# How to keep leftover fresh ice cream soft



## shiandpete.1 (Aug 13, 2008)

We have been making fresh goats milk ice cream, but my daughter and I can't eat it all in one night. We freeze it but the next day it is so hard that it isn't worth saving. Any suggestions? The recipe we use is: 2 C goats milk 2 t vanilla and 1/2 C sugar (although I have cut the sugar down to 1/3 of a cup). Sometimes I use agave nectar in place of the sugar with the same hard results in the leftovers. I can't add cream from the store because I a allergic to processed cows milk.


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## Cheryl aka JM (Aug 7, 2007)

I have the same problem. I looked it up online and found a couple places advising to make sure your ice cream base, tub and beater are as cold as possible before you start the churning process. I haven't tried that yet so I don't know if it will work or not. If you try it before I do let me know if it worked!


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## shiandpete.1 (Aug 13, 2008)

My ice cream maker is one that you put the canister in the freezer and let it freeze before use. I am going to try leaving the mix in the freezer for an hour or so and see if that makes a difference. I had someone tell me to put pudding mix in it but that was gross.


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## calliemoonbeam (Aug 7, 2007)

I just thought that came with homemade ice cream, lol. We've been making it since back in the 40's, and it's always hard as a rock the next day. We just store it in several small containers rather than one large one and take it out of the freezer for about half an hour before we want to serve it, no problem! If there's a solution, five generations of my family never discovered it, doh!


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## kyweaver (Nov 30, 2009)

Commercial ice cream has a LOT of air beaten into it, which keeps it softer. Homemade is denser, and therefore freezes harder. I put my ice cream in smaller containers (used yogurt cups), before storing in the freezer. Then, when I want ice cream, I take one out and let it soften for ten minutes or so. Just don't let a big container soften and refreeze or it will get icy.


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## Marianne (Feb 22, 2009)

I read on another forum something about adding a little Knox gelatin to the mixture and it stays softer. I'm going to search now and see if I can find it.


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## Marianne (Feb 22, 2009)

As near as I can tell, you soften the gelatin in a couple of Tbsp. water, then add some hot cream (app. 3/4 cp.) to the softened gelatin and add to the rest of your mixture and mix well before freezing. The recipe was for 3 cps. of cream, and it was 1-1/2 tsp. gelatin for that total amt. of cream. Increase amt. per volume of cream for your recipe. I haven't tried it yet, but it does come from a reliable source. She says it keeps soft for at least 4 days. If anyone tries this, let the rest of us know!


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## MOgal (Jul 27, 2002)

Commercial ice cream has stabilizers in it such as guar gum, etc., that keep the ice crystals small, ie. creamier, when frozen. Adding a bit of flour or corn starch to the milk and cooking it until it coats a spoon will create a coating for the ice crystals to help keep them smooth tasting. We have a tiny churn that you keep frozen in the freezer until you want to use it. The amount of milk is 2 c. and I will add about a teaspoon of corn starch (or a tablespoon of flour) to the milk. Just cook gently and be sure you chill it before putting into the churn. You can also add a bit of the hot mixture to a beaten egg to "temper" it, then vigorously stir in the remaining hot mixture so you don't find clumps of cooked egg in the finished ice cream. Either method, plain flour (cornstarch) or flour with the beaten egg helps but doesn't totally prevent a rock of ice cream the second day. 

Using a higher percentage of cream to milk will also make it creamier. The fat in the cream separates the ice crystals.


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