1. Have you ever had or used this type of ice cream freezer? The ones I've used make the ice cream about as thick as soft-serve, and if you want it harder, you have to freeze awhile longer, in another container, after it reaches the soft-serve stage.

2. It sounds like you had more liquid than what a recipe for this machine can use, and that's why it didn't get frozen.

3. I make my ice cream mixture ahead of time and leave it in a stainless steel bowl/container in the freezer until ice crystals begin to form on the edge of the mixture to make sure it's as cold as possible. I also freeze the dasher. This will help it freeze a little faster.

4. To rescue the peaches, I would make this filling recipe and use it as a dessert served with granola on the top or as a topping for ice cream. The peach gelatin powder (JELL-O and Great Value brand at Wal-Mart will also work) in the recipe is a flavor enhancer (especially good if the peaches don't have a lot of flavor) and the recipe won't work well without it.

1 c. water

3/4-1 c. sugar (use lesser amount if peaches are really sweet)

3 T. cornstarch

3 T. peach gelatin powder (use the regular JELL-O, not sugar-free)

4-6 peaches (depends on how large they are, but almost any number of peaches will work - if you have fewer peaches, just make a half-recipe)

Cook water, sugar, and cornstarch in a pan until thickened. Add peach gelatin, stir in well. Add sliced peaches to this hot mixture. Cool until lukewarm, or refrigerate, before serving. (NOTE: If the peach slices are really large, you can cut them into smaller bite-size segments. I also like to use coconut palm sugar for a darker, almost caramel-like flavor, while using white granulated sugar makes a pretty lite pink/peach colored filling. This filling will keep several days in the refrigerator.

-Grainlady

I always get the liquid really cold before starting and it's always done within an hour. I'm using the electric machine, are you?

Yes, it is a powered unit. I believe that it is the same one that several people here who have just been posting on the other ice cream thread also use.

grainlady, I had not used this type before. I was aware that the ice cream would need two or more hours of additional freezing, but I hadn't realized that it would be as soft as soft serve. But it certainly didn't get thick at all.

re: It sounds like you had more liquid than what a recipe for this machine can use, and that's why it didn't get frozen.

I suppose that could be true, and makes sense from basic physics, but it surprises me.While the manual provides three cup recipes (mine being four), the manual also states: If you use your own recipe, be sure it yields 1-1⁄2 quarts or less. Does ice cream mix double in bulk?? It certainly isn't expanding in my hands so far.

If we can get to town tomorrow I might try to find peach jello. Sounds interesting. I may just end up eating them as they ripen heh heh.

I guess that I am now back under control. I expect that my garage freezer is more efficient now that it has been defrosted. I was able to soft freeze the Butter Brickle mix last night. I again pre-freezer-cooled the mix for approx. 1.5 hours. For some reason, this inside freezer seemed quicker too (absolutely no explanation) because I began getting solidification at the edges sooner than the previous night. I stirred the frozen areas back in a couple times and then began the machine freezing.

Perhaps I should have done a better job of waiting, or done much more mixing of the chilled/frozen mix, because there were still lots of bits of frozen stuff when I started the machine. The mix started thickening almost immediately. I expect it was because the cream had lots of preformed ice crystals to build from. The solidifying mix looked lumpy but it seemed to pack well. It is hard to tell if it lacks some creaminess because it also has lots of incorporated bits of toffee. It looks and tastes fine. My object was to wean DW off of her good friends Ben and Jerry. She was very impressed this morning. If the peach stuff comes out creamier, I may be on to something. We shall see.

I don't put my base in the freezer at all... just in the fridge, usually over night so it's really cold. And, it usually goes in the garage fridge which is barely above freezing.

Kate, you must have a different machine. The Cuisinart freezer bowl has to be frozen prior to use.

Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker