Good Eats (1999–2012): Season 1, Episode 6 - Churn Baby Churn - full transcript

(Alton Brown)
THE FATHER OF OUR COUNTRY--

THIS FELLOW RIGHT HERE--

RAN UP A $200 ICE CREAM TAB

IN ONE SUMMER.

WE'RE TALKING A
TIME WHEN TEN BUCKS

BOUGHT YOU A REALLY FAST HORSE.

BUT OL' GEORGE SET THE MOOD.

AT 22-PLUS QUARTS
PER PERSON, PER YEAR,

AMERICA IS A FROZEN-
DESSERT NATION.

WE LEAD THE WORLD,

AND WE'VE GOT A TASTE
FOR THE GOOD STUFF.



THE PROBLEM IS, GOOd
STUFF ISN'T CHEAP,

CHEAP STUFF ISN'T ANY GOOD.

LUCKILY--SPRINKLES?--

WE'VE GOT THE TECHNOLOGY, THE
INGREDIENTS AND THE KNOW-HOW

TO SUCCESSFULLY FROLIC
ON THE FRIGID FRONTIER.

SO STICK AROUND...

WE'RE GONNA PLAY IT COOL
WITH A FEW FROZEN CLASSICS.

WE'LL SCOOP ON SOME
TOOLS, VISIT A DAIRY,

MEET A MIGHTY TASTY ORCHID

AND PONDER ENDOTHERMICS.

SOUNDS LIKE FUN?

SOUNDS LIKE "GOOD EATS."

♪

BEYOND THE FLAVORS...



THE RIPPLES... THE SPRINKLES...

THE CHIPS... THE CHUNKS...

THE MAGIC THAT'S FROZEN
DESSERTS

ALL COMES DOWN TO
WATER, SUGAR, AIR

AND THE OCCASIONAL FAT,

ALL DANCING TO A
TUNE CALLED COLD.

NOW SORBET, LIKE ALL THE
DESSERTS WE CALL WATER ICES,

ARE BORN FROM SIMPLE SYRUP.

BUT AS THIS SUCROSE
MODEL CLEARLY SHOWS,

THERE'S MORE TO SIMPLE SYRUP
THAN JUST SUGAR WATER.

SEE, IT ALL HAS TO DO WITH
HOW THESE HYDROXYL GROUPS

STICK OUT FROM THE RINGS
OF THE SUCROSE MOLECULE.

THEY PROMOTE HYDROGEN BONDING,

AND SINCE WATER IS BASICALLY
A HYDROGEN-BASED ATOM...

YEAH... WHATEVER.

LOOK, THE SUGAR IN
FROZEN DESSERTS

IS MORE THAN JUST A SWEETENER.

SEE, ONCE DISSOLVED
IN THE LIQUID,

THE SUGAR MOLECULES
ACTUALLY GET IN THE WAY

OF ICE CRYSTALS FORMING.

NOW AS MORE WATER DOES FREEZE,

THE REMAINING LIQUID BECOMES
MORE AND MORE CONCENTRATED WITH SUGAR,

WHICH CONTINUALLY LOWERS
THE FREEZING POINT.

THAT MEANS THAT AN ICE
OR SORBET IS LITTLE MORE

THAN TINY ICE CRYSTALS SUSPENDED

IN A SUPER SATURATED
SUGAR SOLUTION

THAT'S BASICALLY NEVER REALLY
GONNA FREEZE--NOT ALL THE WAY.

NOW TOO LITTLE SUGAR,

AND YOU'LL NEED AN ICE PICK
TO SERVE YOUR DESSERT.

TOO MUCH, AND YOU'LL
HAVE A SYRUPY MESS.

SO THE TRICK, IF YOU
CAN CALL IT A TRICK,

IS IN NAILING THE
RIGHT AMOUNT OF SUGAR.

AND FOR THAT, ALL YOU NEED
IS YOUR TRUSTY SUCROMETER.

LENT YOURS TO THE NEIGHBOR?
NEVER GOT IT BACK?

NO PROBLEM... A FEW
SIMPLE RULES WILL DO.

