If you close your eyes, you'll probably remember those. childhood summer ice creamsThe colorful signs at the beach bar and the lemon popsicles that saved every afternoon at the beach. Many of us bought them occasionally, almost as a treat, but today we have molds, freezers, and tons of ideas for making ice cream, sorbet, and popsicles at home that are just as good as those from the ice cream shop.
The best part is that with very little effort you can set up your own at home mini homemade ice cream shopYou control the ingredients, adjust the sugar, accommodate allergies or intolerances, and indulge in slightly healthier treats (or totally indulgent ones, which are also appreciated). Let's see how to do it step by step, with tricks for making them creamy and a good repertoire of simple recipes.
Homemade popsicles: a basic guide to get started
The first time many We made ice cream at home. It was something as basic as stick a spoon into a yogurtJust put it straight into the freezer and wait. It was awkward to eat, yes, but it worked. That's the basic idea behind any popsicle: a liquid or cream that freezes around a stick.
To make homemade popsicles you really only need a freezer and something to act as a moldThey serve you small plastic cups, yogurt containers, silicone muffin molds, small glass jars and even the classic popsicle molds that you can find today in any bazaar or kitchenware store.
Currently there many specific mold models For popsicles: classic elongated shape, round like a bonbon, imitating commercial ice creams, mini popsicles for kids… Choose the ones that are easiest for you to fill and unmold and, if possible, that remain stable in the freezer.
For ice pops, creaminess isn't as important, so the technique is simple: Fill, insert the stick and freezeHowever, if you replace some of the water with juice, add a little yogurt or coconut milk, or incorporate some of inverted sugar or honeyThe texture becomes more pleasant and fewer large crystals are formed.
Before using them, it is advisable that the molds are clean and dryMake sure the stick is centered and secure, and that you can leave them in the freezer without them tipping over. You can add pieces of fruit, chocolate chips, crushed cookies, or even dip them in melted chocolate once frozen. The flavor combinations are almost endless.
Fruit popsicles: the lightest and most refreshing version
In the middle of summer, with the heat oppressive and the stalls packed with seasonal fruit, homemade fruit popsicles They are a total success: they refresh, hydrate and are very easy to adapt to everyone's taste.
The simplest option is to blend ripe fruit with a little water or juice and freeze. For example, some popsicles of cherry and coconut You can use the pureed pulp, or passion fruit popsicles using only the juice if you don't want to find seeds or fibers. If you don't like lumps, simply strain the mixture before filling the molds.
To make them more filling and with a better texture, you can mix the fruit with natural yogurt or Greek yogurtA great idea is Greek yogurt popsicles with raspberries: you can use frozen fruit, whole, chopped or semi-pureed so that there are visible pieces when you bite into it.
If you like trying different things, there are some delicious combinations like popsicles of goat cheese with cherrieswhich end up much creamier and with that intense cheese flavor, or the banana popsicles with cocoa, ideal for serious chocolate lovers who want something relatively light.
In addition, fruits provide us with water, natural sugars, vitamins, minerals and fiberYou only need to watch out for those that oxidize quickly, such as apples or bananas: if you use them in popsicles or sorbets, always add a few drops of lemon juice to prevent them from turning black.
Sugar-free popsicles for children (and not-so-children)
For the little ones at home, especially if you want to avoid ice creams loaded with sugar and artificial colors, homemade fruit popsicles are a great option. a quick, cheap and healthy alternativeIn many cases, it is enough to use only the natural sweetness of fully ripe fruit.
With a few molds and a mixer you can make popsicles of freshly squeezed juice Or with pureed fruit and a little milk or plant-based milk. You don't need an ice cream maker, just a freezer and a little planning so they're ready at snack time.
Some basic ideas They are very easy to prepare:
- Orange juice popsicleSqueeze the orange, fill the molds, place the sticks and freeze.
- Cocoa popsicleDissolve one tablespoon of unsweetened pure cocoa in half a cup of milk, divide into molds and freeze.
- Strawberry popsicle: crush washed strawberries with a little milk or water to lighten and freeze with their stick.
- Kiwi popsiclePeel the kiwi, mash it, fill the mold, insert a stick and into the freezer.
- Melon popsicle with cinnamon: blend melon with a splash of water and cinnamon powder; the color may not be very striking, but the flavor is great.
Express frozen fruit sorbet
Another very welcome option for the summer are the fruit sorbetsThe basic difference with a popsicle is that they are usually eaten freshly made, almost like an ice cream to eat with a spoon instead of on a stick.
