though they are hard to clean. Well, this depends on the model; some are as easy as hand-cranked ones.
Pros:
- Set it and forget it ice cream making
- You get your ice cream done while you prepare something else
- Great activity for the kids to be part of
Cons:
- It costs more to purchase
- It’s harder to clean and taxes the electricity bill
Conclusion: Electric vs Hand Crank Ice Cream Maker
Now you can make your own homemade ice cream. Let it be an electric or a hand-cranked one you can enjoy a tasty, healthy dessert on demand.
These ice cream makers come in all shapes and prices. Some say that hand-operated ones are tastier than electric. But with them, you are losing time. I mean, somebody has to churn it for 20-45 minutes manually. While with electric ones you set it and you can do something else.
Also, the hand-cranked one would be difficult to operate in a bigger family.
If you’re not sure if it’s a good idea to invest in a high-end model, go with a cheaper one first. See how many times you’re using it. And eventually, you can upgrade to a higher-priced one.
We have reached the end of the article on Hand Crank vs Electric Ice Cream Makers.
Don’t forget to share your thoughts and ideas about these ice cream makers. Which one do you have? Would you go with the hand-cranked one or the electric one? Comment below.
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