NOW WHEN I WANT A SCOOPABLE ICE,

I GO WITH 7 OUNCES OF
SUGAR--ROUGHLY A CUP--

TO EVERY 16 OUNCES
OF LIQUID BY WEIGHT.

NOW THAT'S ROUGHLY
30 PERCENT SUGAR.

NOW THE LIQUID COULD BE WATER

OR A MIXTURE OF WATER AND
UNSWEETENED FRUIT JUICE,

BUT SINCE THEY DON'T
CONTAIN ANY SUGAR,

WHICH WOULD THROW
OFF THE EQUATION,

FLAVORED SPARKLING
WATERS WORK WELL.

I USUALLY KEEP A FEW BOTTLES
OF THIS ON HAND ANYWAY.

AND I'M GONNA SUBSTITUTE ONE
OF THE TWO CUPS OF SUGAR

THAT OUR RECIPE CALLS FOR

WITH ONE CUP KEY LIME PRESERVES.

ADDING PRESERVES TO FROZEN
DESSERTS IS GOOD SCIENCE

FOR THREE REASONS...

ONE... YOU CAN COUNT
IT AS YOU WOULD

AN EQUAL AMOUNT OF
SUGAR IN THE RECIPE,

TABLESPOON FOR TABLESPOON,
CUP FOR CUP.

TWO... IT'S A GREAT WAY
TO INTRODUCE FLAVOR.

AND THREE... PECTIN.

THE SUBSTANCE THAT
THICKENS PRESERVES

MAKE ICES SMOOTHER.

NOT ONLY DO THE LARGE PECTIN
MOLECULES PREVENT ICE CRYSTALS

FROM GETTING BIG JUST
BY GETTING IN THE WAY,

BUT WHEN SMALLER CRYSTALS
MELT ON THE PLATE,

THE PECTIN HOLDS
THEM IN A GEL STATE,

WHICH MEANS A SLOWER
MELTING DESSERT.

AIN'T SCIENCE COOL?

WE'RE GONNA START BY
DISSOLVING ABOUT A CUP

OF OUR LIME PRESERVES

ALONG WITH A CUP OF SUGAR

AND ABOUT A CUP OF
THE LIME SELTZER

OVER MEDIUM-LOW HEAT.

WE DON'T WANT TO LET THIS BOIL,

BECAUSE THE PECTIN'S IN THE
PRESERVES WILL BE DAMAGED,

AND WE NEED THOSE
LITTLE MOLECULES.

SO JUST STIR THAT TO DISSOLVE.

WE'RE ALSO GONNA ADD THE ZEST
OF ONE LEMON AND ONE LIME--

THE ZEST ONLY, NONE OF
THE NASTY WHITE STUFF--

AND THE JUICE FROM SAID CITRUS,

BUT HOLD BACK ABOUT A TABLESPOON

FOR FINE ADJUSTMENT LATER.

THEN THE FINAL INGREDIENT,
NOT TO BE MISSED...

SALT, JUST A PINCH.

NOW I KNOW YOU'RE SAYING
"THIS IS DESSERT.

"WHAT'S SALT GOT TO DO WITH IT?"

WELL, SALT ENHANCES FLAVORS,

ESPECIALLY THE KINDS OF FLAVORS

THAT COULD GET LOST IN
ALL THIS SWEETNESS.

BELIEVE ME, YOU WILL
NEVER NOTICE IT'S THERE UNTIL IT'S NOT.

IF THAT MAKES SENSE...

STIR UNTIL DISSOLVED.

ONCE EVERYTHING'S DISSOLVED,

GO AHEAD AND ADD THE REST
OF THE LIME SELTZER.

SLOWLY...

AND THEN GIVE IT A TASTE.

NOW REMEMBER, WHEN WE EAT
THIS, IT'S GONNA BE COLD,

AND COLD NUMBS THE TONGUE,

SO IT NEEDS TO BE VERY STRONGLY
FLAVORED AT THIS POINT--

VERY SWEET AND VERY TART.

I THINK IT COULD USE
A LITTLE MORE ACID,

SO I'M GONNA ADD THE REST
OF THAT CITRUS JUICE.

GIVE IT A FINAL STIR, AND
THEN POUR IT INTO A WIDE,

CLEAN, LIDDED CONTAINER.

