What kind of an ice-cream maker? One that uses salt and ice or one with an insert you keep in the freezer.
If it's the salt and ice sort....I suspect youa re not adding enough salt.
Linda C

It's the kind you put the bucket in the freezer. I tried half-freezing the ice cream mix and that worked a little better, but it was still just the consistency of soft ice cream. Maybe it's the ice-cream maker, it was just a cheap one.

I had a cheap one & never could get it to freeze really hard. Did you keep the insert in the coldest part of the freezer? Don't put it on the bottom if your freezer is a self-defrosting kind.

I have a cuisinart icecream maker and while it works alright it's sometimes convenient for me to make icecream by itself (without an icecream maker). Here is one such recipe that you can try. It comes out absolutely sublime.

Mango Icecream

1 can evaporated milk
1 can condensed milk
1 can mango puree (available at Asian or Indian stores). If you cannot find it, then puree the mangoes yourself (you can slice and cut up mangoes and blend them with a tiny bit of water or milk, the lesser the liquid the better). I would use 3 cups of freshly pulp if you can't find the can
1 16 oz container of coolwhip topping

In a large bowl, add the mango, evaporated milk, condensed milk, cook whip and pureed mangoes. Beat it all with a hand mixer until the ingredients are well mixed. Pour in an airtight container and freeze for 2-3 hours.

Remove, stir (to break ice crystals). Cover surface with seran wrap, put the cover and forget about it.

Remove 15-20 minutes prior to serving to soften it a bit.

It makes a creamy and delish icecream. You can substitute other fruits for mangoes. I have used canned lychees to make a delicious lychee icecream.

Thanks, Vakuta, that recipe sounds delicious!(and easy) And thanks for the other advice. I think the next batch, I will half-freeze it first. This is my first experience with home-made ice cream.

I have a Cuisinart ice cream maker and it has to be in the deep freeze for at least 24 hours before I use it. I also chill the mixture for at least 2 hours after I make it. That's the only way to harden it up that I know. Hope that helps. Not that I'd ever turn down ice cream that's on the soft side...;-))

Sue