Timex
1847
One thing that annoys me about all modern appliances with settings that are targeting specific foods…
I just want to know what the button does, so I can use it as I see fit.
For instance, this thing has buttons for ice cream, lite ice cream, gelato, sorbet… but it doesn’t say what the difference is, in terms of what the machine does.
It would be way more useful if it had buttons that described what the hell was going to happen when you pushed them.
Sorted Food reviewed it a while back, they liked it, once they got used to it.
I’m actually surprised the manual doesn’t explain the difference. I know on the Ninja Foodi grill I got the manual does a pretty good job of showing the difference between each of the cook settings as far as what burners are getting used.
Timex
1850
Nah, the description in the manual is pretty lame. It’s basically just, “Use this button if the recipe says to use this button!” This is annoying, because I don’t really wanna use recipes and want to experiment myself.
I can kind of guess what the difference is… mainly that the different buttons are related to the fat/sugar content, and essentially how hard to material is. I suspect it goes, from hardest to softest:
Sorbet → Lite Ice Cream → Ice Cream → Gelato
But I’m purely guessing, and I’m also kind of guessing where the cutoff points are for any given set of ingredients.
ONE-TOUCH PROGRAMS:
1–21/2 MINUTESEach One-Touch Program is intelligently designed to whip up delicious creations in 1–2 1/2 minutes. Programs vary in length and speed depending on the optimal settings to get perfectly creamy results for that type of recipe.
ICE CREAM
Designed for traditionally indulgent recipes. Great for turning dairy and dairy-alternative recipes into thick, creamy, and scoopable ice creams.
LITE ICE CREAM
Designed for health-conscious consumers to make ice creams that are low in sugar or fat or use sugar substitutes. Choose when processing keto or paleo recipes.
GELATO (not available on all models)
Designed for custard bases for Italian-style ice cream. Choose GELATO when specified to create delicious, decadent desserts.
SORBET
Designed to transform fruit-based recipes with high water and sugar content into creamy delights.
SMOOTHIE BOWL (not available on all models)
Designed for recipes that are made from fruit (fresh or frozen) and/or vegetables frozen together with dairy, dairy alternatives, or juice.
MILKSHAKE
Designed to create quick and thick milkshakes. Simply combine your favorite ice cream (store-bought or homemade), milk, and mix-ins and select MILKSHAKE.
MIX-IN
Designed to fold in pieces of candies, cookies, nuts, cereal, or frozen fruit to customize a just-processed base or store-bought treat.
NOTE : Mix-ins work best if they are added in the middle of the CREAMi Pint. After processing the pint, use a spoon to create a 1 1 /2-inch wide hole that reaches the bottom of the pint. Add chopped or broken mix-ins to the hole in the pint and process again using the MIX-IN program.
RE-SPIN
Designed to ensure a smooth texture after running one of the preset programs. RE-SPIN is often needed when the base is very cold (below -7°F) and the texture is crumbly rather than creamy.
NOTE : DO NOT RE-SPIN before using the MIX-IN program.
NOTE : To stop an active program, simply press the program button that is illuminated.
Read more: https://manuals.plus/ninja/creami-ice-cream-maker-manual#ixzz7iAtjIQBT
Skipper
1851
Having one of those at the house would be mighty dangerous for me. I don’t have a big sweet tooth but ice cream, sherbet/sorbet are my weakness for SURE.
I had one of the freeze container style ice cream makers years ago but it failed eventually as it was based on a motor placed on top that ran a paddle down in the mix. Eventually the motor gave out, though it made decent ice cream at the time. I know this sounds strange but I was actually on a low carb diet at the time and it was part of allowing me a splurge every so often. Full cream and a sugar substitute are easily doable when you make your own ice cream.
Timex
1852
Ok. I made a thing with the ice cream maker.
This is eggnog ice cream. It is crazy.
Literally all that I did was put in eggnog… It happened to be lactaid eggnog, just because that was the only kind of eggnog at the supermarket.
