4 good reasons to make your own ice cream

The Germans are among the Ice cream consumption leaders and there are many good reasons to make your own ice cream and especially to avoid industrially produced ice cream.

About 8 litres of ice we Germans eat on average every year. In 2018 it was even almost 9 litres. This was certainly due to the great summer. Also this year it could be a very warm and icy year again.

Eight litres correspond to about 100 scoops of ice cream. So that's a lot. As far as I am concerned, and probably you too, I would say that there are probably a few more bullets to be added.

The 4 main reasons

1. Saving with homemade ice cream
2. Determine ingredients yourself
3. Making exceptional ice cream
4. Determine the amount of ice yourself

1. saving with homemade ice cream

Once again back to the 8 litres or 100 balls a year. In my Example calculation I compare the cost with ice cream from the ice cream parlor, because as you rightly assume, I'm not a big fan of industrially produced ice cream.

Expenditure on ice cream from the ice cream parlor: approx. 150 euros/person per year

I have updated the calculation, as prices for ice cream have risen sharply, especially in major cities. You now have to spend up to 2 euros per scoop in some major cities. With the current (2022) average price of 1.50 euros, this brings us to approx. 150 Euro per year apiece. A family of three spends 450 euros a year. The prices for ice cream machines no longer seem so expensive.

Expenses for homemade ice cream

I admit that making your own ice cream involves a lot of effort, which means it takes time. But that is the case with all homemade food. As a rule, one needs Preparations only 10 to 20 minutes. The rest is done by the ice cream machine. Alternatively, there is also the possibility of the Ice in the freezer but you have to mix the mass every 30 minutes for about 4 hours and the result will not be as good as with an ice cream maker - no matter how cheap it is. That means I would recommend you to get an ice cream maker.

Ice machine: 30 - 500 Euro depending on the model

A very brief digression to Ice cream machines: one distinguishes Ice machines with and without compressor. Machines with compressor cool themselves, which means they can be used immediately and several times in a row. Ice cream machines without compressor have a container which has to be frozen in the freezer for several hours beforehand. The latter are much cheaper to buy, but also less flexible.

A good Ice cream machine with compressor* costs around 200 euros. But you can also spend a multiple of that without any problem. A Ice cream machine without compressor* you usually get for approx. 50 euros.

Additional costs for ice cream production: 45 Euro per year

The costs for the ingredients are strongly dependent on variety and quality. Let's assume that we produce organic raw materials and in half of the cases fruit ice cream with regional varieties or also organic fruits. In the meantime, we are averaging around 8 euros/liter, which is 56 Euro per year for one person or 168 euros for a family of three.

The Electricity costs are very low, because ice cream machines with compressor need on average about 150 watts. With an operation of 1h this is just 30 cents and calculated for the year EUR 2.40 (1 person) or 7,20 Euro (3 persons). Usually 1 litre of ice cream is ready in well under an hour. The electricity costs of ice machines without compressor are even less worthwhile to calculate.

This results in taken together and rounded up 60 euros for one and 180 euros for three people.

When does the purchase of an ice cream machine pay off?

Depending on the ice cream machine model, the Purchase usually already in the 1st year of purchase. Especially now with the rising prices. For ice machines with compressor, it may take a little longer for a one-person household. But already in the second year you have the cost back in. In the two tables below I have summarized everything again clearly.

2. determine ingredients yourself

Allergies are on the rise. No wonder with all the stimuli and substances we are exposed to every day. Industrially produced food is very often mixed with various preservatives, stabilizers or synthetic armons that you don't want in your ice cream. Unfortunately, many ice-cream parlours also use so-called "convenience products", which do not have very tasty ingredients.

But there are also Incompatibilities against substance groups such as lactose, fructose and nuts. These can severely restrict the enjoyment of ice cream, depending on how pronounced they are. Nut allergy sufferers in particular cannot be sure whether industrially or commercially produced ice cream contains allergens that should not be there.

But also the selection at the Quality of ingredients there are no limits to in-house production. Conscious eating is becoming more and more important to many. When you do it yourself you can choose all the ingredients according to your own wishes. This gives you control over what's in your ice cream. You can use fruits and vegetables from organic farming, determine the degree of ripeness and, in particular, buy seasonal products so that you can Ice cream sustainable makes itself.

Even people who have decided on a certain form of nutrition or simply want to consume less sugar can benefit from the production. From vegan ice cream up to low-carb versions everything is possible.

3. making exceptional ice cream

Most people like the classic ice cream varieties. However, the success of ice cream parlors with unusual varietiesthat more and more people appreciate exceptional ice cream.

So why not experiment for yourself and invent the perfect ice cream? It's not that hard if you start from a well-known recipe and then individual components varied. At the beginning surely a little bit more cautious and then more and more fancy.

This is not only delicious, but also a lot of fun. Especially when Friends and family as tasters to judge the ice cream creations.

4. determine the amount of ice yourself

If you take a closer look at the freezers in the supermarket, you will very often find ice cream packs that 1 litre or more include. One liter, that's about 12 scoops of ice cream. Not easy if you're either alone or have a small freezer.

Once the pack is open, the taste changes over time and more ice crystals form on the surface. Then the ice cream is not quite as tasty and many leftovers are disposed of. This is a Waste of food and money.

Of course you could go to the ice cream parlor and buy an ice cream there. But I have already explained the disadvantages of this above. With your own ice cream machine you are flexible and you can Adjust recipe quantities accordingly.

However, you should not fall below a certain volume, as otherwise the freezing process is carried out too quickly and the creaminess of the ice cream suffers. Half of the maximum volume of the respective ice cream machine can be processed without problems. In the end this is then most devices approx. 500 ml ice. Or you can buy an ice cream machine with a smaller capacity, which produces between 300-500 ml of ice cream.

I hope you are now convinced why there are good reasons to make your own ice cream. In any case, I wouldn't want to miss my ice cream machine anymore. If you are as big an ice cream fan as I am, I can only advise you to make your own ice cream. If you need delicious recipes for it, you'll find them here.

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