The most practical version involves using fruit that comes already frozen (red berries, diced mango, pineapple, etc.) or freeze seasonal fruit yourself when it's cheap and at its best. That way you have it ready all summer long to make a sorbet in five minutes.
Simply blend the frozen fruit (without thawing) in a powerful blender until you get a thick granita-like or almost frozen cream texture. If it seems too thick, add a little water, juice or milk until the desired consistency is reached.
This sorbet should be consumed immediately, because if you refreeze it, it will lose much of its flavor. creamy texture and thicker crystals will form. It's perfect as a quick dessert, a refreshing snack, or even to serve between courses at a special meal.
Homemade ice cream: why it's worth making at home
Beyond simple popsicles, making creamy ice cream at home has many advantages. The first is that You have absolute control over all the ingredients.You don't need stabilizers, colorings or artificial flavorings designed to make ice cream last for months in an industrial freezer.
You can also adapt the recipes to any type of need: ice creams lactose-free, egg-free, gluten-free, or sugar-free For people with allergies, intolerances, or blood sugar problems. With suitable sweeteners or low-glycemic fruits, it's very easy to adjust the recipes.
Furthermore, by doing it at home you can adjust the intensity of flavor and sweetness exactly to your liking: more coffee, more chocolate, less sugar, with or without chunks… And the purity of flavor of a good homemade ice cream, well formulated, is hard to find in ordinary industrial ice cream.
Another important point is that you will know exactly what type of fats You're using. You can opt for good quality cream and milk, coconut milk, Greek yogurt, crushed nuts… avoiding cheap and less healthy fats that are often used in supermarket ice creams.
What is ice cream really and how does it become creamy?
From a culinary point of view, ice cream is basically a frozen emulsion of water, sugar, proteins, fat and flavoringsAt home, the classic base is usually a crème anglaise or light custard made with milk, cream, egg yolks, sugar and whatever flavor you want (vanilla, chocolate, coffee, fruit…).
An emulsion means that tiny droplets of fat disperse in water (or vice versa) thanks to an emulsifier, such as the lecithins in egg yolk. When this mixture is cooled and beaten at the same time (churning), the water freezes but remains distributed in very small crystals, which our palate barely notices.
If you froze only water, you would get a hard, crystalline block. However, by mixing it with sugar, fats, and proteins, and incorporating air during freezing, you achieve a different texture. smooth and creamyThat's the secret to the success of any ice cream.
Several factors influence whether ice cream is smooth and free of large ice crystals: the type and amount of sugar, the protein-to-fat ratio, the presence of alcohol or natural stabilizers, and above all, the freezing speedThe faster it freezes while being beaten, the smaller the crystal size will be.
Sugars, proteins, fats and other tricks for texture
Sugars not only provide sweetness, they also help to lower the freezing point of water. That is, a mixture with sugar does not freeze completely at 0ºC but much lower, which causes more crystals to form, but much smaller and more pleasant in the mouth.
Besides regular white sugar, there are other interesting sweeteners, such as [unspecified sweetener], which further lower the freezing point. Therefore, it's common to replace some of the sugar in a recipe with these ingredients; around a quarter or a third is a typical proportion.
The proteins, derived from the milk, cream or egg yolksThey also play a key role: their relatively large molecules hinder the growth of ice crystals and, when heated during the setting of the custard, they denature and form a kind of network that traps water. This leaves less free water for the crystals to grow.
The fats, mainly from the cream and, to a lesser extent, from the egg yolks, provide a sensation of unctuousness and body to ice cream. Milk fat includes natural emulsifiers that help the water and fat mix well, allowing the ice crystals to slide smoothly over each other.
There are other “helpers” like the alcohol in small quantities (It further lowers the freezing point, ideal for ice creams with liqueur) and polysaccharides such as corn starch, pectin, guar gum, or xanthan gum. These latter ingredients form gels that retain water, preventing it from being released and ice crystals from growing over time.
Ice cream making and types of ice cream maker
Buttering is the process of Beat the ice cream mixture while it coolsYou can do it manually, by putting the container in the freezer and stirring every 30-60 minutes for a few hours, but the result is usually coarser than with an ice cream maker.
A domestic ice cream maker is simply a cold bowl with rotating blades. There are two main types: those that have built-in compressor (They work like a small freezer, they are more expensive but very convenient) and the bowl type that is pre-frozen, with a double wall filled with refrigerant that cools in your own freezer.
