Rec a ice cream maker please?

[scottmandue]

Wife wanted a fancy kitchenaid stand mixer for Christmas so I ordered one, also got her a few accessories for it.
She hinted about getting the ice cream maker attachment.
There are a couple different ice cream makers and many models of stand mixers. You would think they have a chart showing what ice cream maker fits what mixer but noooooo!
So I have been searching for two days now... thought I would try youtube... bottom line looks like using the mixer to make ice cream is huge PITA.

That got me thinking (always dangerous)... why not just buy a stand alone ice cream maker and be done with it with it?

Looking on the internet there are multitude of choices.
So I thought I would ask the PPOT brain trust what they use to make ice cream.
What say yee?

[RKDinOKC]

The kind I like are the ones you fill with ice and plug in the electric churner and it's done when the motor stops.
Mine has a wooden bucket with a plastic liner. Makes a gallon.Think the brand is Nostalgic. Takes 2 bags of ice.

Was gifted an expesive one with all wood bucket. Only used a few times before the bucket started leaking. The cold water never came up to the drain so stopped freezing the ice cream.

Have also used ones that were just plastic buckets. They didn't freeze the ice cream nearly as fast. Uses 3 to 4 bags of ice.

Made 5 gallons for a 4th of July Fireworks display. Had mine with the combo bucket, and all wood White Mountain that made 2 gallons, and two of the plastic bucket ones. The combo bucket stopped first, then the White Mountain, then the two plastic buckets some time later. The longer it takes the more ice you need.

[drkshdw]

Don't mess with the 'freeze the bucket' kinds. They make lousy ice cream. It doesn't stay cold enough long enough to freeze the ice cream properly and it ends up full of ice crystals and hard as a rock when you put it in the freezer.

Plastic bucket types are convenient but they aren't insulated and you go through a lot of ice. Motor or hand churn doesn't matter. They both make decent ice cream as long as you have the proper dasher and ice to salt ratio (5:1).

Wood buckets are the best but they have to be soaked for 24 hours in order to hold water. You can't pull it out an hour before you want to use it and expect it to hold water. It won't. And you need it to hold that water. The salt water is what freezes ice cream, not the ice. And the buckets need maintenance. Older buckets are better than newer buckets (old growth wood doesn't dry out like new Chinese wood does so new buckets need to be filled with water every few months to keep them from drying out past the point of not being able to ever seal again).

With all that said, I have two hand crank White Mountain freezers (4qt and 6qt), both from the 20's. They both make the best ice cream you've ever had. There is a technique that goes with using them but I've never been able to recreate the texture of ice cream made in antique freezers with a new freezer. Maybe I'm biased since I worked all through college making ice cream in an old fashioned parlor using 20qt White Mountain freezers but it's the best there is. And antique freezers can be had for less than new ones that are far inferior.

Whatever kind you choose, make sure you use a good recipe. The more fat the better. Stick to 14-16% butterfat recipes for the best results and churn it until it's increased in volume by 50% (overrun) to prevent it from turning to a brick in the freezer.

[scottmandue]

Yeah, my dad used to make ice cream in the plastic bucket with the electric motor type (and I was the ice monitor)... but was hoping for something that was more set and forget... and it is just the two of us so don't really need 4-6 quarts.

On the other hand I doubt we could find room in the freezer for one of those that require the bucket.

I'm sure the gourmet guys will point me at a +$500 unit like they use in 'Iron Chef' but that is a bit much for an occasional treat.

I'm going to look back at the old school bucket and ice machines.

[enzo1]

Cheap Cuisinart....

[scottmandue]

Originally Posted by enzo1

Cheap Cuisinart....

But you are back to sticking the bowl in the freezer... if you can find the space in your freezer you have to put the bowl in the freezer the day before.

With the old school Ice cream maker you just run to the store for a bag of ice and you are good to go.

[tabs]

Simac 1600 il gelato with the self contained freezer unit. I got one.

Unless you bought a Kitchen Aid Pro 700 mixer you bought Whirlpool junk. Hobart is the only way to fly.. those are 2500. Step up to the plate or don't play.