Homemade Ice-Cream!

For my birthday this year, my mom and dad bought me a Cuisinart Ice-Cream Maker. I have been wanting to get one for the last year. Of course, I didn't realize how many calories it takes to actually make your own ice-cream, so I am in search of lower cal ice-cream recipes. But in the meantime, I had asked my hubby to pick up some heavy cream and half-and-half on the last trip the supermarket.

I started by making the mixture for the ice-cream maker (ingredients and directions below). After it was made, I put it in the maker and expected to watch magic happen! After 25 minutes, it still looked like milk. Huh?! I pull out the directions (you know, the paper that comes with the box, that no one really reads, except for seeing what ice-cream recipes they suggested?!). Little did I I know, you actually need to freeze the bowl FIRST! haha

Ok, so put it in the freezer and after 4 hours, I thought let's try again. (Note, instructions said that it usually takes 6-22 hours to freeze the bowl, but I put it in the back of the freezer as suggested and somehow thought that a miracle would happen), umm, yeah, still milky. Hmm! Does this really work?

This time, I left the bowl to freeze overnight, got up this morning and said, ok, third time is a charm. Put the machine together, put in the mixture, turned it on and went upstairs for 40 minutes. Came downstairs and hmm, what is that coming out of the top?! OH MY GOD! It's ICE-CREAM!

Just because it looks like ice-cream, does that mean it actually tastes like it?! What are the chances that this actually works? Well, let's just say Breyers and Turkey Hill have nothing on me! Holy cow! I think this is some of the best ice-cream I have EVER tasted! Even the hubby was impressed! YUM-O! as Rachel Ray would say. Sooooooooo good! I think it cost more to make than to buy a 1/2 gallon at the supermarket, but hey, it may just be worth it!

Next I'll try to make a lower cal one (may half-and-half and skim milk or 1%) and see how that comes out. But let's just say, I am IMPRESSED! If you have an ice-cream maker, you need to try this out...


Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

PREP TIME 45 Min
READY IN 45 Min
Original recipe yield 1/2 gallon (16 servings)

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups half-and-half
1 ¾ cup heavy cream
¾ skim milk
3/4 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract or ½ vanilla bean (seeded) - or combo of both
1/2 pinch salt

DIRECTIONS:
Combine half-and-half, heavy cream, and sugar in saucepan to dissolve sugar. Add vanilla bean and salt at end and let cool. Freeze according to manufacturer's instructions.

For Cuisinart ice-cream maker, freeze bowl overnight. Ice cream mixture can be made 2-3 days in advance and stored in fridge until ice cream bowl is frozen.

Original recipe called for 4 cups of half and half and ½ cup of heavy cream. I used what I had available.