# sugar-free or sugar-"lite" ice cream recipe?



## Sarah J (Jun 28, 2003)

We have an awesome large ice cream freezer (electric with a hand-crank option - love it!) and now that I'm milking my cow again, we've got an excellent supply of milk and cream. I've used it many times in the past, but not for the last year or so, and I've lost my original recipe.

I'm looking for a low-sugar or NO sugar (we use Xylytol) recipe to use for making ice cream. Preferably vanilla, but we're open to suggestions!


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## CageFreeFamily (Jul 19, 2012)

We always use syrups... honey, maple, sorghum...


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## josafeen (Nov 4, 2010)

sarah, have you tried erythritol? I know that this thread was about the ice cream recipe, so i'm sorry to change subjects, but i'm kindof an evangalist about the sweetener thing because I've tried a lot and love teh combo i use now (which i found on healthyindulgences website). It's erythritol crystals, and a teenie bit of white stevia extract powder, whizzed in the coffee grinder until it's like powdered sugar. It might be like 9 TBS eryth. and .25 tsp stevia extract. It's the cleanest tasting 'natural' sweetener that's 0 on the glycemic index that i have tasted. I put natural in quotes because it's so subjective, and some people are particular about any processing at all.


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## Sarah J (Jun 28, 2003)

I've tried Stevia (great in coffe, nasty in baked items and not gonna go there for ice cream). We gave up on suggestions earlier and just tried two recipes, one with Xylitol and one with Splenda. The Splenda failed - the *taste* seemed fine with no real afterflavor issues (though it may have been covered up with the mint/chocolate chip we made!). It got super-hard and was very grainy. We really did not care for the texture or the fact that it seemed solid as a rock! On the other hand, the vanilla Xylitol recipe turned out great for the first few days of eating it. After three or four days it, too, started to get grainy, but there was no difference in taste from the regular sugar versus Xylitol (same recipe). Maybe we just need to eat it faster! LOL

I've never used erythritol. What brand name would I find it under? Might try that next.

Syrups defeat the purpose. We're looking for very little in the way of carbs/sugar, and honey and syrups all have those carbs. Not that we *can't* have sugar and carbs, but we're trying very hard to cut back on them in various ways. My cow is providing the cream and we wanted to make ice cream with it.


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## stanb999 (Jan 30, 2005)

It will be difficult to have your sugar free ice cream not be more the texture of shaved ice than smooth cream. The sugar is what acts as anti freeze that makes the ice crystals small which results in the ice cream being light and fluffy. 

You could try to add propylene glycol it will make it smoother. Of course if your just going to add chemicals... you can just get store bought.


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## josafeen (Nov 4, 2010)

Sarah, i am so sorry i didnt get the notice that you had replied to the thread! Ok so i get my erythritol and white stevia extract powder from iherb and the brand is nunaturals. I fill the coffe grinder with the erythritol and then put 1/8-1/4 tsp of the stevia extract powder and whiz them til powdered. This is the best and most natural non glycemic sweetener i have found. as for ice cream, i can share my experiences there  when i get back


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## Goats Galore (Aug 28, 2012)

Well, just how quick and easy are you looking for? Instant sugar-free pudding works well and has good texture.


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