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Fruit / veg guides and picking tips How do I need to pick?? Apples Blackberries Blueberries Cherries Figs Green Beans Peaches, Plums and Apricots Pears Raspberries Strawberries Vegetables

This month's notes: September 2016: Blueberries have a very brief season usually just 3 or 4 weeks (June in the South, July in the North and August in the far north). Similarly for peaches (July South or August in the North); so, don't miss them: See your state's crop availability calendar for more specific dates of upcoming crops. And see our guide to local fruit and vegetable festivals, such as tomato, corn, peach or blueberry festivals. Organic farms are identified in green!  Also make your own ice cream - see How to make ice cream and ice cream making equipment and manuals. Have fun, eat healthier and better tasting, and save money by picking your own locally grown fruit and vegetables, and then using our easy canning and freezing directions

Organic farms are identified in green!  See our guide to local fruit and vegetable festivals!. Please tell the farms you found them here - and ask them to update their information!!

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How to Make Homemade Gourmet Ice Cream - Any Flavor
Using a Gel-container Ice Cream maker!

Click here for a PDF print version

What's better than fresh picked fruit?  Perhaps fresh premium ice cream? So let's take some fresh-picked fruit and make our own homemade ice cream!  It is actually quite easy, and electric ice cream makers are inexpensive! You can make plain vanilla ice cream, strawberry ice cream, peach ice cream, raspberry, blackberry, blueberry, or many other flavors! If you have an ice cream maker that requires ice and salt instead of the freezer bowl, see these instructions instead!

If you are looking for an instruction manual for your ice cream maker, we have them, too! See this page.

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Directions for Making Homemade Ice Cream

Ingredients

• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup fat-free powdered milk
• 8 eggs (yolks only needed)
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream (OR half-and-half - regular or fat-free OR light cream for lighter more ice cream, more like gelato)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups of prepared fruit (strawberries, peaches, raspberries, mangoes, or whatever you have! See step 7 for details.

Equipment

• 1 ice cream maker with a freezer gel cannister
• 1 large pot
• 1 wooden or plastic spatula

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Instructions

Step 1 - Pre-Freeze your ice cream maker's gel container

Before you even think about making ice cream, you better get the gel container in the deep freeze and start it freezing up.  Models vary, but generally the recommend
the length of time needed to freeze the unit is between 6 hours and 22 hours. It depends on how cold your freezer is. If you have the room, just leave your freezer bowl in the freezer at all times. That way, you can take it out any time for immediate use.

To determine whether the bowl is completely frozen, just shake it. If you don't hear liquid moving, it's frozen!  Before freezing the bowl, wash and dry the bowl, then place the freezer bowl in the back of your freezer where it is coldest. (Note: Your freezer should be set to 0�F for most foods, including ice cream!)

Crass commercial message: (Well, I warned you!) - I've tried many different types of ice cream makers over the past 25 years, and the Cuisinart ICE-30BC "Pure Indulgence" is the easiest, simplest, and neatest (as in not messy) ice cream / gelato / sorbet / frozen yogurt maker I've used.  just pop the gel bowl in the freezer and, depending upon how cold your freezer is, within 6 to 12 hours, it's ready to make ice cream, without ice, salt or mess. It also has an opening in the top to add flavorings... or to sample as it freezes.. .YUM! Highly recommended! Blake

On the other hand, the Rival model is cheaper, but I haven't tried it.  And if, for some demented reason, you actually want to hand crank for 25 minutes, the Donvier model offers that, um, "pleasure".

Step 2 - Heat the milk, sugar and powdered milk

In a large pot ( 4 quarts or larger) with a heavy bottom (for even heat distribution), mix the milk, sugar and powdered milk. Bring the mix to a low simmer over medium heat and stir to dissolve the sugar, then turn the heat down and just keep it warm.

 

 

 

 

 

Step 3 - Separate 8 egg yolks

Separate the egg yolks from 8 large eggs.

