Cuisinart ICE-20 Ice Cream Maker Review
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I am so excited about the Cuisinart ICE-20 Ice Cream Maker! Yes, I paid for the ice cream maker, but I didn't pay full price for it. Here's a little story on how I saved a ton of money on mine. Back in the early spring, I began looking for an ice cream maker that didn't call for ice. I knew Kitchenaid made an attachment for my mixer, but knowing I am getting a new mixer for Christmas, I did not want to spend the money on the attachment. I began searching on Amazon and stumbled over the Cuisinart ICE- 20 Ice Cream Maker. After reading the reviews, I knew this was the maker for me.
The price at that time of my search was $90 and I knew I was not going to pay that for one. I had SWAGBUCKS tucked away for a rainy day, but I didn't have enough for a $90 ice cream maker, so I asked the Lord to give me one and He DID just that.
In June, a friend posted on Facebook that she had the exact ice cream maker for sale with it only being used once. I snapped it up! I couldn't resist since the savings was $75. If you're like me and can't do math in your head, I paid $15 for it.
The ice cream maker has four parts. The base, which has the motor in it. There is a small compartment on the bottom to store the power cord. YAY! I love that little hide the cord hole. The bowl, this is where all the magic takes place; it is filled with a liquid that must be frozen for the machine to work. I keep mine wrapped in several plastic grocery bags and stored in the big freezer for spur of the moment usage. Again, this bowl MUST BE completely frozen. I have found that if it is not in the freezer for at least 24 hours, you won't have ice cream in any form other than a liquid. The paddle fits into a little notch at the bottom of the bowl. The lid easily twists into place and has an opening at the top, for you to pour your liquid ingredients into. The one major factor notated in the instruction/recipe book is the machine has to be turned on before you pour the liquid into it. I have found as soon as the liquid hits the bowl, it starts freezing, so you want to make sure your paddle is locked into place with the lid on and the motor running; like a get-away car :) .
Chilling the bowls before serving the ice cream helps in keeping the homemade goodness from turning into a liquid quickly. This ice cream is a soft serve type, but freezes very well. Letting it sit on the counter for 2-5 minutes after pulling it out of the freezer will soften it up for you to stick your spoon in it. You will have to transfer the ice cream to another bowl before placing it in the freezer.
Clean up is really easy! When I finish scraping the bowl with a spatula, I let it sit in an empty sink overnight so it can thaw before I run any water in it. The bowl IS NOT dishwasher safe.
We are kinda picky about our ice cream, so we've used only two of the recipes in the book so far. One thing, I have found after making several batches using the recipes in the book, you DO NOT need all the cream some of the recipes call for. We don't care for the creamy, lip balmy feeling that we encountered with all the cream, so I cut the amount in half with no ill effects to the ice cream. While chocolate is the favorite of the other two, good old vanilla is always at the top of my list.
Do you have Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker or a different brand? I'd love to hear your experience or even some of your ice cream recipes. Leave me a comment below, Tweet me or visit me on Facebook.
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Since I wrote this post, Cuisinart has come out with an updated model of the ice cream maker.
The price at that time of my search was $90 and I knew I was not going to pay that for one. I had SWAGBUCKS tucked away for a rainy day, but I didn't have enough for a $90 ice cream maker, so I asked the Lord to give me one and He DID just that.
In June, a friend posted on Facebook that she had the exact ice cream maker for sale with it only being used once. I snapped it up! I couldn't resist since the savings was $75. If you're like me and can't do math in your head, I paid $15 for it.
The ice cream maker has four parts. The base, which has the motor in it. There is a small compartment on the bottom to store the power cord. YAY! I love that little hide the cord hole. The bowl, this is where all the magic takes place; it is filled with a liquid that must be frozen for the machine to work. I keep mine wrapped in several plastic grocery bags and stored in the big freezer for spur of the moment usage. Again, this bowl MUST BE completely frozen. I have found that if it is not in the freezer for at least 24 hours, you won't have ice cream in any form other than a liquid. The paddle fits into a little notch at the bottom of the bowl. The lid easily twists into place and has an opening at the top, for you to pour your liquid ingredients into. The one major factor notated in the instruction/recipe book is the machine has to be turned on before you pour the liquid into it. I have found as soon as the liquid hits the bowl, it starts freezing, so you want to make sure your paddle is locked into place with the lid on and the motor running; like a get-away car :) .
Chilling the bowls before serving the ice cream helps in keeping the homemade goodness from turning into a liquid quickly. This ice cream is a soft serve type, but freezes very well. Letting it sit on the counter for 2-5 minutes after pulling it out of the freezer will soften it up for you to stick your spoon in it. You will have to transfer the ice cream to another bowl before placing it in the freezer.
Clean up is really easy! When I finish scraping the bowl with a spatula, I let it sit in an empty sink overnight so it can thaw before I run any water in it. The bowl IS NOT dishwasher safe.
Things to consider when using the ice cream maker :
- No ice or salt needed
- Bowl must be completely frozen
- All of your ingredients are cold before adding to the bowl
- Turn the maker on before adding the ingredients
- Chill serving bowls
- Non dishwasher safe
We are kinda picky about our ice cream, so we've used only two of the recipes in the book so far. One thing, I have found after making several batches using the recipes in the book, you DO NOT need all the cream some of the recipes call for. We don't care for the creamy, lip balmy feeling that we encountered with all the cream, so I cut the amount in half with no ill effects to the ice cream. While chocolate is the favorite of the other two, good old vanilla is always at the top of my list.
Do you have Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker or a different brand? I'd love to hear your experience or even some of your ice cream recipes. Leave me a comment below, Tweet me or visit me on Facebook.
