dipirro@amber.DEC (GENERIC PERSONAL_NAME STRING) (01/09/86)
>I'm interested in these new ice cream machines with built-in >freezer units. Do any of them make ice cream comparable to >what can be achieved with a hand-cranked machine using rock >salt and ice? Also, does anyone know of *any* motorized >ice cream machine producing ice cream of comparable quality? Most if not all of the electric ice cream makers these days merely eliminate the crank from the old-fashioned makers. The salt and ice are still required. The electric motor rotates the plastic blades until it can't anymore. You then have moderately soft ice cream on your hands which you can harden in the freezer for two hours or so (depending on your freezer). The new Donvier ice cream maker is not electric, has a crank, and does NOT require salt and ice. There is a metal container which you put into your freezer overnight and then place into the rest of your ice cream maker when your ingredients are ready. You then put the unit together, pour your ice cream ingredients in, and turn the crank occasionally while it hardens. The resulting ice cream (after about 20-30 minutes) seems somewhat softer than the ice/salt machines. However, two (or so) hours of hardening in the freezer still does the trick. I normally don't have piles of salt and ice on hand when I feel like making ice cream, but popping the Donvier metal container into the freezer is easy (almost too easy if you ask me). The resulting ice cream is the same - terrific. Homemade ice cream puts store-bought to shame. Steve DiPirro Digital Equipment Corp.