NOW HERE IS ONE OF
THE CRUCIAL POINTS

OF MAKING FROZEN DESSERTS...

THE MIXTURE HAS GOT TO BE COLD

BEFORE YOU FREEZE IT.

SEE, COLD LIQUIDS SUPPORT
SEED OR BABY ICE CRYSTALS

BETTER THAN WARM LIQUIDS DO,

AND THAT ENSURES A FINE GRAIN,
WHICH IS WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT.

SO TAKE THE EXTRA
TIME AND... CHILL!

TO ACHIEVE THE SMOOTHNESS
AND CREAMY TEXTURE

THAT IS THE HALLMARK OF
SORBET AND ICE CREAM,

YOU NEED SMALL, LITTLE
ICE CRYSTALS AND AIR

FROZEN RIGHT INTO THE MIX.

AND THAT, MY FRIENDS,
TAKES TECHNOLOGY.

NOW THE MODERN ICE AGE
BEGAN IN THE 17th CENTURY,

WHEN SCIENCE TYPES FIGURED
OUT ENDOTHERMIC EFFECT--

THAT'S THE ABILITY OF
SALT AND ICE TO COMBINE

AND FORM A LIQUID THAT'S
ACTUALLY COLDER THAN ICE ITSELF.

ANYBODY WHO'S CHURNED ICE CREAM

OR DRIVEN A DETROIT
STREET IN WINTER

HAS EXPERIENCED ENDOTHERMIC
EFFECT FIRST HAND.

NOW THE NEXT BIG BREAKTHROUGH
IN ICE CREAM TECHNOLOGY

CAME WITH THAT
LITTLE CONTRAPTION,

DREAMED UP BY ONE
NANCY JOHNSON IN 1843.

HAD THE NEW JERSEY HOUSEWIFE
KNOWN SHE WAS HANDING AMERICA

A CENTURY OF DESSERT
SUPERIORITY,

SHE PROBABLY WOULDN'T HAVE SOLD
HER PATENT RIGHTS FOR $200.

I BET HER GREAT-GREAT-
GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN

ARE STILL STEAMED
ABOUT THAT ONE!

UNCLE AB, THIS ISN'T AS
FUN AS YOU SAID IT WAS.

EVERYTHING ABOUT THE JOHNSON
MACHINE WAS WONDERFUL.

IT WAS REVOLUTIONARY--

A SEALED DRUM SUBMERGED
IN AN ICE RIND,

TURNED BY A GEAR AROUND
AN INTERNAL DASHER, UNCLE AB.

A CHURN THAT SCRAPED THE
BABY ICE CRYSTALS FROM THE WALLS OF THE CAN UNCLE AB.

WHILE WHIPPING AIR
INTO THE MIXTURE.

IT WAS PERFECT...
WHAAAAAAT?!

THIS IS GETTING
HARDER... I WANT MY MONEY BACK.

THAT'S WHEN YOU
CRANK EVEN HARDER!

THIS IS WHY MANUAL MACHINES
ARE STILL THE BEST.

SEE, WHEN YOU FEEL RESISTANCE,

YOU KNOW THE MIX IS
READY TO TAKE ON AIR,

(yelling)
SO YOU CRANK EVEN HARDER!

SEE, ELECTRIC VERSIONS,
THEY CAN'T DO THAT.

AIR IS WHAT GIVES AMERICAN-
STYLE ICE CREAM ITS LIGHT BODY

AND NOT-TOO-CHILLY MOUTH FEEL.

NOW ITALIAN GELATO DOESN'T HAVE
NEARLY AS MUCH AIR IN IT,

WHICH IS WHY IT HAS A
DENSER, COLDER MOUTH FEEL.

KEEP CRANKING!

WELCOME TO ICE CREAM
ITALIAN STYLE.

LONG BEFORE MRS. JOHNSON
GOT HER CRANK OUT,

THE ITALIANS WERE CRAZY
ABOUT FROZEN DESSERTS.

