Everything You Need to Know About Making Ice Cream at Home

If there's one treat that's impossible for many people to resist, especially in the summertime, it's ice cream. You can easily satisfy cravings at your local scoop shop, but if you know how to make ice cream at home, you can indulge anytime and tailor this sweet, creamy frozen concoction to your specific taste. We caught up with a culinary expert to learn about the different styles of ice cream (because how you make ice cream depends on the type you want to make)—and got his pro tips for whipping up a special batch.

Ice Cream Styles

The basic ingredients for ice cream generally include milk, cream, cane sugar, vanilla, and salt, though there are variations, including the addition of eggs. Some styles require more effort and equipment to make than others. Here are the four main types of ice cream.

Using an Ice Cream Machine:

Custard-based ice cream: A classic, custard-based ice cream is made with cooked egg yolks, resulting in an ultra-rich dessert. The eggs also act as a natural stabilizer, so this type of ice cream doesn't require other ingredients to achieve a silky texture. (Store-bought ice cream often contains stabilizing ingredients like guar gum and carrageenan.)

Philadelphia-style ice cream: Sometimes called American or New York ice cream, this is an eggless variety made with milk, cream, and sugar. Since it contains no eggs, it's less rich than custard-based ice cream and doesn't require any cooking.

Egg-free ice cream: Similar to Philadephia-style, this type of ice cream also contains no eggs, but it uses cream cheese and cornstarch in the base. It's delightfully thick and smooth.

No Ice Cream Machine Needed

No-churn ice cream: As its name suggests, this style of ice cream is made without an ice cream machine and doesn't call for eggs or cooking. No-churn ice creams feature a base of whipped heavy cream so they are particularly airy and light with a consistency that is more like a chocolate mousse.

How to Make Homemade Ice Cream

The exact process for making homemade ice cream depends on the type of ice cream. Generally, it involves: making a base, churning it in an ice cream machine, and freezing it until firm.

The Process for Making a Custard Base

For a classic egg-based ice cream, the first step is to create a custard:

• Whisk egg yolks and sugar in a saucepan, then slowly whisk in milk.
• Cook the mixture over medium heat while stirring constantly. 
• The custard is ready once it evenly coats the back of a spoon, which can take between five to 10 minutes. 
• Not sure if your custard is ready? Use your finger to draw a line across the back of your spoon. If it retains the line, it's good to go.
• Next, pour the custard through a sieve into a large bowl over ice. This will stop the custard from cooking.
  

Once chilled, you can add ingredients like alcohol-based flavorings such as vanilla extract, says Stephen Chavez, chef-instructor of pastry and baking arts at the Institute of Culinary Education. Avoid adding these flavorings during the cooking process or while the custard is still hot, as the alcohol might cause the mix to "break," and you'll need to start over, he says.

Churning Ice Cream

The next step is to churn the mixture in your ice cream machine. Chavez recommends churning it only to "soft serve" consistency, even if you're not making soft serve. "Remember, ice cream is made of cream. If it's over-churned, you begin to create butter, which affects the final texture," he says. Specifically, it will become hard and chunky rather than smooth and creamy.

Making Ice Cream Without a Machine

No-churn ice cream doubles as a no-cook option. Here's the process for how it comes together:

• Simply whip heavy cream and confectioner's sugar until it develops a whipped cream consistency
• Fold the mixture into sweetened condensed milk. 
• Add flavorings, if using.
• Pour the mixture into an air-tight plastic container and freeze it for one hour.
• Stir the ice cream every hour for about four hours total, then let it sit in the freezer for another two hours (untouched) before serving.

Freezing and Storing

Homemade ice creams typically have short shelf lives because they're made without chemical stabilizers, which are responsible for the longevity of store-bought versions.

How long does homemade ice cream last? Most homemade ice creams will last about one month in the freezer, as long as youstore them properly. Here are some pointers:

• To start, always "pack" the ice cream into its container, says Chavez. This involves pressing down on the ice cream to remove air bubbles. "Air bubbles cause ice crystals, which damage the final consistency of the product once it's frozen," he says. 
• Protect the "skin" of the ice cream by placing plastic wrap directly on top. According to Chavez, this ensures no excess air or moisture accumulates on the ice cream, helping it stay smooth and creamy.
• Add the plastic wrap right after you have "packed" the ice cream, then again every time you scoop some out.