Homemade Ice Cream, a Healthier Alternative

You don't need to be an expert or have expensive machines to make ice cream. Here we tell you how and why it's a nutritionally valuable option. Making ice cream by hand allows us to have complete control over all the ingredients used. Additionally, homemade ice cream is free from chemicals, colorings, and preservatives that most branded ice creams contain. Perhaps the most important point is that at home, one can invent whatever they want; ice cream knows no bounds and whatever craving you have can be realized. Fruit, nuts, yogurt, seeds: the sky is the limit. The nutritional values exceed many expectations: They provide calcium if they contain milk, vitamins A, B2 or riboflavin (essential for growth), E (which protects the nerves, muscles, and cardiovascular system), B12, and phosphorus, making them a very beneficial food for people suffering from osteoporosis, weakened immunity, or dermatological problems. Strictly speaking, ice cream is a food, not a treat, and a very pleasant way to consume calcium and proteins from milk and vitamins from fruit.   When preparing it, the first thing to consider is the base of the ice cream. Some prefer the water base as it is fresher, lighter, and its preparation only involves fruit juice, water, and a little sugar or sweetener if desired. For the other alternative, the creamier one, there are several variants since one can use cream, eggs, and yogurt to give it that richer consistency. An example is the fruit and yogurt ice cream, which can take on various forms; one simply needs to take two cups of yogurt along with one cup of fruit and add sugar if the fruits are not naturally sweet, then blend everything. After that, all that’s left is to freeze for at least five hours and it’s ready. The variables for making yogurt and fruit ice cream are virtually endless; what we do recommend is to go to the market and ask which fruit is at its best due to the season and choose that for the frozen treat. There’s nothing better than cooking with seasonal ingredients. Now, a lesser-known variant is cream-based ice cream. Although it may sound strange, it can be very refreshing if done well and paired with fresh fruit. It’s very easy; the mixture of two eggs, half a cup of sugar or artificial sweetener, and two cups of cream is the base. After that, all that’s left is to add crushed fruit of your choice, mix, and leave to freeze for at least six hours. Kiwi is an ideal option for this preparation since its acidity cuts through the creaminess of the cream, resulting in a rich ice cream with a fruity and fresh flavor. Of course, it’s possible to use any other fruit or even seeds like pistachios to give it a different touch and color it naturally. It is important to remember that adding a little sugar to homemade ice cream should not cause guilt; the caloric difference between homemade ice cream made with natural products and store-bought ice cream exceeds 150%. The best part about this homemade idea is that it is compatible with diets since in most cases, one can eat fruits and yogurt, so one does not have to shy away from ice cream; in fact, it can be the ideal dessert on those craving days when something creamy, fruity, and refreshing is all you need to stay on track. You choose the recipe, but here are five tips to make ice cream better than store-bought: - Stir the ice cream very well before putting it in the freezer. Then stir it again after it has been freezing for two hours, as this will prevent crystallization and give you a silkier texture. - The flavor of the ice cream settles 24 hours after preparation. To make it taste better, be patient. - Love is born from sight, and a little decoration on the ice cream makes it more appetizing; a couple of pieces of the same fruit used to create it and a few lines of honey make a difference. - Ice cream should not be consumed right out of the freezer; it’s better to take it out and wait about ten minutes for the flavor and aroma to develop. - Always store ice cream in well-sealed containers; otherwise, it may absorb the aroma of other ingredients in the refrigerator.   Homemade Ice Cream   Yogurt Ice Cream Recipe Ingredients: - 3 cups of natural yogurt, it can also be of any flavor you choose - 3 packets of Splenda - 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract If you want to see the steps to prepare this recipe click here.   Green Tea Recipe   Ingredients: - 200 milliliters of milk - 2 egg yolks - 2 tablespoons of sugar - 2 tablespoons of matcha green tea powder - 100 milliliters of hot water - 200 milliliters of thick liquid cream, lightly whipped If you want to see the steps for this recipe click here.   Natural Mango Ice Cream Recipe   Ingredients: - 600 grams of mango pulp - 1 can of sweetened condensed milk If you want to see the steps to prepare this recipe, click here.   Find more ice cream recipes by clicking here.   What is your favorite ice cream?