UPS dropped my ice cream maker off yesterday. I just got an inexpensive 4 quart electric one- the old fashioned kind because I keep reading about the gel canisters not lasting very long for the other type. I used the recipe for Easy Vanilla Ice Cream in the booklet. It just finished, and it was not at all the way I remember it.

The ice cream was slightly... frothy might be the word for it. This seemed like it had too much air. It was also too sweet. That's an easy fix for next time. It was just really uninteresting in flavor. I like good vanilla ice cream, and this really isn't.

I am going to try a custard type next time. I just wanted to do this because I was impatient to try it out. I don't think my mom ever cooked her ice cream base, and it was wonderful. I wonder why this is so different.

I noticed after I bought the heavy whipping cream that it's not just cream, like we had when I was a kid. They have added carageenan, and another ingredient or two. I wonder if that is making it hold more air. Is the custard type any better about that than the non-cooked type? Should I use less milk? Maybe I am getting too much of a whipped cream effect with the 2-1 cream-milk ratio...

Anyway, does anyone have any suggestions for things I can do/add to cut down on the amount of air incorporated, while not changing the crystal size, because the consistency, as far as the ice crystals go, is really nice.

Maybe I am just getting picky about things in my old age, but who doesn't like homemade ice cream? I really just don't think this was that impressive. I am making practice runs for my birthday party in July, so I want it to be impressive! I apparently also want to put on a few more pounds before then. :p