THE EMPEROR NERO, IN FACT--

WELL, BESIDES BEING
JUST PLAIN CRAZY--

WAS SO CRAZY ABOUT ICES
THAT HE ACTUALLY HAD SLAVES

GO UP IN THE MOUNTAINS
AND HARVEST SNOW,

WHICH HE THEN HID IN CAVES

SO THAT HE COULD
ENJOY IT YEAR-ROUND.

NOW UNLIKE THE AMERICAN
TRADITION OF ICE CREAM,

WHICH DEPENDS ON CREAM,

OR THE FRENCH TRADITION THAT
REVOLVES AROUND EGG CUSTARD,

ITALIAN GELATO IS
USUALLY MILK BASED,

SO IT'S A SLIGHTLY
LIGHTER PRODUCT.

NOW WHEN IT COMES
TO TECHNOLOGY...

WELL, WHILE WE WERE BUSY
DEVELOPING SPACE SHUTTLES,

THE ITALIANS WERE BUSY
PERFECTING MRS. JOHNSON'S DREAM.

THIS HIGH-TECH WONDER HERE
IS STATE OF THE ART

and REPRESENTS ABOUT A CENTURY
OF DOGGED INNOVATION.

LUCKILY THERE'S SOME MIDDLE
GROUND BETWEEN MRS. JOHNSON'S--

WELL, LESS THAN--
CONVENIENT CONTRAPTION

AND THAT DAIRY FERRARI THAT
WE SAW A FEW MINUTES AGO.

SEE, IN THE LAST FEW YEARS,

THERE'S BEEN A
VERITABLE SPAWNING

OF COUNTERTOP ICE
CREAM FREEZERS,

AND SOME OF THEM ARE PERFECT FOR
THE MODERN KITCHEN LANDSCAPE.

COME ON... WE DON'T
HAVE MUCH TIME.

HELLO, "W."

HURRY UP, AB.

UNLESS YOU'VE GOT
$1,000 IN YOUR POCKET,

YOU WANT TO STICK
WITH A COUNTERTOP MODEL,

ONE THAT UTILIZES
A SEALED CANISTER

CONTAINING A SOLUTION
CAPABLE OF DELIVERING

SUB-FREEZING TEMPERATURES.
SUB-FREEZING TEMPERATURES, OF COURSE.

THIS LITTLE
ELECTRIC VERSION

IS SIMPLE, RELIABLE,
EASY TO CLEAN...

PUT THAT DOWN!

AND INCLUDES AN
AUTOMATICALLY REVERSING MOTOR

THAT CRANKS OUT A QUART
IN ABOUT HALF AN HOUR.

QUART IN HALF.
THERE ARE SEVERAL MAKES OF THIS KIND OF DESIGN,

BUT THIS ONE HAS A CHUTE
FOR ADDING INGREDIENTS

DURING OPERATION.
SWEET.

NOW GO FREEZE, AB.

TIME TO TURN.

OUR ICE CREAM
MACHINE IS TURNING.

THE LIME ICE MIX IS COLD

AND READY TO TURN.

THIS IS ALL THERE IS TO IT.

THERE'S ONLY ABOUT A
QUART OF LIQUID HERE,

SO IT'S NOT GONNA TAKE
MORE THAN, I'D SAY,

HALF AN HOUR TO SOFT SET,
WHICH IS WHAT WE WANT.

SO WHY DO WE REALLY
NEED ONE OF THESE?

WHY CAN'T WE JUST CHUNK
IT INTO THE FREEZER?

WELL, WITHOUT AGITATION

TO PROMOTE LOTS OF
LITTLE BABY CRYSTALS,

A 30 PERCENT SOLUTION--
LIKE THE ONE WE HAVE HERE--

WOULD FREEZE INTO A BIG ICE CUBE

FLOATING IN A SYRUPY MESS,

WHICH ISN'T TOO APPEALING.

BUT IF WE WERE TO CUT
BACK ON THE SUGAR...

WELL, THAT WOULD
BE ANOTHER STORY,

ONE WE THINK IS WORTH TELLING.

THE ITALIANS ARE MASTERS
AT READY-MADE DESSERTS,

AND THEIR ICY GRANITA
IS THE PERFECT EXAMPLE.

