Verrine of Vanilla Ice Cream with Strawberry Coulis
Best Ice Cream Maker, Sorbet Maker & Frozen Yogurt Maker
The best ice cream maker we are talking about is the Cuisinart ICE-30BC Pure Indulgence 2-Quart Automatic Frozen Yogurt, Sorbet, and Ice Cream Maker! We use our Cuisinart ICE-30BC Pure Indulgence to make sorbet (strawberry sorbet) or ice cream (Magascar vanilla ice cream). During the summer, sorbet are delicious low calorie desserts and when made with fresh fruits – so tasteful and flavorful! Check our Art of the Home best ice cream maker review below for tips on how to choose an ice cream maker.
Best Ice Cream Maker: Cuisinart ICE-30BC Pure Indulgence 2-Quart Review
Why do I need an ice cream maker?
Being able to make ice cream, frozen yogurt, and sorbet at home is a great way to eat all natural desserts as well as to get a sweet dose of your daily fruit serving requirements. Not all store bought ice cream are created equal and although some are quite good, a lot of them include ingredients added to increase shelve life and that don’t belong on an ice cream cone! Having your own ice cream maker can also add to your repertoire of healthy desserts (sorbet, frozen yogurt). And sure, a sorbet or an ice cream is a refreshing treat in the summer but you can also bring summer to your winter by offering your family an unexpected winter sorbet or ice cream.
How do I use an ice cream maker?
Very easy. Follow your favorite ice cream recipes (some recipes are also provided in the Cuisnart ICE-30BC Pure Indulgence manual), turn on your ice cream maker and voilà! Just come back 25-30 minutes later and your ice cream will be ready for the freezer. The trick is to make sure your ice cream bowl (freezer bowl) was left in the freezer for 24 hours before using it. After the ice cream is done, you’ll just need to put it in the freezer to let the ice cream harden a little bit — at least two hours.
What should I be looking for in an ice cream maker?
- Large Bowl: that is a key feature — the larger the better. Ice cream can store for a long time in the freezer so it’s more efficient to make big batches.
- Compact Design: it’s nice to be able to have it handy on your countertop so you can make ice cream or sorbet year-round.
- Ingredient Spout: some ice cream recipes call for adding ingredients towards the end of the process. It is best to be able to add them without stopping the machine or opening it up. A large ingredient spout is also a plus.
- Price: less than $100. Consider this, if each batch yield at least 6 servings, even if you go out for ice cream with the family only a handful of times over the summer, you can make your money back fairly quickly.
Best Ice Cream Maker, by Art of the Home – Cuisinart ICE-30BC Pure Indulgence
We do love our Cuisinart ICE-30BC Pure Indulgence ice cream maker and make great use out of it. In fact, we made our money back (and more) the first summer we got it. We use it to treat family and friends when they come over but we also make “ice cream or sorbet jar” gifts — always a big hit, especially when it’s hot! It’s a great and healthy alternative to bringing cookies and cakes to parties. Here is the Art of the Home review and ratings (0=poor, 5=excellent):
Cuisinart ICE-30BC Pure Indulgence Ice Cream Maker Rating: 5/5
Pros:
- Large Bowl: the 2 quart bowl allows you to make at least 6 servings of ice cream so you can make a larger batch all at once. Top features for ice cream lovers! If you have freezer space, we also recommend getting a 2nd freezer bowl. This allows us to make 2 batches back to back — useful for big parties or when you want to offer a couple of ice cream flavors.
- Compact Design: this model is very compact (square and not to bulky) which allows us to keep it on our countertop. Great for dessert inspirations! Plus, the cord fits very neatly inside the machine.
- Ingredient Spout: this model has a wide opening to add in nuts, chocolate chips, etc. to any ice cream. sorbet or frozen yogurt you make.
- Price: very reasonable at Amazon (currently over 50 % off on Amazon) considering how much the premium ice cream brands cost.
Cons: it is a bit noisy while it runs but definitely worth it!
So to start making all natural ice cream, sorbet, or frozen yogurt, Art of the Home recommends the highly rated, well designed and currently reduced priced Cuisinart ICE-30BC Pure Indulgence.