 

 

 

Step 4 - Whip the egg yolks until thickened

Put the egg yolks in a medium bowl and whisk until they are thickened (it only takes about 2 minutes.  I use a hand mixer on low speed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Step 5 - Slowly add 1 cup of the hot milk mixture to the egg yolks

While constantly whisking, slowly add 1 cup of the hot milk mixture and whisk until it is blended (a few seconds).

 

 

 

 

 

Step 6 - Pour the egg yolk mix into the pot of hot milk

Then pour the egg mixture back into the pot of hot milk and increase heat to medium. Stir the mixture constantly with a wooden or plastic spoon, until the mixture is thickened (like gravy) and registers between 170�F and 180�F (check with an instant-read thermometer, like the ones with a probe).

 

 

 

 

 

Step 7 - Add the light cream and vanilla and refrigerate

Stir in whipping cream (or light cream or half-and-half) and vanilla. Cover and pop into the refrigerator for at least 6 hours before continuing on to step 8. Overnight or even 24 to 48 hours is fine.

 

 

Intermission - while the mix (called a custard) chills

 

Step 8 - Prepare the fruit

Well, what kind of ice cream do you want?  This is the time to decide!  You can add almost any fruit you have!  If you want vanilla, you already have it, just pop the mix into the maker. If you want chocolate, just skip the fruit and add the chocolate syrup in step 10.  I add about 1/2 cup of chocolate syrup - I use the Hersey's sugar free syrup, but both the variety and amount are a matter of personal taste preferences!

For a fruit flavor, well, some fruit work better than others.  You get best flavor if you puree the fruit first in your food processor or blender.  So obviously, fruits like strawberries, raspberries, mangoes, figs and peaches are idea for this, while apples, coconuts and pomegranates might not be such a good choice. 

To prepare the fruit just prepare it as you would for eating, then blend it in your food processor or blender for a few minutes. Here are some tips:

• Peaches and nectarines: remove skins, pits and bruised areas
• Strawberries: remove the cap (the green parts)
• Raspberries: just wash them
• Blackberries: I like seedless, so I wash them and then run them through a Foley Food Mill to remove the seeds!
• Figs: Remove stems and bruises
• Mangoes: Peel, and cut the flesh off the stone.

Step 9 - Mix the milk/cream mix with the fruit

About 45 minutes before you want to serve the ice cream, stir the milk/cream mixture together with the pureed fruit. Stir it up well. Remove the freezer bowl and pour the milk/cream/fruit mixture from step 8 into the freezer bowl. Put the bowl in the cream maker. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Step 10 - Fire up the ice cream maker!

Turn the ice cream maker on and let the maker work until it is thickened, about 20 to 25 minutes.

If you are making chocolate ice cream, this is the time to add the chocolate syrup.  I add about 1/2 cup of chocolate syrup - I use the Hersey's sugar free syrup, but both the variety and amount are a matter of personal taste preferences!

You can tell when the ice cream is done, by simply checking the consistency through the opening on the top of the ice cream maker.  You will also hear the motor straining, as the ice cream freezes.  On some units, the directions with the maker tell you to let it work until the motor stalls and stops.

When it is done, the ice cream should have a soft, creamy texture. If you want firmer, harder ice cream, transfer the ice cream to an airtight container and place it in freezer for about 2 hours. Remove from freezer about 15 minutes before serving.

 

 

Step 11 - Enjoy!

Hey, once it reaches the consistency you like, it's time to eat!  That's it!  You made great homemade ice cream!

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Frequently Asked Questions

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Picking Tips

[General picking tips and a guide to each fruit and vegetable] [How much do I need to pick? (Yields - how much raw makes how much cooked or frozen)] [Selecting the right varieties to pick] [All about apple varieties - which to pick and why!]  [Picking tips for Vegetables] [ Strawberry picking tips] [ Blueberries picking tips]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Illustrated Canning, Freezing, Jam Instructions and Recipes

[ All About Home Canning, Freezing and Making Jams, Pickles, Sauces, etc. ] [FAQs - Answers to common questions and problems] [Recommended books about home canning, jam making, drying and preserving!] [Free canning publications to download and print]