AS A MATTER OF FACT, THE
MOST FAMOUS FORM OF GRANITA

IS BASED ON SOMETHING
THAT US AMERICANS

THROW DOWN THE DRAIN EVERY DAY.

COFFEE.

NOW ESPRESSO WOULD
BE PREFERABLE,

BUT STRONG COFFEE
WILL DO THE JOB.

WE'RE GONNA START WITH
ABOUT TWO CUPS OF HOT JOE

AND INTO THAT WE'LL
DISSOLVE 1/3 CUP OF SUGAR.

NOW SOME SIMPLE
MATH WILL TELL US

THAT THAT'S ONLY ABOUT A
15 PERCENT SUGAR SOLUTION.

NOW WE WOULD NEED 30 PERCENT

FOR THIS TO BE A SCOOPABLE
FROZEN DESSERT,

SO WE KNOW THAT IT'S
GONNA BE HARD AND ICY.

BUT THAT'S OKAY, BECAUSE
WE'VE GOT A WHOLE DIFFERENT BALLGAME GOING HERE.

NOW IF YOU WERE IN VENICE, WHICH
IS WERE THE DISH ORIGINATED,

YOU MIGHT ADD ABOUT...

OH, A TABLESPOON
OF COFFEE LIQUEUR

AND A PINCH OF CITRUS ZEST.

I LIKE TO USE A COMBINATION
OF ORANGE AND LEMON.

MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING IS
MIXED TOGETHER AND DISSOLVED.

THEN WE'RE GONNA POUR
IT INTO A WIDE PAN

SO THAT THE LIQUID
ONLY COMES UP ABOUT...

OOH, 1/4 OF AN INCH UP
THE SIDE OF THE PAN.

THAT LOOKS ABOUT RIGHT.

NOW STRAIGHT INTO THE FREEZER

FOR ABOUT HALF AN
HOUR TO 45 MINUTES.

THEN THE ACTION STARTS.

IN HALF AN HOUR, PAY
YOUR MIXTURE A VISIT,

AND BRING A FORK.

SCRAPE AND BREAK UP ANY ICE
THAT'S FORMED AROUND THE SIDES.

COME BACK EVERY
15 TO 20 MINUTES,

AND SCRAPE NEW CRYSTALS
AS THEY FORM.

THIS REPEATED TEARING
DOWN OF THE ICE

PRODUCES A LIGHT
AND FLAKY TEXTURE.

NOW WHEN THE MIXTURE
IS COMPLETELY FROZEN,

FLUFF IT WITH A FORK
AND LEAVE IT TO DRY

FOR ABOUT AN HOUR
BEFORE SERVING.

JUST FILL A GOBLET WITH
YOUR NEWLY FORMED CRYSTALS,

TOP THAT WITH SOME BARELY
SWEETENED WHIPPED CREAM,

MAYBE A LITTLE BIT OF LEMON
ZEST

JUST TO TOP THINGS OFF,

AND THERE YOU'VE GOT IT--

THE PERFECT HOT-SUMMER-
AFTERNOON DATE.

HALF AN HOUR OF TV
TIME HAS SLIPPED BY,

AND THE KEY LIME SORBET
HAS TAKEN ITS LAST TURN.

TAKE A LOOK...

JUST A BUNCH OF BIG BLOBS
OF FINE LITTLE CRYSTALS.

WE COULD SERVE THIS NOW, BUT
IT WOULD MELT REALLY QUICK.

SO HARDEN IT IN THE FREEZER

FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS
BEFORE SERVING.

AND ONE MORE THING ABOUT
ICES...

IF YOU THINK THE FLAVOR
NEEDS MORE OF THIS,

A LITTLE MORE OF THAT,
JUST LET IT MELT,

MAKE YOUR CHANGES,
AND TURN IT AGAIN.

IF YOU ACCIDENTALLY LEAVE IT
OUT ON THE COUNTER FOR AN HOUR,

YOU'RE ACTUALLY BETTER OFF

LETTING IT MELT THE REST OF
THE WAY AND RE-TURNING IT

THAN YOU ARE PUTTING IT
BACK IN THE FREEZER.

THERE ARE TWO SCHOOLS OF
THOUGHT REGARDING ICE CREAM.

