too runny - what did we do wrong? Help! we just made the simple vanilla ice cream using half and half, whole milk, vanilla and sugar. From the recipe book - we let it churn 30 mins instead of 20-25 and it never got firm. Is this expected? Did we need to use heavy whipping cream instead of half and half (too rich!) Thanks. too runny - what did we do wrong? Help! we just made the simple vanilla ice cream using half and half, whole milk, vanilla and sugar. From the recipe book - we let it churn 30 mins instead of 20-25... » Read More too runny - what did we do wrong? Help! we just made the simple vanilla ice cream using half and half, whole milk, vanilla and sugar. From the recipe book - we let it churn 30 mins instead of 20-25 and it never got firm. Is this expected? Did we need to use heavy whipping cream instead of half and half (too rich!) Thanks. « Show Less
2015307
Even with commercial I.C. machines you can take the ice cream out when it just begins to firm up, and freeze it. Generally speaking IC is not meant to go from machine to table. It needs to finish freezing in the freezer. If you get grainy-ness in your vanilla, try not churning it as long, or use less fat ( more milk or half/half, less cream) the cream is churning into butter, that is the grainy-ness. I just bought this machine for my wife, she makes homemade yogurt, and hopefully she will enjoy it.
2015308
Yes, that would definately work.You should always leave your bowl int eh freezer for 24 hours and your ice cream mix in the fridge overnight or so. This will make everything coldest.Ice cream makers are there to aerate and create a dessert with tiny ice crystals rather than a granita or popsicles. The firming needs to be done after the freezing process. This is true of all ice cream makers - It should be about the consistency of soft serve when you put it in the freezer.
2015309
I find it helps to mix the ice cream ingredients in a tupperware-style bowl and then put that in the freezer for an hour or three before chirning. Good timing is to mix the ice cream and stash in freezer, make dinner, eat dinner, then start it churning as you clean up. If you're mixing a batch and for whatever reason it won't get to soft-serve consistency (which is as good as it gets) just take the bowl, dasher and ingredients and freeze the whole thing for about 45 minutes. Then back to churning.
2015310
I've not used mine in a couple of years, but the bowls have been in the garage freezer non-stop. Today I used it to make Scharffenberger chocolate sorbet. I made the mixture last night and chilled as directed. This morning I used the machine as directed. It NEVER froze, just got to a slurpee consistency. Now it's back in the garage freezer firming up for tonight. I found that you may have to do it a day in advance to be sure it's in the best form for serving. I agree about the vanilla getting grainy. It did with me too. I also have Wms Sonoma's Ice Cream book. It's a good one and I love the grapefruit granita recipe, despite the mess that it makes on my floor! Dang these narrow side by side freezers! I've not used mine in a couple of years, but the bowls have been in the garage freezer non-stop. Today I used it to make Scharffenberger chocolate sorbet. I made the mixture last night and chilled as directed. This morning I used the machine as directed. It NEVER froze, just got to a slurpee consistency. Now it's back in the garage freezer firming up for tonight. I found that you may have to do it a day in advance to be sure it's in the best form for serving. I agree about the vanilla getting grainy. It did with me too. I also have Wms Sonoma's Ice Cream book. It's a good one... » Read More I've not used mine in a couple of years, but the bowls have been in the garage freezer non-stop. Today I used it to make Scharffenberger chocolate sorbet. I made the mixture last night and chilled as directed. This morning I used the machine as directed. It NEVER froze, just got to a slurpee consistency. Now it's back in the garage freezer firming up for tonight. I found that you may have to do it a day in advance to be sure it's in the best form for serving. I agree about the vanilla getting grainy. It did with me too. I also have Wms Sonoma's Ice Cream book. It's a good one and I love the grapefruit granita recipe, despite the mess that it makes on my floor! Dang these narrow side by side freezers! « Show Less
2015311
The texture doesn't seem to get harder than softserve from the machine (unfortunately) You can freeze it in a tupperware in the freezer if you like the hand-dipped style texture.I find overchurning the mixture lets the ice cream turn back into "soup" as the bowl gives up all its chill, so maybe stop it at 20 or 25 minutes rather than waiting 30.
2015312
Make sure you use real vanilla. Propylene Glycol, a common ingredient in imitation vanilla, is an edible antifreeze.
2015313
I think the secret to good ice cream with this machine might be to start out with a good, thick custard. I just made the vanilla bean "premium ice cream" (page 8 in the cusinart instructions/recipe book) and it came out great-I substituted 1/2 and 1/2 for the heavy cream and milk (cheaper that way) and used 1 tsp of vanilla instead of vanilla bean. Other than that-I followed the instructions exactly. After 30 minutes in the machine-it came out somewhere between soft and hardserve-so I am letting it firm up in the freezer. Tastes delicious (I ate about 1 cup before I put it away).
2015314
When I made my first batch I was disappointed, too. It was runny and did not firm up but when I made some strawberry ice cream the second time and let the bowl stay in the freezer for two days and a half it did better. I think the longer you leave the bowl in the freezer the better the out come will be although it still kind of melts fast. Also the top did not get firm but the bottom did because I put in too much milk but it was good like soft serve.
2015315
We had the same problem. The bowl was frozen solid when we started but ice cream never firmed up to a scoopable consistency... and we used the heavy cream, not half and half.
