Ice cream makers & equipment

With the right ice cream maker you can make creamy ice cream and fine sorbet at home, just like in a gelateria. In this category you will find a 1.5 litre ice cream maker with built-in compressor and timer: it cools actively, so it needs no pre-frozen bowl and can run several batches in a row without a 24-hour break. Alongside it are a waffle iron for ice cream cones and waffle bowls, the "Bubble Waffle Factory" waffle maker by ScrapCooking for Hong Kong waffles filled with ice cream, plus a refractometer and a syrup hydrometer to measure the sugar content for the perfect recipe.

Tips for ice cream, sorbet and waffles

• Chill the mixture well: the colder it goes into the machine, the finer the ice cream and the faster it sets. In the compressor machine a batch takes about 40 minutes.
• Measure the sugar instead of guessing: the Martellato 0-90 BRIX refractometer checks the sugar content. For sorbet, a range of roughly 28 to 32 °Brix is considered balanced, so it is neither too hard nor too soft.
• Check the syrup density: the Matfer Bourgeat syrup hydrometer floats freely in the matching stainless steel cylinder. Read the value as soon as it is steady.
• Shape cones while warm: roll the waffle straight after baking with the wooden stick supplied, or press it between two moulds to make a bowl; it hardens as it cools.

Short on time? The FunCakes waffle mix or the ScrapCooking Bubble Waffle mix only need eggs and a few other ingredients. Bubble waffles can be rolled up and filled with ice cream, fruit or sauce.

Frequently asked questions about ice cream makers and equipment

What are the benefits of an ice cream maker with a compressor?

The compressor generates its own cold, down to -29 °C. There is no need to put a bowl in the freezer the day before, and you can make several flavours one after another. Three modes and the timer make it easy to use.

Refractometer or hydrometer: which do I need?

The refractometer measures the sugar content in °Brix from a few drops on the prism, even in fruit purée or glaze. The hydrometer determines the density of a sugar syrup and needs the cylinder filled with enough liquid.

Ingredients for your ice cream are in the category Ingredient for homemade ice cream, more appliances and moulds under Home made Ice cream. For recipes and inspiration, see our ice cream recipes.