My Mustachian Ice Cream Maker

[Russ]

By request of spider1204, here's a little writeup of the ice cream maker I bought on CL last weekend:

So basically I like ice cream, but don't like paying $5/pint when I can get a lot more prime Wisconsin cream for fewer dollars. But I'm also lazy and don't want to sit around churning ice cream by hand for thirty minutes. Solution: electric ice cream machine, which is now my equivalent to the MMM bread machine. Much better ice cream for less money and pretty much no work.

In two weeks of cruising craigslist, I found one of these for $20, brand new. It's even pink which, beside being an awesome color, will probably have more resale value when they inevitably discontinue the color. I tested it out tonight... just freeze the bowl for a while, mix up some cream, sugar, and whatever else you want, flip the switch, and it's done in 20 minutes. The frozen bowl spins while a paddle breaks up ice crystals and introduces air. awesome.

Calculations suggest that if I can get ingredients for a pint of ice cream for half as much as a pint of Ben & Jerry's (which I can), the machine will have paid for itself by January.

[dragoncar]

Honestly, I can't believe this would ever pay for itself for me:

1) Generic brand ice cream is like $2 per GALLON even in pricey SF.  The costco ice cream is even cheaper.

2)  My ice cream consumption is very low.  The aforementioned gallon would go bad (icy gross) before I finished it.

[Freckles]

I can't believe they are selling that thing for $109 when new!  That's really pretty ridiculous.

I bought my ice cream maker for $20 as well, from Goodwill, a few summers ago.  It's not awesomely pink, but it works.  :)

[galliver]

My parents got me one last year for my birthday. It's pretty tasty but the texture is different than store bought. I still treat myself to a Haagen-Dazs or Breyers sometimes. But with a maker you can experiment with cool flavors!

Honestly, I can't believe this would ever pay for itself for me:

1) Generic brand ice cream is like $2 per GALLON even in pricey SF.  The costco ice cream is even cheaper.

2)  My ice cream consumption is very low.  The aforementioned gallon would go bad (icy gross) before I finished it.

1) Have you read the ingredients list on that $2 ice cream? 2) So buy smaller packages.

[dragoncar]

My parents got me one last year for my birthday. It's pretty tasty but the texture is different than store bought. I still treat myself to a Haagen-Dazs or Breyers sometimes. But with a maker you can experiment with cool flavors!

Honestly, I can't believe this would ever pay for itself for me:

1) Generic brand ice cream is like $2 per GALLON even in pricey SF.  The costco ice cream is even cheaper.

2)  My ice cream consumption is very low.  The aforementioned gallon would go bad (icy gross) before I finished it.

1) Have you read the ingredients list on that $2 ice cream? 2) So buy smaller packages.

1) yes, and I see nothing more unhealthy than sugar, which is one of the primary ingredients in ice cream

2) uh, ok buy then it's less cost effective.  The next smallest size available is pints by Ben and Jerry's, which is about the same price as a gallon of the cheap stuff.

3) if I really wanted high quality ice cream in small amounts, I'd just make it with ice, salt, two steel bowls, cream and sugar.   Or snag some liquid nitrogen. No "maker" necessary for a small serving

[spider1204]

How's the quality compare to Ben/Jerry's / Haagen Dazs?  Although, as you mentioned I can't really use it atm, I might get one for my mom if I can find it.

[galliver]

You get bigger ice crystals; it's a different texture. But, you have more control over the constituent ingredients, so in that sense the quality is what you make it.

[Russ]

I agree, it really is what you make it. The last ice cream I made was pumpkin, and with the pumpkin puree being pretty much 100% water it came out not super icy, but definitely harder and denser than store-bought. It's not a bad texture though, just different. I love it because it's what I grew up on, plus I think it tastes fresher

If you want super creamy, you can make a custard (basically ice cream plus egg yolks). Custards in this thing are phenomenal, but you have to cook and then chill the liquid first so it takes some work. I usually skip it in favor of less time in the kitchen. They're still a bit more dense than store-bought, but just as (if not more) smooth.

Softness also depends on the temperature you keep your freezer at. You'll never get perfectly soft ice cream unless you keep your freezer relatively warm like they can at an ice cream place. Similarly, the slower you can freeze the cream in the machine, the more air the machine can introduce. I think I'm going to experiment in leaving my bowl out on the counter for a bit so it can warm up to take advantage of this.

[destron]

Nice job! I have many fond memories of making ice cream with a hand mixer as a child, but if I decide to get another I would definitely get an electric (holy crap it was a lot of work). So creamy and good without the xantham gum.

Plus it tastes way better than generic or costco brand ice cream :).

[dragoncar]

How's the quality compare to Ben/Jerry's / Haagen Dazs?  Although, as you mentioned I can't really use it atm, I might get one for my mom if I can find it.

As with most things in life, the more expensive ice cream is better, but not 4 times better (to justify the cost)

Same reason I drink two buck chuck on non-special occasions. 

The point is, that good ice cream is very cheap.  But i suppose if you have a very refined palate, you may disagree on the "good" part.  I hope my palate doesn't get too refined for the sake of my wallet!