Donvier Ice Cream Maker - why stirring only every 2 minutes?
This weekend I picked up a hand-cranked ice cream maker for a very low price. However some of the instructions don't make much sense. For this maker, they say to crank the handcrank 2-3 times every 2-3 minutes, for a total of 20-30 minutes.
However, every ice cream maker I have ever used requires you to constantly crank the handle to help keep ice crystals from forming. Likewise, all of the electric makers will spin a beater arm nonstop through the process. Why is does this ice cream maker say to only stir sporadically? Does stirring more cause an issue with this ice cream maker?
The ice cream maker is the same design as this one, but about 20 years old: www.amazon.com/Donvier-837409W-1-Quart-Cream-Maker/dp/B00006484E/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top
This is what the beater arm/dasher looks like.
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I can think of two reasons they suggest cranking intermittently:
They figure its too much effort to crank it constantly, and if they asked you to do that you'd give up and return the machine to the store.
It's possible to over-churn ice cream, and basically produce butter.
I'd guess #1 is more likely, by far. You can crank it more often, especially if you're getting ice crystals.
To avoid #2 happening, its best to start with an as cold as possible ice cream base (e.g., you want it to be just about to freeze, before it goes into the machine). One way to do this is to freeze a small portion of it, and refrigerate the rest. Before churning, mix the two together, and stir gently until the frozen portion melts. Then dump the mixture in to the ice cream maker, and start churning. (If you start this cold, you ought to be able to churn constantly. At least until you get tired.)
The more air you stir in the more crystals. This is more like Gelato.
I have used a Donvier ice cream maker for over 25 years now. I have sold these used for about 10 years. They work great. I have discovered that if you crank all the time it takes much longer to make the ice cream. If you crank it a few times every 5 to even 10 minutes it works quicker. Crank it a little more often at the start and also turn the crank backward a few times as well. I have not had a problem with ice crystals.
I have found that the Cuisinart electric maker works very well as well and it turns all the time and automatically stops when it is done.
I have had that icecream maker for decades. I never had a problem with ice crystals following their directives. Since you don't need to churn it continuously, they tell you there's no need to. The mix needs some time in contact with the walls to get cold.
If you have kids, it will get stirred more often than the instructions say. But that tends to work out ok too. It's pretty forgiving all around.
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