My wife's best friend gave us a Cuisinart soft serve ice cream maker at least a year ago when my parents threw us an engagement party. It's been sitting in the box since we got it, but this week we decided to unpack it and make some ice cream. We decided on a simple vanilla with some mix ins of peanut butter chips, toffee bits, and mini-M&M's.

Wow! The ice cream was incredible. It was so good it was hard to stop eating it. I was really surprised with how much better it was compared to store bought stuff like Eddy's or Ben & Jerry's. Especially since we made such a basic ice cream.

Anyone else ever make their own?
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I had recieved a icecream maker from a friend quite some time back and went to use it last year and was missing peices :-) Just dont know if I would go out and buy another. Homemade peach was one of my favs.
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That's why I did a lot of my wedding registry at Bloomingdale's. There's no time limit on the return policy. :-)
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i used to have one of those....now i miss it..enjoy
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Store bought ice cream doesn't compare to home made. I have been making home made ice cream for quite awhile and the secret ingrediant to make it the best is really good vanilla,,,not the store bought McCormicks or their own store brand,,,mexican vanilla or the equivalent is how to go. Home made ice cream is actually cheaper to make than the stores because mine makes a gallon and a half and all the ingrediants cost only $4.
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My Grandma gave me one last year for Christmas, it too has sat like all yours. Along with time etc, I'm looking for a good recipie. Anyone have one?
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:-)

If anyone has a really good ice cream recipe . . . post it up! :-)
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Mmm... I use to make some ice cream, and it was good until I started working at an ice cream plant in Southern California. What I found is it all counts on how the manufacturer makes the ice cream like the above comment about quality vanilla (the best is from Madagascar), nut meats, and even butterfat and whey. I must admit, I miss the process of making personal ice cream!
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I can see that. I work part time in a brewery and the last thing I want when I get home is to look at or drink a beer. So, I have vodka instead! :-)
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It's a shame that thing doesn't work cos we would be making ice cream this weekend!

I've always wanted an ice cream maker and wish I had one. Maybe I'll buy one oneday.
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Home made Ice cream is the best. Nothing like a bowl of home made Ice cream on a hot summer evening.
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Grew up making ice cream at home with the family. In those days it was a wooden bucket model with a hand crank, lots of ice and rock salt. I'm sure the new models out have micro-processor controlled 240 amp electric motors with on-board ice coils, sub zero temperature switches, digital on board diagnostics etc etc.

As much as I hated sitting there turning that crank as a kid - nothing beat scooping out a big ole bowl when it was done.



Ron
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This is definitely a matter of opinion :-). Madagascar vanilla is widely accepted to be the "best" but that is really because it is the middle of the road vanilla for flavour (not bad, just very "vanilla"). Personally I prefer Mexican, it has more floral notes with a bit of caramel. The lightest and most floral would be Tahitian. So it really depends on what you want from your vanilla :-).
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Dude...homemade ice cream is the balls. When the neighbors hear my machine cranking they come running.

Let me give you a little advice if I may. Take that Cuisinart and donate it to Salvation Army and go get yourself one of these...

Image

Trust me, you will never look back.
:-):-)
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just got one for christmas... still haven't opened it, but plan to this weekend
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That's funny but you are so right,,esp. in terms of the Madagascar Vanilla,,,(sold at Henrys Foods,,,or organic food stores,,,look online for this vanilla as it is your "go to" ingrediant for home made ice cream.

What kind of vodka? lol:-)

Ok, I'll serve up our recipe that has been going strong for almost 40 years: I'll also give you another recipe for those of you who might be diabetic and need a substitute ( it took me about a year to get this down right so the flavor stayed basically the same )

6 eggs
2 cups sugar ( or more depending on how sweet you want it )
1/4 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1 qt. of half and half
2 cans of evaporated milk
2-3 tablespoons of Madagascar Vanilla ( I do 3 because the taste is better )

Some people will cook the mixture,,,,I stopped doing this 15 years ago because it didn't make any difference as to taste and I have not gotten sick because of the uncooked eggs,,,people ingest eggs this way in protein shakes, etc. I

Mix at medium to high for at least 5 minutes and pour into the freezing tank,,,fill the rest of the tank with milk to the fill line and freeze,,,,,always use enough rock salt to freeze correctly!

For diabetics or people who want less sugar content

6 eggs
one cup of sugar and 12 packets of equal
1/4 tablespoon of lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1 qt. of fat free half and half
2 cans of fat free evaporated milk
2-3 tablespoons of Madagascar Vanilla ( I do 3 because the taste is better )

Same mixing as above,,,enjoy!
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Haven't made any in a while, but it is the best.:-)
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Grey Goose is my go to, but I enjoy a number of different vodkas.

Thanks for the recipe. I might give it a go soon. Do you know about how much ice cream this recipe yields?
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Yeah, it yields a gallon. If you have a freezer that is a gallon and a half just increase everything by a third. Yeah, the Goose is some good stuff,,just add fresh squeezed Texas Ruby Red Grapefruit and you go directly to heaven!:-):-)
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Ok, I MUST go get Ice Cream. It's 20 degrees out, but this thread is making me so hungry!
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