Friday, January 9, 2009

DUANE'S ICE CREAM

This is a recipe for a GALLON of ice cream, so you'll need to vary the amounts to fit your freezer.

3 eggs
3 cups, sugar
1 teaspoon, vanilla extract
Milk (I use Half & Half)
Fruit - to taste
Pinch of Salt

(For Vanilla Ice cream, use 1/2 as much Lemon Extract as Vanilla Extract.

Mix the eggs a little, add the sugar, and "beat the thunder" (Mom's words) out of the mixture. After everything is beaten, then add the fruit (if desired) and also the vanilla, and just mix together.

Pour the mixture into the freezer and add milk till the can is between 1/2 and 2/3 full. As the freezer works, the paddles incorporate air into the mixture. If you fill it up much more than 1/2, it will simply fill the can, and then start pushing its way out around the top and around the paddle. Won't hurt the ice cream. Just messy.

Put in a layer of ice a couple of inches thick and then add a liberal layer of Rock salt. More ice, and then more salt, more ice and more salt. It wouldn't be too much to expect using at least a cup of salt. I even stack ice over the top of the can. I just don't put any salt up there, trying to make sure the salt doesn't find it's way into the ice cream. Also have ice handy, to add to the top, as the ice melts down into the bucket. Also keep the drain hole clear, so the brine doesn't get so high it gets into the ice cream around the lid. The most common mistake is using too little salt with the ice. The ice depends on the salt to lower the freezing point of the water, so the brine is cold enough to freeze the mixture.

Also, once the ice cream begins to freeze, don't stop the freezer to check it.
When the freezer stalls out and stops, it's as good as it'll get. Just be there to unplug the freezer when it does stall out.

When you're ready to get the ice cream out, Clear the ice back from around the top, below the lid. Ease the paddles out, cleaning with a spatula as you do. Whatever is left on the paddles goes to whoever gets the honor of licking the paddles. :-)

If there is ice cream left in the freezer, use a piece of wax paper over the top of the can, put the lid back on. Put some clean ice over the can, and it'll help keep it frozen.

Sounds like a lot of work, and complicated, but once you've done it, all becomes clear