On Homemade Ice Cream

We have three ice cream makers. One (a small one that you stick in the freezer and then use a hand-crank) I got for Aaron on Father's Day when our oldest was a baby. Number two was one of those traditional ones that makes a lot - loud, with the wood exterior - remember? Three, we just got.

We've used it twice now, both times vanilla (once vanilla bean - which is amazing), both times for Mom and Dad. Both times the ice cream was eaten too quickly for (good) photos.

Something that's interesting that we've learned about making ice cream (from Alton Brown) is that you can substitute fruit preserves (not jam, preserves) for part of the sugar in equal amounts. The pectin is supposed to help the ice cream set up, too. So we take out about 2T of sugar and add 2T peach preserves. It adds just a really subtle flavor - not even a flavor, more like a layer of taste or something. It's definitely still vanilla.



But it's extra delicious. Especially when served with warm chocolate chip cookies (or, when forced, lesser white chocolate chip macadamia nut cookies from dough you were suckered into buying for a fundraiser from a neighbor kid).