But that’s it. Poured it into the container, and froze it. Then, after blending it up (I used the lite ice cream button… It worked, no idea of the regular ice cream button world result in anything different), I added a tablespoon of cacao nibs and hit the mix in button.
The final result is amazing and awesome. This machine is crazy.
Matt_W
1853
I’m tempted to get one to try my long time idea of making savory ice creams. I want to try a tomato bisque ice cream or a jalepeno cheddar ice cream or a french onion dip ice cream or a lox ice cream.
Skipper
1854
We’re going to need some sturdier chips. Those thin Lays aren’t gonna cut it. =)
Joking aside, @Timex you’re tempting me with that thing. That looks delicious. I’m surprised at the consistency.
RichVR
1855
Strongly agree. Eggnog ice cream sounds wonderful.
Timex
1856
Do you like eggnog? Do you like ice cream?
Red wine sorbet with balsamic burnt caramel. Slightly inspired by Toscanini's Burnt-Caramel Ice Cream - The Amateur Gourmet
Timex
1858
The adventure continues.
So I dumped a can of peaches in and froze it. This was the result after freezing.
End result
Tastes good. Like the mangos, is not super sweet, because I didn’t add any sugar beyond what was in the can. But the texture is very smooth, and it tastes like peaches.
geewhiz
1859
Can you leave the mixtures in the freezer longer than the 24 hours and then pop one in the Ninja when you want to? Or does the mixture get too hard to use if it is frozen too long?
Timex
1860
You can leave them there forever and just blend then whenever. I mean, I guess at some point the water in the might sublimate out or something, but the containers are pretty well sealed so I think they’ll last forever.
Also, I made some sorbet with a can of pineapple, and it’s the best one yet. Very smooth and soft.
RichVR
1861
So I sent a link to the boss. Let’s see what she says. :)
Gladguy
1862
You guys got me to buy one.
My wife and kid go through A LOT of ice cream. At CAD$6+ per container, it adds up quickly. So I grabbed a Creami at Costco this week. My bride has already made strawberry sorbet and chocolate ice cream (with 2% instead of cream). Truly, the end product is just as good as store-bought ice cream.
The thing just takes up quite a bit of counter space. The SodaStream has been relegated to the cupboard…
Skipper
1863
I would think if you ever want to add sweetness, agave syrup might be a good fit. It wouldn’t take very much of it at all to move the sweetness needle, which I think would be key since you don’t want to alter consistency very much.
They have an oat milk and agave ice cream recipe in the book that one of the videos posted reviewed. There are definitely options to make less unhealthy recipes. I remain unconvinced anything produced by this is actually going to be part of a healthy diet (and thus it’s harder to rationalize a purchase when I’m constantly spending effort to maintain my weight), but I’m interested to hear how people experiment with it - I may be swayed!
LeeAbe
1865
To change the subject, I just discovered, after 30+ years of cooking, how much better nice plates are. I have always used Corelle plates, the kind you can get at Target for $30 for a full set. Don’t get me wrong, those plates are great, they will take a beating, go in the dishwasher for 1,000 cycles, and still look practically new. But then I got some heavy plates. The kind you can warm up before you eat and then they are still warm 20 minutes later. There is something about picking up a thick, heavy plate that just makes it more enjoyable too. They feel like high quality plates, and that makes me happy. Of course, outside of the heat retention, it’s all in my head, but that’s all that matters.
Now, I think I should invest in some nice everyday silverware as well. I use Amazon Basic stuff now, which is still a step up from what I was using. Any suggestions?
Enidigm
1866
We have parallel interests. I like Corelle because they’re American made and glass can get close to 100% sanitized (and they’re some kind of strange Glassonium and i’ve never broken one). But i also hate how they get cold mere minutes after plating up. I generally just microwave them before serving. Which ‘heavy’ plates did you pick?
I used to buy Villeroy and Boch for the family but it seems like the days of the china cabinet are over and nobody under the age of 50 has one.
