Summer is on the way and I’m already scrolling through ice cream recipes for fresh inspiration. I reviewed the Cuisinart Ice Cream and Gelato Professional two years ago and despite not really having room for it (read more on that below), there’s no way I’m letting it go. Because I still think it’s one of the best ice cream makers you can buy.
While I use it year round, it definitely comes into its own in summer. From tasty healthier frozen yogurts, to indulgent ice creams that impress my guests, it’s the appliance I didn’t realise I needed. But as a fan of ice cream, there are so many fun flavours to try, I don’t think I’ll ever get bored of it.
In the last two years, I haven’t discovered anything new about the machine itself. It has continued to perform as it did from the get-go. But here are the four main reasons why it’s still in my life and won’t be going anywhere.
Cuisinart
Freeze Ease Pro Ice Cream Maker
Helen’s original model, the Cuisinart Ice Cream and Gelato Professional has been replaced in the range by a new and updated version: the Freeze Ease Pro Ice Cream Maker. It retains the standout features from the first version, but has been improved to have ‘more power, precision, and versatility.’
1. I can make ice cream on a whim
So many other ice cream appliances require forethought and planning. Often you need to freeze a bowl 24 hours before you plan to make the ice cream. So there’s little room for ice cream spontaneity – unless you leave the bowl in your freezer permanently, and who has freezer space for that?
This Cuisinart version freezes as it churns, there’s no pre-freezing required. So if I wake up in the morning and it feels like an ice cream day, I can create homemade ice cream that’s ready to eat by lunchtime. For this reason I get far more use out of it than I would if I had to freeze a bowl in advance.
2. It helps me avoid nasty ultra-processed ice creams
In an ideal world, I try to avoid ultra-processed foods that contain lots of chemical additives. And when you read the list of unpronounceable additives on the label of many (not all) shop bought ice creams, they fall firmly into the category of foods I’d prefer to avoid.
Having my own ice cream maker means I am in control of the quality of the ingredients I use. I can make stunning flavours with wholesome ingredients that have some nourishing qualities and nutritional value.
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Furthermore, the flavour of ice cream made with real ingredients like real strawberries simply can’t be beaten by a synthetic flavour or additive. And I get to have fun trying new or unique flavours that you can’t buy in the shops. I stir pureed raspberries through peach frozen yogurt and not only does it look incredible, but it’s an amazing healthy treat.
3. I can make multiple batches back to back
This was something I noted in the original review, and it’s still true now. If I’ve got the ice cream maker out and it’s on my worktop, I usually enjoy making up a couple of different flavours, or sometimes an ice cream and a sorbet. Being able to make more than one batch in a day is absolutely one of the reasons I continue to love this machine.
After the first batch, I just have to wash the bowl and paddle, then I can immediately set it going again to create another flavour. Whereas the ice cream makers that utilise a pre-frozen bowl can usually only be used for one batch, then the bowl has to spend a few hours back in the freezer before you can make more.
4. It’s great for impressing friends and family
When I proudly offer up homemade ice cream to friends, I’m secretly hoping they don’t realise just how little effort I’ve had to put in. This ice cream maker is incredibly easy to use, so it almost feels like cheating when I take the credit for being a domestic goddess. Having said that, there’s something about home made ice cream that never fails to impress.
My guests always assume I’ve gone to lots of effort to produce this wonderful treat, when in reality, I’ve usually only spent a few minutes preparing the mixture before letting the ice cream maker do all the work.
I recently tried a new recipe for salted caramel ice cream, it was a bit more effort than usual so my friends were even more impressed when I told them I made the salted caramel myself, and needless to say, it went down a treat! But my absolute best ever result is a coffee ice cream I made recently, I can’t get enough of it.
The downsides?
The biggest downside for me is that I don’t have space for it. Honestly. I’m not joking, I store it in our garden office. My kitchen only has space for the everyday essentials, and this isn’t one of them. It’s bulky and only used occasionally, so I have to store it elsewhere and bring it into the house as and when I need it.
However, my lack of space hasn’t put me off keeping it. I could have kept hold of a smaller one, with a freezable bowl, but I really wanted this one, because I knew I would use it more than one that required pre-freezing a bowl – and I was right.
Oh, and before you assume I have loads of random, lesser used appliances stored in the garden office, I don’t. This is the only one. I even cleared a special space for it so that it would be easily accessible!
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