Cultured Ice Cream (and how to make it without a machine)

What if you could take that guilty little secret of yours - you know the fact that you could eat ice cream every day - and shout it from the roof tops? If the only thing stopping you is the fact that you think it’ll kill your healthy diet, then boy, do I have good news for you.

Store-bought ice cream is probably not going to be on your daily to-eat for health list. Homemade ice cream could certainly make your splurge-once-a-week list. But cultured ice cream, made from probiotic-rich cultured dairy, could certainly get a pass as your daily habit.

You see you can have your cake, er ice cream, and eat it too when you make it from home-cultured dairy products such as sour cream, crème fraîche, kefir, and yogurt. So go ahead and splurge on these delicious dairy delights and don’t you dare feel guilty about it.

Sour Cream

Since sour cream is simply cream that has been soured or cultured, sour cream is a natural ingredient for ice cream. It adds a tang and depth of flavor that regular cream can’t bring to the table. Try this blueberry sour cream ice cream or this tangy lemon sour cream ice cream which also uses yogurt.

Crème Fraîche

The nuttier, more French version of sour cream, crème fraise also works wonderfully in ice cream. Try this crème fraîche and buttermilk ice cream over pie or this peaches and crème fraîche ice cream all on its own.

Kefir

Kefir has such a unique flavor that you wouldn’t necessarily picture it as the base of a frozen treat. But when paired with the proper flavorings and sweeteners it makes a winning combination.

Try this vanilla kefir ice cream as a very basic recipe. Switch it up by adding chocolate chips or seasonal fruits. Or, if you really want that rich ice cream mouth feel then strain your kefir and use the kefir cheese as the base as in this peanut butter kefir cheese ice cream.

Yogurt

Everyone’s heard of frozen yogurt. But not all frozen yogurt is as healthy as it’s touted to be. Using homemade yogurt and natural sweeteners will guarantee that froyo is all it’s cracked up to be.

Try this peach and honey frozen yogurt for or maple frozen yogurt for treats that are both delicious and simple. This strawberry maple frozen yogurt would also make a perfect treat for a hot summer day.

Making Ice Cream without a Machine

If you’re going to be making a lot of ice cream and can afford to you may want to invest in an ice cream maker, if you haven’t already.

But if you can’t bring yourself to buy another appliance know that it is possible to make ice cream without a machine. The technique is simple, but it does take more hands-on time than the machine would.

1. Pour your ice cream base into a freezer-safe shallow pan. Allow to freeze for 30 minutes.
2. Remove and mix with a fork or sturdy utensil to break up all of the ice chunks. Fewer ice chunks = smooth ice cream.
3. Repeat every 20 minutes until it has firmed up to your liking, 2 to 4 hours, and then serve.

Related Articles & Recipes:

• VIDEO: Making Kefir
• Three Ways to Make Cultured Buttermilk
• Orange Smoothie Recipe

Related Products: