Hooray! The gates of summer are about to open, and I for one, cannot wait to break out the flip flops – and the ice cream maker.

A few years ago, I discovered the magic of DIY ice cream, frozen yogurt and sorbet and have been under a chilly spell ever since. Here’s what I’ve learned along the way, one spoonful at a time .

The Rig
Gone are the days of lawnmower-sized ice cream machines that require rock salt and a village of bicep power; the new gadgetry is electric powered, inexpensive and super easy. For less than 50 bucks (and sometimes even cheaper), you can have your very own frosty rig that produces ice cream parlor-esque results!

Check out Real Simple’s picks for ice cream machines; for space and cost reasons, I’ve been partial to the Cuisinart ICE-20, which is tucked in the back of my freezer, ready for churning at a moment's notice.

The Resources
I’ve got a few frosty-licious cookbooks on my shelf, including “The Ultimate Ice Cream Book” by Bruce Weinstein and the new “Recipe of the Week: Ice Cream” by Sally Sampson (go here for a review), but the one that melts my heart is “The Perfect Scoop” by David Lebovitz, who also writes a delicious blog about his adventuring in Paris. His recipes are honest-to-goodness reliable: I've done yogurt, sorbet and ice cream from his book, all with dreamy results.

Here’s what’s churning in the ice cream blogosphere: A Vegan Ice Cream Paradise,  Ice Cream Ireland, A Blog of Ice Cream and Ice Cream Journal by the folks at Turkey Hill Dairy.

The Recipes

For ice cream, I recommend starting out with basic vanilla to understand the process of making a simple custard (aka crème anglaise) without the distractions of fruits or fillers. The recipe (below) is from my ice cream guru, Bill Addison, food critic at the Dallas Morning News.

When you’re ready to graduate, you may want to try these ice cream sandwiches book-ended with coffee frozen yogurt, both from Leibovitz's book – an outrageous combination that could possibly change your life.

Dairy-Free Options
Sorbet is like velvet on the tongue – but without dairy or eggs. You can go wild with flavor combinations – check out this beauty made with blueberries and Cassis. And don't poo-poo Ice “creams” made from soy, rice or coconut milk until you've had them  -- they are proving to be delicious alternatives for the vegan or lactose-intolerant ice cream lover in your life.

Not ready for the ice cream plunge but would still like the thrill of a chill? Make granita – all you need is a square pan, a fork and some extra time. Try your hand at the two granita classics:lemon and coffee.

And as usual, we invite you to share your to-die-for ice-y faves! What gives you a chilled thrill?

Bill Addison's Vanilla-Bourbon Ice Cream
Makes 1 quart

Ingredients
1 3/4 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 cups half-n-half
1 vanilla bean
7 eggs, separated
3/4 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup bourbon

Method

1. Place cream and half-n-half in a saucepan. Slice vanilla bean in half and scrape the seeds into the cream mixture.

2. Add vanilla bean to the cream mixture and bring to just under a boil over medium heat. Remove the cream from the heat and let steep, covered, for 20 minutes.

3. Combine egg yolks with the sugar and salt in a mixture bowl, whisking until the mixture lightens. Slowly whisk in a small amount (approximately 1/4 cup) of hot cream to temper the egg mixture. Transfer the egg mixture into the saucepan with the cream and cook, stirring, until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon without running.

4. Remove from the heat. Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve. Add the vanilla extract and bourbon.

5. Chill completely (at least four hours) and freeze in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Terms of Service

If you have a TypeKey or TypePad account, please Sign In

You are currently signed in as (nobody). Sign Out

Name:

Email Address:

URL:

Remember personal info?

Comments: