To make the dreamiest homemade ice cream this summer, we’re sharing our list of must-have supplies to get you started on your ice cream-making adventure. With these simple supplies, you can make delicious homemade ice cream that will delight both your friends and family.
Today, I’m sharing my homemade ice cream-making must-haves, or what can also be referred to as “Colleen’s Must-Have Ice Cream-Making Wish List Items.” After making four different varieties of ice cream in one week, and over forty ice cream varieties since starting this food recipe blog, I think I have an idea of what ice cream-making products are useful in my kitchen, as well as a feel for what items I am still in need of. So if any of you are pondering adding an ice cream machine to your household, my advice is to do it. Do it now. Below are some products that I think are completely amazing and necessary, to help get you started. You could be enjoying “Blow Your Kilt Off” Samoas Ice Cream, Peanut Butter Cup Coffee Ice Cream, or Strawberry-Rhubarb Cheesecake Ice Cream before you know it.
Whether you choose the Cuisinart ICE-30BC, which I personally own, or any other model of Cuisinart ice cream machine, you can’t go wrong when purchasing the Cuisinart brand. They make an affordable and long-lasting product, unlike some of the other ice cream machine manufacturers. You don’t have to buy the fanciest ice cream machine on the market. If you’re not making ice cream every day of the year, or making enough ice cream to feed a small army, it will just be a waste of money.
Most ice cream machines come with an insert that needs to be frozen ahead of churning. This is great for people who have an extra freezer or excess freezer space. The insert can be stored in the freezer year-round for use whenever it’s needed. I’ve been known to use mine as a cooler ice pack on long trips. For those who don’t have space to store it in the freezer, the insert will preferably need to be frozen a few days in advance, so that it has time to fully freeze.
You can also purchase ice cream-making attachments for your stand mixer. They’re basically the same frozen insert that comes with an ice cream machine, only they are in the shape of a bowl that can be attached to your stand mixer. I have yet to meet anyone who actually likes theirs, so I encourage you to read the reviews online before making a decision on which machine or mixer attachment you choose to buy. Do the research. I’ve owned my ice cream machine since 2014, proving that an ice cream machine isn’t something that you should need or want to replace regularly.
You are going to need at least a few spatulas and whisks during the ice cream-making process, to either mix ingredients, keep the base from burning during cook time, or for helping to retrieve the finished ice cream from the inside of the ice cream maker. I find that a silicone spatula that is rigid, yet still has a bit of give, is the best all-around choice. For whisks, I tend to lean toward using silicone versions of those as well, to prevent scratching my coated sauce pans.
I am totally in love with all Tovolo products. They have a pretty nice variety of ice cream storage containers to choose from, and I own and absolutely adore at least one of each kind. The Mini Sweet Treat Tubs are for freezing personal-size ice cream portions, while the Glide-A-Scoop Ice Cream Tubs help you create the perfect scoop of ice cream, and then there are Sweet Treats Tubs in a convenient 1-quart size to handle your everyday ice cream storage needs. These last-mentioned tubs are also great for freezing soups and stews. Any kitchen item that has more than one use is a pretty great one as far as I’m concerned. These products come in a variety of colors and can be found at many stores like HomeGoods and Williams-Sonoma, as well as being available through online retailers.
You can buy a cute ice cream scoop anywhere, but will it actually scoop ice cream? Zeroli Ice Cream Scoops have been trusted by ice cream parlors for years and a serrated ice cream scoop helps to cut through ice cream with little effort. Ice cream scoops with squeezable levers are great for measuring out cookie dough and muffin batter, however, I’m not very impressed with them when it comes to scooping out actual ice cream.
Last but not least, you’re going to need a few bowls to eat your ice cream out of. I prefer to go vintage, using aluminum ice cream bowls, however, disposable bowls are nice to have on hand when you’re feeding ice cream to a crowd. Small decorative plastic bowls are nice to have on hand as well when you have guests. Honestly, when it comes to ice cream, the bowl you serve it in is probably the least important thing because if you’ve spent the time and effort to make homemade ice cream, it’s going to be gone before you even have a chance to reconsider the type of bowl that you served it in. CLICK HERE to check out all of our delicious ice cream recipes.
There’s no better time of year to enjoy a bowl of ice cream than during the hot summer months of June, July, and August. And when that ice cream’s homemade, it’s even more enjoyable. So, break out the ice cream machine and get ready to churn an unforgettably rich and creamy frozen dessert treat to help you survive the scorching summer heat. CLICK HERE for the recipes.