With a good refrigerator, the optimal freezing time is around 15-20 minutesenough for the ice cream to reach a dense but creamy consistency. Then it is transferred to a container and finished hardening in the freezer for a few more hours.
Although food processors like Thermomix can crush ice cream, the finest and airiest texture is usually achieved with a specific refrigeratorIt's not essential, but if you make a lot of ice cream at home you'll notice the difference.
Storing homemade ice cream
Domestic freezers are usually around -18 ºCThat's quite a bit below the ideal serving temperature for ice cream. So, if you take the ice cream straight from there, it'll be practically a brick. The solution is to leave it in the refrigerator or at room temperature for about 10 minutes before trying to scoop it.
Over time, even if you don't open it much, the ice crystals tend to grow and the texture becomes coarser. Commercially produced ice creams add stabilizers to minimize this effect, but in homemade ice cream that is consumed within a few days, they are not strictly necessary.
To better preserve your homemade ice cream, use plastic or metal containers with lids and place a sheet of transparent film touching the surface of the ice cream before closing. This reduces the formation of ice crystals on top and prevents it from absorbing odors from the freezer.
Ideally, prepare reasonable quantities and consume the ice cream in about a weekFrom that point on it doesn't spoil as such, but it will lose creaminess and freshness of flavor.
Basic recipe for classic vanilla ice cream
Classic ice cream recipes start from a light custard base with milk, cream, egg yolks and sugar. From there you can change the flavoring (vanilla, coffee, cocoa, citrus peel, cinnamon…) or add pieces like biscuit, nuts or chocolate.
A very common formulation consists of heating milk with sugar and a vanilla pod, adding beaten egg yolks, thicken gently without boiling until it thickens slightly, then stir in the cream. Chill thoroughly in the refrigerator and churn in an ice cream maker.
If you want ice cream that doesn't get so hard in the freezer, you can adjust the recipe by using other sugars such as dextrose and invert sugarwhich have greater antifreeze properties than regular sugar. There's a whole world of professional formulations that aim for a specific texture for each flavor.
For those who prefer to avoid eggs, it is possible to prepare ice cream bases using cornstarch (Cornflour) or other mild thickeners. They act as gelling agents that trap water and give body, and are combined with milk, cream and sugar to obtain a cream that is then buttered normally.
Easy homemade ice cream recipes
In addition to the traditional base, there are very simple recipes that require minimal technique and yield ice cream parlor-quality results. Let's look at some ideas using everyday ingredients.
Creamy coconut and mango ice cream
This ice cream combines the creaminess of coconut milk with the sweetness of mango, perfect for those looking for an exotic touch without complicating things.
Indicative ingredients: coconut milk, condensed milk and ripe mango chunks.
Basic preparation: Puree the mango until smooth. In a bowl, combine the coconut milk and condensed milk, then add the mango puree. Freeze the mixture, removing it every 20 minutes for the first hour to stir and break up any ice crystals. Then, let it cool for another 6 hours and, before serving, wait 10 minutes at room temperature.
Homemade Maria cookie ice cream
Few things evoke childhood more than... Maria cookies soaked in milkAnd in ice cream form, they are a guaranteed success with both young and old.
Indicative ingredients: crushed Maria cookies, brown sugar, milk, egg yolks, a little cream and vanilla essence.
Basic preparation: Crumble the cookies and soak them in the milk. Heat the cream with the sugar and vanilla until dissolved, stir in the crumbled cookies, and set aside. Beat the egg yolks and gradually add them to the hot mixture, cooking over low heat until thickened. Cool and transfer to the freezer, stirring every 15 minutes for the first hour. Freeze for at least 6 more hours. To serve it attractively, you can... ice cream sandwiches by placing a ball between two whole cookies.
Creamy pineapple and strawberry popsicle
If you want something between a popsicle and ice cream, this mix of pineapple, strawberries and coconut milk It's light but with a creamy touch, perfect to always have on hand in the freezer.
Indicative ingredients: Fresh pineapple, strawberries, lime zest, coconut milk and a touch of syrup (for example, maple syrup) or honey if you need it sweeter.
Basic preparation: Blend the pineapple with the coconut milk, lime zest, and your chosen sweetener until smooth. Separately, chop the strawberries. Half-fill popsicle molds with the puree, scatter the chopped strawberries over the top, and then fill with more puree. Freeze for half an hour, insert the sticks, and freeze again for at least 6 hours.
Homemade coffee ice cream
For an adult dessert, nothing beats a intense coffee ice creamwhich also combines very well with a touch of whipped cream or a splash of whiskey when serving.
