Homemade ice cream doesn’t only taste amazing, but you also have the complete freedom to experiment with ingredients and make it just how you like it.
It can be a scary prospect though, with a lot of effort to get it just right. But don’t give up and rush to the supermarket for your favourite tried and tested tub of Ben & Jerry’s.
The Best Homemade Ice Cream Recipes
None of these recipes require any machinery, but if you do happen to have an ice cream maker, a lot of the heavy work can be done for you.
Traditional Vanilla Ice Cream
Still the most well-loved ice cream flavour around the world, this recipe can be used as a base for experimentation – just substitute the vanilla pods for coconut flakes, chocolate chips, or frozen fruit pieces before you add to the ice cream maker/freezer.
You will need:
- 200ml whole milk
- 1 vanilla pod, split
- 150g caster sugar
- 600ml tub double cream, well chilled
- 6 egg yolks
Method:
- Bring the milk, sugar and vanilla pod to the boil in a saucepan, then leave to cool. Pull the vanilla pod out, swirling first, so the seeds stay in the milk
- Beat the egg yolks together and reheat the milk slowly. Put the yolks in when the liquid is warm and whisk on low heat
- Keep stirring the custard until it is thick – don’t get it too warm or you’ll have scrambled egg
- Put the chilled cream into a bowl, and pour the custard through a sieve into the bowl. Stir.
- Pour the mixture into your ice cream maker to churn until thick, or into a freezer box to go straight into the freezer. It can be kept in a freezable container until needed.
Rich Chocolate Ice Cream
If you’re going to have chocolatey-based treats, then you need to go all out.
You will need:
- 250g strong plain chocolate
- 100g unsalted butter, melted
- 150g caster sugar
- 4 egg yolks
- 150ml water
- 500ml double cream
Method:
- Melt the chocolate in a bowl over some boiling water until smooth. Take off the heat and add in the butter once cooled
- Over low heat, dissolve the sugar in the water and bring to the boil. Boil rapidly for a few minutes until the syrup thickens, but before it takes on colour
- Whisk the egg yolks together, and add the syrup as you go. Keep going until a light mousse is formed, then stir in the cream
- Add the chocolate mixture until blended thoroughly
- Add to your ice cream maker to churn and freeze, or pop straight into the freezer until solid
Berry Ripple Ice Cream
We love making this with blackberries, but it also works well with strawberries, raspberries and basically any fruit that can be reduced down with the sugar.
You will need:
- 200g berries
- 2 tbsp caster sugar
- 600ml double cream
- 200ml condensed milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Method:
- Heat the berries and sugar in a pan until reduced into a sauce. Push through a sieve to make seedless
- Put the cream, condensed milk and vanilla essence in a bowl and beat until soft
- Spoon in the sauce and ripple through
- Leave to freeze overnight, or in your ice cream maker
If you love the idea of homemade ice cream but it all sounds like a lot of effort, an ice cream maker can do a lot of the mixing and freezing without any extra work from you.