# Making ice cream without a machine? Methods, recipes... **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 29, 2004, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-ice-cream-without-a-machine-methods-recipes/231777 "2004-02-29T18:45:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![scott\_evil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/91b2a8/32.png) [@scott\_evil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scott_evil)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2004, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-ice-cream-without-a-machine-methods-recipes/231777/1 "2004-02-29T18:45:04Z")
I recall reading recipes that used methods to make ice cream without a machine, but Googling doesn’t come up with much - just the usual crap that you get now that Google has gone downhill. (Links to pages with my search words randomly inserted in the descriptions that probably lead to porn sites - you know, that kind of thing.) IIRC the idea is to mix the ingredients and then pour into a baking pan that you then put in the freezer and stir every so often. I’m assuming you’d end up with a kind of soft-serve-textured ice cream. I also remember another method where you freeze it solid then stick it in chunks in a food processor, but that’s out because we only have a blender in the Pad of Evil®. I don’t want to buy a real ice cream maker because they can be expensive, and there’s just no room in the Freezer of Evil® for the metal sleeve thingy that you keep frozen and then put in the machine. The reason for all this is I’m hooked on having a _huge_ bowl of vanilla ice cream (the good stuff) before bed every night, and I don’t want that sugar anymore, so I want to make my own with Splenda® and perhaps a lighter cream. Isn’t there also a method that involves Ziploc® freezer bags and a rolling pin or hammer? (I’m serious.) ---
**Author:** ![percypercy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8baadc/32.png) [@percypercy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/percypercy)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2004, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-ice-cream-without-a-machine-methods-recipes/231777/2 "2004-02-29T19:04:54Z")
Here’s the plastic bag ice cream recipe. I remember making something like it in school. It was nummy good. -Lil [http://www.teachnet.com/lesson/science/icecream051999.html](http://www.teachnet.com/lesson/science/icecream051999.html) ---
**Author:** ![Jenaroph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e8c25b/32.png) [@Jenaroph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jenaroph)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2004, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-ice-cream-without-a-machine-methods-recipes/231777/3 "2004-02-29T19:07:16Z")
Google’s not so far gone as that. These were on the first page of links with the search words “make ice cream.” [http://www.teachnet.com/lesson/science/icecream051999.html](http://www.teachnet.com/lesson/science/icecream051999.html) > **[Use Science to Make Ice Cream in a Bag (No Freezer Required)](https://www.thoughtco.com/how-to-make-ice-cream-in-a-bag-602195)** > > Make ice cream in a bag to get a tasty treat while learning about the science of freezing point depression and phase changes. No freezer required! [http://www.sendicecream.com/icecreammakf.html](http://www.sendicecream.com/icecreammakf.html) They’re generally aimed at kids but the freezing principles apply. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2004, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-ice-cream-without-a-machine-methods-recipes/231777/4 "2004-02-29T19:15:10Z")
A friend and I found a similar recipe when I was eleven. All we got was milk-sugar soup. It didn’t freeze, even after hours. Too much salt, maybe 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Idlewild](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8491ac/32.png) [@Idlewild](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idlewild)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2004, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-ice-cream-without-a-machine-methods-recipes/231777/5 "2004-02-29T19:47:55Z")
I don’t have my recipes with me, but the method for a really rich icecream I used to make (in vanilla and chocolate) was this: Separate some eggs and make a custard with the yolks, sugar, vanilla/chocolate and heavy cream. Beat the egg whites to stiff peaks, and fold the custard and egg whites together. Stick it in the freezer until it’s sort of softly frozen, take it out, and beat the whole lot again (with electric beaters!) Stick it back in the freezer to finish. My mother has been using this method for ages. We never had an icecream machine and I never had any problems getting icecream to turn out OK. The trick is to let it get mostly slushy-frozen before beating the air into it. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2004, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-ice-cream-without-a-machine-methods-recipes/231777/6 "2004-03-02T19:21:05Z")
> [@scott evil](#): > > I recall reading recipes that used methods to make ice cream without a machine, > > The reason for all this is I’m hooked on having a _huge_ bowl of vanilla ice cream (the good stuff) before bed every night, and I don’t want that sugar anymore, so I want to make my own with Splenda® and perhaps a lighter cream. > (I’m serious.) Ya know, sugar has chemical properties splenda does not, and your ice creams texture may suffer. i do remember it being discussed on a couple different low carb food lists i was on a few years ago. if you go to [expertfoods.com](http://expertfoods.com), barbara makes ‘not-sugar’ that solves some of the texture problems. i have some here but am not really into ice cream so i have never really tried it=(. if i get a dessert jones, i take powdered protein drink mix [usually chocolate] and cream cheese, and a dab of pure unadulterated fresh yoghurt and mix it together and scoop it into ‘bonbons’ and freeze it, then dip it into melted lowcarb chocolate bars and set it back in the freezer to reset. sort of my version of those ice cream bonbons. i use a .5oz parisian scoop [melon ball maker] ---
**Author:** ![filmore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7993a0/32.png) [@filmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmore)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2004, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-ice-cream-without-a-machine-methods-recipes/231777/7 "2004-03-02T19:42:47Z")
Some info on ice cream making techniques without a machine in this thread: > **[How can I make ice cream without an ice cream maker?](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=208910)** > > I’d like to try making some homemade ice cream. I’ve read it’s much better than anything you can buy. However, I don’t want to invest in a special machine which I will probably only use a few times a year. So is there a way to do it using the...