Monday, 18 July 2011

Ice cream making and French macaroons

I don't know what possessed me last week but I have a suspicion it was Martha Stewart...because we are the proud new owners of an ice cream maker. 

Clearly, I feel the need to make ice cream.

Ice cream is the confection of choice for the younger members of the Sow's Ear and I believe we go through at least a litre of the stuff per week. And we always, always run out.

Homemade vanilla ice cream

It's a Kitchenaid ice cream attachment (bowl and churning paddle) which can be used with the Kitchenaid mixer. I didn't want to buy another electrical appliance, so this seemed ideal for us considering we already had the mixer.

Edit Image from here
I was too lazy to take a picture of my mixer!!
It is a liquid filled bowl which you then freeze or keep stored in the freezer. You just attach it to the mixer and pour in chilled ice cream batter and churn it for about 30 minutes to get 1.9 litres of ice-cream. It really is that simple but everything has to be super-chilled for it all to happen.

Kitchenaid ice cream maker attachment
It wasn't the cheapest kitchen purchase, but I'm fairly confident that it was money well-spent. I use my mixer regularly and have had it for close to a decade - this new attachment will just broaden our horizons somewhat.

I've already made one tub of ice-cream this week. In the coming weeks, I'm hoping to make frozen yoghurt and sorbets.

And a wonderful by-product of the ice-cream making business is an excess of egg whites.

French macaroon anyone?

Homemade French macaroons
I took them to a soiree on the weekend
p.s I had to take a break from the pineapple cookery. Don't worry, I have a fabulous dish planned to tantalise your taste-buds.

30 comments:

  1. Behold the Magnificence. Yum, your Kitchenaid Mixer caught my eye, it is a gorgeous shade. That ice cream looks yummy.
    I would love a kitchenaid but keep telling myself I don't really need one. Keep posting about it and I might become convinced.

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  2. Oh Deb, I was too lazy to take a photo of my mixer (which is black). That's just a file photo from a shop!!
    Hmmm...if you enjoy cooking/baking I'd get one. Mine was as a 30th birthday present from Jason - the gift that keeps giving!

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  3. I don't have a Kitchen Aid mixer but was looking at one of those Cuisineart icecream makers..I'm very tempted. Home made ice cream just sounds delicious for summer..or anytime really. The macaroons look good too.

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  4. Hey Carol, if I didn't have the mixer, I definitely would've bought the Cuisinart ice cream makers. They look fantastic. xx

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  5. Hello Carol

    what a wonderful post - I loved it so much.

    I now know I really will by an ice-cream attachment for my kitchen aid. I had always wondered, and now feel very convinced - sorbets would be the go in our house and I would love to experiment with some other blends.

    the macaroons look amazing too - I haven't tackled them yet either - are they easy?

    x

    Loulou

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  6. Definitely money well spent. Have you noticed how overpriced all that Organic All Natural All Dancing All Singing ice-cream is? I have a Girmi ice-cream maker and use it all the time. And things like sorbets are incredibly easy. I did a peach sorbet post last year actually. If you have any Marcella Hazan cookbooks you will find she has some great recipes. Xo

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  7. I didn't know you had a kitchenaid, you lucky thing. I'd live an ice-cream maker as I love the stuff! I've been hoping I might get one, maybe a cuisinart one. Have you a recipe for pineapple ice-cream? Yum!!

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  8. I've never seen a green Kitchenaid. Black is a good choice too.

    Ice-cream making sounds so sensible. Gotta go someone's going to fall down the stairs.

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  9. Okay, now I'm convinced I need to get one of those mixers. That is so cool that you can make ice cream with one.
    Can't wait to see what the new recipe will be!

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  10. If I bought an ice cream maker I would just have to eat all of the ice cream. That would not be a good idea!

    Looks like real ice cream too! Well done. x

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  11. I won a Kitchenaid mixer a few years back and it is the frequent flyer appliance in this house. (Didn't get a colour choice but the almond cream goes well with the old farmhouse.) My under 8 boys were entranced by the DVD that came with it originally. It featured a very serious man presenting in a monotone every attachment available for the mixer and how to use it. It was strangely very dull yet mesmerising.They were most impressed by the sausage making thingo. I must watch it again some time soon and peruse the ice cream gadget.

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  12. Is there anything quite so delicious as home made ice cream? My problem would be all the extra eating I would no doubt do just to taste test on a regular basis. Looking forward to the pineapple icecream debut. xx

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  13. Yum, your icecream and the macaroons look great! xx

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  14. They look great, am buying our 7 year old an icecream maker as her main birthday present as she loves baking etc and I thought I might as well get her a proper one. Someone on twitter recommended the cuisineart one and they are half price at house of fraser at the mo apparently :)

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  15. There's nothing better than home made ice cream. Macarrons? You are ambitious!

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  16. Oh, wait. You could make pineapple ice cream!!!

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  17. I'm impressed! All of it looks delicious. x

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  18. Oh! I just ordered my kitchen aid at long last - now I'm saving for the icecream maker attachment!

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  19. I need to look into this right away! We are all ice-cream addicts here so this sounds amazing! I'm sure you could make a pineapple ice cream soon...

    Best wishes,
    Natasha.

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  20. With coconut...oh my I really need this thing!
    xoxo

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  21. I want a KitchenAid...but my hips don't!!!
    xxMB
    p.s. the macaroons look delish!

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  22. Love our icecream maker - best icecream I ever made was pumpkin pie icecream. Seriously divine.

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  23. Loving your kitchenaid and the super icecream attachment. Macarons are very trendy at present- seeing them everywhere- perhaps you should post your recipe. Agree with above comments to incorporate pineapple into icecream- I'm thinking the pina colada version with coconut cream/essence as well? melx

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  24. Oh yes, you soon find out how scary high in eggs, buttermilk, sugar, cream . . . ice cream really is!! We have the same attachment for our KitchenAid, it's magic & we leave the ice cream bowl in the freezer, just in case the desire takes us to whip up some homemade icecream. Congratulations.
    Do you buy your KitchenAid gifts & accessories often?? We do, try the pasta maker, you'll never buy pasta again!! Love Posie

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  25. I did not know that there was an attachment like this for my kitchenaid. Such knowledge may well prove costly!

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  26. I'm super impressed - it all looks delish xx

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  27. I have the same maker and make ice cream frequently. I put anything on hand in the icecream, throwing it in crumbled up for the last 5 minutes. Try a piece of apple pie thrown in, a leftover piece of cake or break up those macaroons and toss them in. So delicious...

    I have been catching up on your posts. Your house is looking so good. I really like that you are keeping the original features and no altering it.

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  28. YUM! I picked up an ice cream maker recently from you guessed it.. Aldi. I have had some good success with Vanilla Bean flavoured ice-cream. Also made a few 1 litre batches and gave them away in large glass jars as gifts. I will blog a few recipes in the summer :) Also check these ones out- I am planning to give 'em a go: http://www.deliciousdays.com/archives/2010/06/29/bacon-ice-cream-with-a-hint-of-maple-weird-but-in-a-good-way/

    http://www.deliciousdays.com/archives/2008/06/03/strawberry-ice-cream-with-balsamic-vinegar/

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  29. I've got some serious Kitchen Aid envy going on. When I stop pouring money into reno's I'm buying one.
    Homemade icecream?! YUM! I give you the Martha Stewart gold star award.
    Can you beat pistachio gelato? No. I don't think so.

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  30. bloody hell anita, i'm glad you don't live in my street!!! my boys already have an inkling that their mum is a cooking dwarf, you would seriously put me to shame if they ever dropped in at yours!! xx

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