It’s a delightful dilemma. You want to make luscious homemade ice cream, but you don’t have an ice cream maker, or it’s in the attic covered with cobwebs! You could retrieve it from the attic, wash it off and then start the process of making your ice cream base, or you could skip all of those steps and make some delicious no-churn ice cream that bypasses the ice cream maker altogether.
What’s the difference between no-churn ice cream and ice cream made in a machine?
The main difference is that no-churn ice cream is an American or Philadelphia style ice cream, meaning that it does not contain eggs. Instead, most no-churn recipes call for the addition of sweetened condensed milk instead of granulated sugar. Since the mixture is not going to be cooked, granulated sugar might not dissolve all the way. Using sweetened condensed milk solves this problem.
What gives no-churn ice cream its velvety texture?
The secret to this rich treat is softly whipped cream that is folded into the sweet milk base. The main thing to remember is that the whipped cream is what makes this dessert so creamy. The last thing we want to do is knock out all of the air as we are combining all of the ingredients.
Can the ice cream be flavored, or am I stuck with “plain ol’ vanilla?
Flavorings and other ingredients are folded into the base once it is partially frozen. As far as plain ol’ vanilla goes, there is no such thing, but that is another article in itself.
Once you have your base made, partially freeze for a couple of hours and then fold in your favorite ingredients, including cookie pieces, candy, chopped fruit, nuts and anything else that you might be craving.
So, whether you don’t have access to an ice cream maker or you just want to try something new, give no-churn ice cream a try. Once you have a good base recipe, let your imagination be your guide and have fun with it. Your sweet tooth will thank you!
