[madcat]

We grow lots of soft fruit so thought an ice cream maker would be A Good Thing. When Lidls had them on offer in the week.... it would have been rude not to get one. Now I have read the instruction tho' I  am a bit concerned. It goes on about salmonella (sp?) where egg yolks are used and say that they should be replaced with whipped cream stabaliser if the ice cream is to be kept for more than a week. On the web, this seems to be a US product used when the fat content of the cream is low. Does anyone use it? If so where do you get it? Is it all an over reaction? Advice please!

PS I now take full responsbility for the lack of ice cream weather! 

[Buddleja]

Now I have read the instruction tho' I  am a bit concerned. It goes on about salmonella (sp?) where egg yolks are used and say that they should be replaced with whipped cream stabaliser if the ice cream is to be kept for more than a week. On the web, this seems to be a US product used when the fat content of the cream is low. Does anyone use it? If so where do you get it? Is it all an over reaction? Advice please!

Raw egg yolks should always be treated with caution but if you use cream you should be fine. Don't know about stabaliser though.

As for ' if the ice cream is to be kept for more than a week' - what on earth does that mean??? 

[mumofstig]

Ice cream with eggs in is usually cooked into a custard first, well it was in the ones I made. 

[madcat]

As for ' if the ice cream is to be kept for more than a week' - what on earth does that mean??? 

Hiding it behind the healthy stuff!!     Only way ...

[allotmentann]

I  have never come across an icecream recipe where the egg yolks are not cooked and as I understand it, there is then not a risk. The biggest 'risk' I would have thought, would be more likely to be with some sorbets that use egg white which is not cooked. I don't think there is any need to add stabilizers, there are plenty of recipes out there that either don't use eggs at all, or cook them in a custard base as Mos says. 

[Mrs Bee]

If the eggs are cooked in a custard first you are likely to be OK.

I have been making my own icecream for the past 20 years and have never used stabilisers. Sounds a very American idea.

I use raw eggs in a variety of icecreams but not with the icecream maker, The souffle and parfait icecreams don't need an icecream maker. My safety net with these is to eat a large spoonful before I go to bed and if I am still OK in the morning I serve the icecream to others. Worked for me for the past 20years.

I think you would have to be careful that you keep the icecream frozen and not let it sit in a semi frozen state.

If you keep homemade icecream for a long time you will get the icecrystals forming on it and a tough skin too, but you get that with any icecream you leave for a very long time.

Homemade icecream is always best eaten when freshly made. We had a white chocolate with  cherry and kirsh ripple with a red velvet cake for Sunday lunch sitting in the sunshine. Perfick.

[allotmentann]

Mrs Bee, that sounds lovely. I like the testing tip too, there are quite a few desserts I would like to try but have avoided because of the raw egg problem. Although lots of us think about the raw egg as an ingredient in the final dish, but we have been 'licking the bowl out' since we were kids,  uncooked cake batter, which generally also contains raw eggs, without a thought!

[Willow_Warren]

Most of the recipes I have seen cook the egg yolks in the custard making stage (although my boyfriend who used to develop ice cream for a living insists that ice cream doesn't need eggs and doesn't support my making of home made ice cream!!)

Anyhow personally I won't worry unduely.  Take the usual good hygiene precutions, making sure all equipment used post the heating process is super clean.  All commercial chickens these days are vaccinated against salmonella and it won't grow at freezer temperatures.

Enjoy your ice cream maker

Hannah

[Mrs Bee]

Why doesn't your boyfriend support your making homemade icecream Willow Warren?

I would have thought that he would love the real stuff.

As for hygiene and the icecream maker after you have washed all the washable parts with very hot soapy water and dried it, spray it with a solution of milton.

 I think it is 1/4 tsp to 250ml for an antibacterial solution.

It is tasteless and it is so much cheaper than buying an antibacterial spray.
I bought a sturdy water sprayer and make the milton up daily. I also use it on the magimix after washing and drying the parts, especially if I have used it to chop meat.

[Willow_Warren]

Why doesn't your boyfriend support your making homemade icecream Willow Warren?

I would have thought that he would love the real stuff.

Think he's too industry orientated - just reels off a load of big kit I apparently need...

I just ignore him and carry on!  Don't think he always appreciated home cooking - but I have converted him to home cooked ham (rather than the bought packet stuff) although he was very sceptical at first (bless)!!

Hannah

[madcat]

Sounds like my dad and beer - too long in the factory and the small scale (craft/microbrewery) stuff is automatically defined as 'dodgy'!

Okay - I shall take my confidence in both hands at the weekend and give it a whirl!  Can someone organise summer for me?

[arugula]

Can someone organise summer for me?

I hear a whisper madcat, that it's on the way.

I'll be interested to hear how you get on as I've thought about getting one of these machines.