Ice Cream Recipes - Homemade, Gourmet, Egg-Free & More | Taste of Home (2024)

FAQs

Is homemade ice cream better with or without eggs? ›

Eggs add rich flavor and color, prevent ice crystallization and help create smooth and creamy ice cream.

Cornstarch in the ice cream base becomes gelled as it absorbs the milk and cream. Those gelled molecules create the thickened "custard" that gets churned. This is why cornstarch is the perfect egg substitute for ice cream.

You can make tasty ice cream without them, but there's a reason that almost every recipe published in the last 50 years calls for them. Here's why: After water, egg yolks are mostly fat and protein. Fat, which freezes differently and less hard than water, makes ice cream soft and creamy.

As you churn ice cream, individual water molecules turn into ice-crystal seeds — which is what makes cream freeze. The higher the fat content, the more time you have to churn before these ice crystals congregate, resulting in creamier final texture.

Ice cream is only as good as the ingredients used to make it. So if you can afford it, buy organic milk and cream and free-range eggs, making sure that everything is as fresh as can be. If you're adding flavorings or ingredients, such as chocolate, vanilla or fruit, spring for high-quality products.

But sometimes you end up with an ice cream that tastes like scrambled eggs. This is most likely due to the cooking temperature being too high. When cooking your custard base, make sure the temperature of your custard does not go higher than 185°F (85°C).

In egg-free ice cream recipes like this one, you can get that same creaminess by using whole milk. While any kind of milk will work, the extra butterfat in whole milk (as well as the cream!) helps retain the texture of your ice cream while it's stored in the freezer.

Egg Yolks: The most traditional thickening agent, egg yolks contain natural proteins and fats that contribute to a rich and luxurious texture in custard-based ice creams. Cornstarch: Often used in non-custard ice creams, cornstarch mixed with milk helps thicken the base and create a smooth mouthfeel.

Most ice creams are eggless. If it says “custard” or “french vanilla” then it will have eggs. Check on the back or side by the nutrition facts label, if it contains or ever came near contact with eggs it will say “May contain eggs” or something like that.

Texture: Most people said the homemade ice cream seemed softer and fluffier, and it melted a little faster than the supermarket sample. Flavour: Our testers found the homemade sample's flavour was more subtle – which was considered a good or bad thing depending on the person.

Why does my homemade ice cream melt so fast? ›

The proportions of air, ice crystals, and fat used in ice cream determine its melt rate. There is no ideal recipe for the perfect ice cream, and manufacturers adjust these components to customize their ice cream. This is why some ice creams melt quickly, while others never seem to melt at all.

Ice cream made by simply churning milk, cream, sugar and flavorings is variously known as Philadelphia, American or New York style. It is far quicker and easier to prepare than French-style ice cream because it doesn't require making a custard. It is a great choice for serving on ice cream cones.

Like everyone else has already pointed out, it could be multiple things: Not enough fat, i.e. if you use milk in your recipe, you used too much milk and not enough cream. The more milk you use the more icy texture you get. Especially if you use skim milk.

If you're making homemade ice cream, you'll want to add egg yolks (don't add the whites, per Stack Exchange, or the consistency and texture won't be the same) to create the perfect scoop.