You can definitely make sorbets in a blender, but I have not done that with ice cream. I make sorbets with frozen cubes of fruit, especially canteloup and melon. When canteloups are in season, I peel them, cut the pieces into cubes, store the cubes in foodsaver bags with all air removed (you can do this somewhat with ziplock bags), and then freeze the bags. When I want a sorbet, I put the cubes of fruit into the blender, add a bit of yogurt and my sweetener of choice, and then process until it is smooth. You can do this with strawberries also, and they only need to be hulled before freezing. I guess you could try adding cream instead of yogurt, but in order to stay frozen, you won't be able to add much cream. You could possibly add the cream in stages and store the blender jar in the freezer in between additions, but I have not done this.

For ice cream, I use a Cuisinart ice cream maker or my Kitchenaid attachment, and then store the ice cream in the freezer for it to get hard. It will always be soft when it is removed from the ice cream maker.

I think if you could find enough cherimoya fruit for cheap, it would make an excellent sorbet that would taste like ice cream. I have a cherimoya tree, but I think it will be a couple of years at least before I get fruit, and the fruit is expensive in the stores.

Lars

Mangoes make the creamiest sorbets.

One of the reasons cherimoyas are expensive is because they do not keep long. They get ripen in one or two days then go rotten.

To use the ice cream maker, first find out the coldest spot in your freezer to store the bowl. Best to use a remote read IR thermometer ($30.00). Will make a big difference.

dcarch

I'm not much on "one purpose" things either but I do love that ice cream maker. I have he cuisinart. I store it in the back pantry so its handy and it lives there happily for most of the time. It is soft when it is done, but hardens nicely in the freezer.

I used to make "ice cream" with a vitamix -- with frozen strawberries, milk, sweetener. It was soft but good and this was in the days before smoothies! I used sweetener because sugar doesnt freeze as hard in that situation.

Martha

And all these methods make soft ice cream, far as I know. To get a hard scooping ice cream, you'll have to put it in the freezer after the churning.

Here's an old method to make ice cream without a designated appliance. It's firm enough to scoop with a standard ice cream scoop.

CHOCOLATE ICE CREAM (makes about 1 1/2 quarts)

1 (14 oz.) can Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated milk)
2/3 cup chocolate syrup
2 cups (1 pint) whipped cream, whipped

In large bowl, whisk together sweetened condensed milk and syrup. Fold in whipped cream. Pour into aluminum foil lined 9X5 inch loaf pan. Freeze 6 hours or until firm. Scoop ice cream from pan or remove from pan, peel off foil and slice. Return leftovers to freezer.

Edited to add photo. Since I'd forgotten about this recipe for many years, I made it for Mother's Day. I folded in some tiny marshmallows (the size that comes in hot chocolate mixes) along with the whipped cream.

This post was edited by ruthanna on Mon, May 13, 13 at 11:06

The double bowl method works but you need freezer space. And 15 minutes of hand whisking, yikes. And a couple hours freezer time...
All methods have a soft-serve moment, then freezer time. The inexpensive 'gadget' just does all that stirring for you. I have my parents old vintage hand crank that works great...just need some willing children to take turns.
Popsicles are easy but you need the overnight freezer time as well. I made one with coffee, chocolate, coconut water and yogurt. Whipped for 5 min, (my whip limit) and poured into dixie cups with a regular small dinner spoons. (had to use alum foil wadded to help hold them in a tray while freezing). I don't remember what sweetener i used but it was minimal, guessing a bit of honey. It was an adult bbq and we were outside. Fun, unexpected, and nice and cold for such a hot evening.
Here is the recipe for reg ice cream

Here is a link that might be useful: ice cream w/o machine

I make lazy icecream by mixing date molasses (silan) or homemade strawberry jam with sour cream (15% fat). . It also works well with honey, though I best like the date molasses .

This mixture gets stone hard in the freezer and needs to be taken out 5-10 minutes before it gets soft enough to eat, depending on the room temperature. It's best prepared in individual serving bowls.

I never tried making it with chocolate syrum because I really dont's like chocolate, but I guess chocolate syrum might also work.

syrum = syrup. I guess I must have had some association of serum? I guess it comes from REALLY not liking chocolate. My sister thinks I should be liocked up in a mental institution so they can cure me back to normal = chocolate loving person.

Have a Cuisinart machine... cuz it was $5 at a thrift store and still in the BOX! In a perfect world there would be ROOM in freezer all the time for that cannister... but there never is.

When I was a KID, MANY years ago, vividly remember my grandfather making peach ice cream... peaches right off his tree and a HAND-CRANK machine... ice & rock salt. He had enough grandkids who were big enough to take a turn at cranking. If I come across an "old-fashioned" BUT electric one at a yard sale, just might pick it up.

Thought you might like seeing this pic taken at a Folk Festival where I volunteer every summer. The ice cream machines on the far left have been modified to churn by rocking chair power. There are additional rocking chairs for visitors out of sight and if they rock long and hard enough, they can share the resulting ice cream. Fun way to make ice cream!

I never had good luck with the type that needs ice and salt. Never could get it to freeze. Never! Hated that sucker. And it was one another family used all the time with great luck? However, I have good luck with the small bucket in the freezer type. I love it! I've made everything from gelato to ice cream to sorbets in it. It is one use, but what the hey. I use it all summer long.

:)

I have a cuisinart ice maker with the freezer tub that is stored in the freezer before use. We use it quite a bit in the summer to make ice cream and sorbets. It is one of those things that just works so well I'll give it the room.

I actually found a second machine at Goodwill and purchased it just to have a second freezer unit for my DH's birthday party every summer. We make ice cream and sorbet every year for the party and have a lot of fun doing it. Last year I made him Guinness Milk Chocolate Ice Cream (he's a Guinness fan).
I based this recipe on David LebovitzâÂÂs recipe from The Perfect Scoop, but reduced the Guinness to enhance the flavor, and it worked. Wow.

7 oz good quality milk chocolate, finely chopped
1 c whole milk
1/2 c sugar (scant)
Pinch of salt
4 egg yolks
1 c heavy cream
12 oz. Guinness Stout
1 t vanilla

In a saucepan, reduce the Guinness by half to about þ cup.

In a second, larger saucepan scald the milk, sugar, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Temper the yolks by slowly adding the some of the hot mixture into them, whisking constantly, then return the egg yolks to the saucepan.

Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat until it thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Add the chocolate, and stir until melted. When smooth, whisk in the cream, Guinness and vanilla. Pour into a cool bowl to cool further, then refrigerate for at least 3-4 hours. Freeze it in your ice cream maker.