EQUIPMENT

AN ICE CREAM MACHINE IS, OF COURSE, essential for making the recipes in this book. A few other kitchen tools will help ensure perfect results.

ICE CREAM MACHINE

There are four general types of ice cream machines, each with pros and cons for the home cook. Your choice will be affected by your budget and how frequently you prepare ice cream.

All ice cream machines are able to sustain temperatures below 32 degrees; however, each type does this differently. Subfreezing temperatures are needed because sugar lowers the freezing temperature of ice cream to around 27 or 28 degrees. More sugar or the presence of alcohol lowers the freezing temperature even more.

Old-fashioned ice cream makers, which rely on ice and rock salt and come with either a manual or electric churning mechanism, were the standard until the late 1970s (see figure 1). The chilled custard is placed in a central container that is surrounded by ice and salt. Like sugar, salt lowers the freezing temperature of liquids. By adding a lot of rock salt (which melts more slowly than table salt), the temperature of the brine falls well below 32 degrees. This in turn lowers the temperature of the custard and allows it to freeze into ice cream as it is churned.

We find that these traditional models in wooden buckets are messy to use. They are also less reliable than more modern ice cream machines because they can be affected by ambient conditions. Hot weather makes it more difficult to keep the brine below 32 degrees, so the ratio of salt to ice may need to be altered. In general, we find that using these ice cream makers requires practice and patience and that the results are not guaranteed.

However, many of these bucket-type machines have a two-quart capacity, double that of all other ice cream machines designed for home use. Also, there are no parts to prefreeze, so this type of ice cream maker may be appropriate if your freezer is very crowded or runs well above 0 degrees. You may also make successive batches in this type of ice cream maker.

Expect to spend $100 for a traditional bucket-style ice cream machine with hand crank. Models with electric churning mechanisms generally cost about $150. These machines are increasingly hard to find. Old-fashioned hardware stores are the best bet.

Ice cream making at home changed with the invention of the Donvier in the late 1970s (see figure 2). Its French-sounding pedigree notwithstanding, the name actually comes from the Japanese for "very cold." This ingenious invention was created by a Japanese engineer who thought of the idea after one of his children accidentally spilled milk on an aluminum cooling tray for sushi. He redesigned the tray, which housed a powerful coolant, into a canister shape more appropriate for ice cream making.

To use this type of ice cream machine, you must first place the aluminum canister filled with the patented supercoolant in the freezer overnight. The metal canister is about one inch thick and is hollow. The coolant, which is akin to antifreeze, is contained inside the hollow walls of the canister and is capable of reaching very low temperatures.

To make ice cream, a chilled custard is poured into the very cold canister, which fits into a plastic shell, and a plastic hand crank is attached for churning. The home cook must turn the crank every few minutes to scrape away the portion of the custard that has frozen onto the inside of the canister. The crank should not be turned too often, or the custard will not get a chance to freeze. Eventually, all of the unfrozen custard rests against the supercold metal and freezes.

Although inexpensive (about $50), these ice cream machines do have some drawbacks. They do not freeze ice cream as solid as some other machines do. You will definitely need to transfer ice cream to the freezer for several hours before serving. In addition, these machines require space in a very cold freezer to work. If your freezer is very crowded and/or too warm (temperatures significantly above 0 degrees will not work), the coolant will not get cold enough and the ice cream will not freeze properly. Last, because so little churning is involved, these machines do not beat much air into ice cream. The texture is not as smooth or fluffy as ice cream made in more expensive machines.

One last drawback is that this machine can only make one quart of ice cream a day. To make a second batch, the canister must be frozen for at least twelve hours before the next use. If you buy or own this type of ice cream maker, we suggest that you leave it in the freezer at all times so that you can make ice cream without advance planning.

A relatively new variation on this type of ice cream machine adds an electric churning mechanism (see figure 3). An electric motor rests on top of the lid and powers the churning blade. The benefits are obvious. Constant churning beats in more air and results in a smoother texture and less iciness. These models generally cost around $75 (sometimes less) and are a good value. We prefer them to the standard Donvier. We have had good success with the Krups La Glacière in our test kitchen. An additional canister can be purchased with this model so that two batches of ice cream can be prepared on the same day.

Without a doubt, ice cream machines with self-contained electric freezers are the best choice for home use. Modeled on commercial machines, these units are twice the size of a standard food processor and weigh thirty pounds or more. The custard is poured into a metal bowl that sits in the large countertop unit, which also houses a small freezer. Two switches activate the freezer and a powerful churning blade.

We love our Simac machine from Italy (see figure 4), but the $500 price tag will be an impediment to all but the most dedicated ice cream maker. This Rolls-Royce of ice cream makers turns out frozen desserts with ultimate smoothness and no iciness. There is no down time between batches, and ice cream emerges at a significantly lower temperature and hence with a firmer texture than from other ice cream machines. Ice cream can be served right from this machine without further hardening in the freezer.

INSTANT-READ THERMOMETER

The precise measurement of temperature is essential in the preparation of ice cream. Custards should be cooked to 180 degrees for optimum thickening, but no higher because curdling becomes a danger. Likewise, custards should be fully cooled below 40 degrees to promote quick churning and freezing without the formation of butter flecks.

For these reasons, we recommend the use of an instant-read thermometer when making ice cream. Since it is also helpful to measure the temperature of ice cream at serving time (we find ice cream tastes best around 10 to 12 degrees), choose an instant-read thermometer that goes down to 0 degrees.

You may also want to check the temperature of your freezer, especially if using an ice cream machine with a canister that must be frozen overnight. A freezer/refrigerator thermometer that registers temperatures below zero can be purchased for several dollars at any housewares store. Cold freezer temperatures (below zero) are required for optimum performance of frozen canister-type ice cream machines. Note that removing frost and excess food can lower the freezer temperature by several degrees. However, if your freezer continues to run well above zero (say, 5 degrees or higher), you will be better off using an ice cream machine that does not require prefreezing of any parts.

SAUCEPAN

Custards are best cooked over low heat in a tall, heavy saucepan that will prevent scorching. A two-and-one-half-quart saucepan is ideal. You may want to consider a pan with a nonstick surface. It certainly will be easier to clean.

Whether you choose a conventional or nonstick surface, look for a sturdy but not overly heavy saucepan that weighs between two and three pounds. Pans that weigh four or five pounds will be difficult to lift when filled. Lighter pans that weigh less than two pounds will be prone to scorching.

We prefer pans with heatproof handles. It's much easier to stir the custard constantly if you can hold the handle without a dish towel or pot holder. We have had good experiences with All-Clad saucepans in our test kitchen and recommend them highly.

STRAINER

A fine-mesh strainer picks out tiny bits of egg that sometimes form in well-made custards. These bits of egg would otherwise mar the texture of the ice cream, so they must be removed. Fine-mesh strainers can also be used to strain out ground nuts from steeped liquids or to remove seeds from berries. We particularly like a conical-shaped French sieve called a chinois. The very fine mesh traps even the smallest particles. The shape makes it easy to press down on solids, like nuts and berries, to extract as much liquid, and therefore flavor, from them as possible.