Indicative ingredients: eggs, whipping cream, instant coffee dissolved in water and sugar.
Basic preparation: Whip the cream with the sugar until stiff peaks form. Prepare a strong coffee with the instant coffee and a little water. Whip the egg whites until stiff peaks form, then add the yolks, the coffee, and the sweetened cream, mixing everything with gentle folding motions. Transfer to a mold and freeze for at least 6 hours.
Delicious popsicles (for a treat)
Although we usually look for healthy recipes, there's also room in summer for... the most whimsical popsicles and ice creams, almost like a dessert in themselves.
Some polo shirts dense, milky chocolate They are made by adding generous amounts of cream or whole milk to a base of cocoa or melted chocolate, resulting in a very creamy and melt-in-your-mouth texture. Another very popular option is popsicles of condensed milk with lemon juice, which combine sweetness and acidity with a surprisingly smooth result.
You can also prepare bonbon-type ice creams, with a creamy vanilla base covered in chocolateInspired by classic commercial treats, these are a bit more involved to make because you have to dip them in chocolate after freezing, but the result is well worth the effort.
For children's parties or informal snacks, the gummy popsicles They're a fun and eye-catching treat: you fill transparent molds with small gummy candies and cover them with juice or a slightly sweetened beverage before freezing. They're not the healthiest thing in the world, but they're a fun idea for a quick and easy treat.
Popsicles and ice creams with an adult touch
Although we often associate polo shirts with children, the reality is that many times They are more successful among older peopleespecially if they contain a touch of alcohol or more intense flavors.
An example is the poles of Strawberry with Greek yogurt and a splash of liqueur It's smooth, which also helps prevent crystallization and keeps them creamier. You can also turn your favorite summer cocktails into popsicles: the mojito is especially well-suited for this.
For homemade mojito popsicles, simply prepare a mixture of lime juice, mint, a little rum, water and sugarAdjusting the alcohol content lower than in the cocktail ensures they freeze properly. Freezing them in popsicle molds creates a lighter and more fun version.
Another great idea is popsicles of "Sangria" with fruitThese combine red wine, fruit juices, and pieces of fresh fruit. And if you prefer to avoid alcohol but still enjoy more "grown-up" flavors, you can make popsicles or sorbets with nectarine, banana, and green tea—an aromatic and unique blend.
Low glycemic index whole fruit ice creams
For those watching their sugar intake but wanting a refreshing treat, the ice creams from fruits with a low glycemic index They're a good option. Pineapple, kiwi, berries, and melon are great allies.
A visually appealing way to do this is to fill the popsicle molds with small pieces of fruit (pineapple, kiwi, strawberries, raspberries, melon…) and cover them with pineapple juice or another natural juice without added sugar. Avoid using only water because the result will be practically ice with chunks and the flavor will be very watery.
The juice provides the sweet and acidic touch that makes the popsicles enjoyable, while the whole fruit provides fiber and textureIt is important that the fruit is fully ripe, as this will make it sweeter without the need to add extra sugar.
Practical tips for perfect popsicles and ice creams
Before getting started, it's a good idea to have a few things clear. basic rules to avoid disappointment with sticks left in your hand or incomplete popsicles.
At the poles, always calculate the total volume of your molds (For example, four 125ml cavities hold 500ml of mixture) to avoid running out or preparing an excessive amount that you can't use later. Don't fill them completely; leave a little room for the liquid to expand when freezing.
If your molds don't have a lid with a built-in stick, the best thing to do is Freeze the mixture for one hour And, when it starts to take shape, stick the wooden or plastic sticks in the center. This way they won't sink or tilt.
Be patient with the timing: most poles need between 4 and 6 hours completely frozen. The easiest way is to prepare them a day in advance to ensure they are completely solid before unmolding.
For ice creams made without an ice cream maker, remember to stir them in the freezer every hour for the first 4 hours. This breaks up the ice crystals that form and greatly improves the texture. final textureAnd try not to make huge quantities: homemade ice cream is at its best during the first few days.
With all this, you've practically got your own setup. homemade ice creamYou know how to make light, sugar-free fruit popsicles, sorbets from freshly frozen fruit, creamy ice creams with classic or egg-free bases, indulgent options with chocolate or cookies, and versions designed for both kids and adults who enjoy a touch of liqueur or coffee. From here, all that's left is for you to experiment with your favorite flavors and fill your freezer with fresh ideas to beat the heat with even more flavor.
