We use our ice cream maker all the time and wouldn’t be without it, but completely appreciate it may seem a waste for some to invest in a large, expensive machine if they’re only going to use it a handful of times in the summer – so this no-churn recipe has you covered if you’d rather not splash out. Quick to whip up, it doesn’t require any specialist equipment, except a hand or stand mixer and some patience while it freezes. Flavours and options are endless, but this basic vanilla recipe makes for a beautifully smooth texture and the perfect base for any other additions you want to pop in – nuts, chocolate, coffee or streaks of fruit coulis. I’ll be popping up some dedicated variations of this vanilla version in the weeks ahead.
NOTES
– Use chilled cream – if the cream isn’t cold when you begin, it won’t whip very well.
– For best results, use eggs that are at room temperature as they whip better – the opposite of the cream. Also be sure to have a bowl and whisk attachment that is squeaky clean. After just a few minutes beating, the foam should become thicker and you should reach the stage of ‘soft peaks’ when you pull the whisk out. Keep pausing the whisk to check.
– Be careful not to over-whip your cream. Over-whipping will cause it to separate into butter and buttermilk. Once it’s turned, you can’t really salvage it. Whipping should take 2-3 minutes, depending on the speed you’re beating, but watch it carefully and stop as soon as it is thick enough that it drops off a spoon.
– Be careful not to over-whip your egg whites. Over-whipping will cause the matrix of the proteins to break down and the foam will collapse becoming grainy, watery and unusable.
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
Equipment:
- hand or stand mixer
- freezer-proof storage bowl (1L capacity)
Makes: Fills a 1 Litre capacity freezer-safe dish
INGREDIENTS
- 3 large egg whites (or powdered egg whites with water as per packet instructions)
- 180 grams icing sugar
- 450ml double cream
If you want to create different flavour variations, below are some tried and tested ones (options are endless).
Vanilla flavour:
- 1 teaspoon vanilla paste
White Chocolate chip:
- 100 grams white chocolate chunks (add a few minutes before churning finishes)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla paste.
Dark Chocolate chip:
- 100 grams dark chocolate chunks (add a few minutes before churning finishes)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla paste.
Coffee and brandy:
- 2-3 tablespoons coffee essence
- 2 tablespoons brandy
Ginger:
- 100 grams stem ginger, chopped
- 3 tablespoons ginger syrup
Raspberry ripple:
- 150 ml raspberry coulis (homemade recipe here) – layer ice cream into container and swirl the coulis through a little. We often add a dash of vodka to the coulis to prevent ice crystals forming and make it smoother once frozen – it can otherwise go quite icy.
Rum & Raisin:
- 150 grams raisins soaked in 4 tablespoons of rum for a couple of hours
METHOD
- Whisk the egg whites in a stand mixer until stiff peaks form. Watch carefully and be sure not to overmix or it will turn from soft, billowy peaks to a grainy, watery mixture that cannot be salvaged.
- Add the icing sugar to the egg whites and continue to whisk for a few minutes until the egg whites are stiff and glossy. Set aside.
- Place the double cream in a separate large mixing bowl and whisk on medium-high until the cream is thick enough that it drops off a spoon. Again, be careful not to overmix or it will turn from soft and thick consistency to a curdled result.
- Add the egg white mixture to the whipped cream until fully combined.
- Mix through any extras if desired at this stage.
- Pour the mixture into a freezer-safe container and freeze for a minimum of four hours.
To finish:
Remove from freezer to serve as desired. We placed several scoops into china cups and served with a scattering of chopped pistachios and dark chocolate, laced with our favourite homemade toffee sauce.