41882
My ice cream mixture is cold but not frozen or slushy. I turn it a couple of times every few minutes for about 15 minutes then it is ready. I have not had that problem. I turn it in both directions even though the directions say one direction.
1896535
If you use whipping cream and whole milk, you will get a creamier product than if you use fat-free, 1% or 2% milk. Also I found with Junket, the ice cream will not stay as creamy as long as commercial made ice cream does. Great prouduct to use if you want to make a quick batch of ice cream for a party but not so good if that batch of ice cream will be in the freezer for several week.s
2117783
I had the same problem! I'm very frustrated that the recipe calls for more milk than the yogurt maker can actually make. Wasteful.
973577
I don't use eggs with my ice cream. Unfortunately I have not used soy or almond milk. I have used heavy whipping cream, and I want to try original greek yogurt, or the vanilla. It could be interesting.
563229
I agree with the other replies. It depends on the recipe and timing as to how fluffy the ice cream is. I would say my efforts have been more dense than fluffy. I usually stop the machine just past soft serve so I can scoop into individual containers and put in the freezer to finish. We love this machine! One of my favorites over the holidays was getting a quart of eggnog and just pouring it into the machine. Easy ice cream with little fuss.
97068
i think, you should stick with whole milk, add hershey's syrup ( chocolate ) or carnation chocolate flavored powder, 1/2 cup ( or more ) breyer's vanilla ice cream. put it in a blender at high speed for 20-30 seconds. this will get you kudos from friends and family. always glad to help out. the olde scotsman
480535
I mix it in with whole milk - one scoop per sippy cup. It ends up having the consistency of melted ice cream.
2176932
I started with 10ml-15ml and then just tested the milk to make sure it was hot enough. If it starts are room temp it may be too hot. If it started from fridge temp it should be fine.
423003
I did not try to make any frozen drinks, however I did attempt to make a strawberry/mixed berries sorbet, and it was a disaster. The machine would not chop and blend the berries with the ice even after 15 minutes of pounding the daylights out of it with the tamper as instructed in the directions. Actually, the recipe book used the word, "vigorously." I tried for 30 plus minutes to get this mixture to blend, and it never did. I ended up finishing it in my Kitchenaid blender. We ended up drinking the result because it never became a sorbet. The item is big, ugly, light weight and very,very cheap looking. The bottom line is that it is a HUGE waste of money, and I so wanted to like it. I did not try to make any frozen drinks, however I did attempt to make a strawberry/mixed berries sorbet, and it was a disaster. The machine would not chop and blend the berries with the ice even after 15 minutes of pounding the daylights out of it with the tamper as instructed in the directions. Actually, the recipe book used the word, "vigorously." I tried for 30 plus minutes to get this mixture to blend, and it never did. I ended up finishing it in my Kitchenaid blender. We ended up drinking the result because it never became a sorbet. The item is big, ugly, light weight and... » Read More I did not try to make any frozen drinks, however I did attempt to make a strawberry/mixed berries sorbet, and it was a disaster. The machine would not chop and blend the berries with the ice even after 15 minutes of pounding the daylights out of it with the tamper as instructed in the directions. Actually, the recipe book used the word, "vigorously." I tried for 30 plus minutes to get this mixture to blend, and it never did. I ended up finishing it in my Kitchenaid blender. We ended up drinking the result because it never became a sorbet. The item is big, ugly, light weight and very,very cheap looking. The bottom line is that it is a HUGE waste of money, and I so wanted to like it. « Show Less
1469020
Same problem here--all I got after 30 minutes was the exact same pre-chilled liquid I put in it. And tub was frozen solid and I started the machine immediately. Used 2% milk plus cream. Disappointing.
1411723
Do you still add powdered milk to thicken it up? Thanks for your reply. I love mine. I use homemade vanilla and read about a tiny dash of salt (can't recall the purpose ) and about a cup of the bulk Splenda (not the little envelopes) done in 6 hours.
1151094
Thanks for the post, I'm just trying to make some ice cream but every recipe in my book says "heavy milk"; I'm going to try to find heavy cream and use it in my recipe.
1571692
Hmmm...I've never tried to run it that long so I'm not sure. I will say I tried blending a protein drink with milk and twice the amount of protein powder and it got bogged down and a bit warm.
763866
I bought this ice cream make r used but it doesn"t have the recipe book or instruction. Is anyone able to copy me the recipes thru an e-mail. I hear they are great. I really don't have to have the instructions as it is pretty simple and most can be figured out by reading the reviews. Thanks Vicky
646112
It all depends on how hot it is outside and if you do it inside or outside. Last time I made ice cream I did it inside because it was so hot outside and it would make it faster. Just make sure you have plenty of salt. I would make sure you have plenty of ice on hand.
1469015
Say friend, the problem is the freezer temperature is not low enough. You need at least 0 Deg. for the bowl to freeze up. We had the same sad faces when we first tried. Used a good thermometer and adjusted freezer temp. until 0 Deg. was reached. Might take about 24 hours to get it adjusted, but it is worth the effort. If results are not as stiff as you like, put ice cream in another container and return to freezer to make ice cream harder. Machine does make soft ice cream. We use small covered bowls. Hope this information helps. It is a good machine.