ONE PROCLAIMS
THAT CREAM OR MILK,

EGGS OR EGG YOLKS, SUGAR
AND VARIOUS FLAVORINGS

SHOULD BE COOKED TOGETHER
OVER LOW HEAT,

COOLED THEN FROZEN.

NOW OLDER COOKBOOKS REFER TO
THIS AS NEW YORK ICE CREAM,

AND AT LEAST 90 PERCENT

OF THE ICE CREAM RECIPES
WRITTEN TODAY TOW THIS LINE.

TO ME, THIS IS NOT ICE CREAM.

THIS IS FROZEN CUSTARD.

WE IN THE ICE CREAM UNDERGROUND

BELIEVE THAT ICE CREAM
SHOULD BE JUST THAT...

MILK OR CREAM FROZEN WITH
SUGAR AND FLAVORINGS.

THAT'S IT... NO DOUBLE BOILERS,

NO SEPARATING EGGS,
NO TEMPERING YOLKS.

NO STIRRING FOR HALF AN HOUR.

NOW THIS KIND OF ICE
CREAM IS REFERRED TO

AS PHILADELPHIA-STYLE ICE CREAM,

AND IT ALL STARTS RIGHT HERE.

NOW IT'S TOUGH TO
MESS UP ICE CREAM

AS LONG AS YOU FOLLOW
SOME SIMPLE RULES.

YOU CAN USE ALMOST ANYTHING FROM
WHOLE MILK TO WHIPPING CREAM,

ALONE OR IN COMBINATION,

JUST AS LONG AS YOU AVOID
HEAVY WHIPPING CREAM--

OR WHAT THE ENGLISH
CALL DOUBLE CREAM--

IT'S GOT TOO MUCH
FAT IN IT...

YOU'LL MAKE BUTTER BEFORE
YOU MAKE ICE CREAM.

NOW LIGHT CREAM USED
TO BE MY FAVORITE,

BUT YOU ALMOST NEVER
SEE IT ANYMORE.

SO I GO WITH TWO
PARTS HALF AND HALF

AND ONE PART WHIPPING CREAM.

REMEMBER THE STEPS
TO OUR SORBET?

WELL, ICE CREAM HAS A FEW
MORE STEPS, BUT THEY'RE EASY.

FOR STARTERS, I'M GONNA BRING
TWO CUPS OF HALF AND HALF

AND ONE CUP OF WHIPPING CREAM

TO 175 DEGREES OVER MEDIUM
HEAT.

IF YOU DON'T HAVE A THERMOMETER,

BRING IT TO A BARE SIMMER,
BUT DON'T SKIP THIS STEP.

IT'S GOING TO MAKE A HUGE
DIFFERENCE TO THE END RESULT.

NOW IS ALSO THE TIME

TO ADD SOME MYSTERIOUS
AND EXOTIC FLAVOR.

IMAGINE A FLOWER--

A CLIMBING ORCHID, TO BE EXACT,

THE ONE OF SOME
20,000 VARIETIES

THAT PRODUCES SOMETHING EDIBLE.

NOW IMAGINE THAT ITS BLOOMS MUST
BE POLLINATED EITHER BY HAND

OR A SMALL VARIETY
OF MEXICAN BEE,

AND THAT EACH BLOOM ONLY
OPENS FOR ONE DAY A YEAR.

IMAGINE THE FRUIT OF
THIS ORCHID, A POD,

BEING PICKED AND CURED,

SITTING IN THE SUN ALL DAY,

SWEATING UNDER BLANKETS
ALL NIGHT FOR MONTHS

UNTIL, SHRUNKEN AND SHRIVELED,

IT DEVELOPS A HEADY,
EXOTIC PERFUME AND FLAVOR.

NOW IMAGINE THAT THIS
FRUIT'S NAME IS SYNONYMOUS

WITH DULL, BORING AND ORDINARY.

HOW VANILLA GOT THIS BAD RAP,

I, FOR ONE, WILL NEVER KNOW.

WHAT I DO KNOW IS THAT
VANILLA AND ICE CREAM

WERE MEANT FOR ONE ANOTHER.

AND TO GET THE TRUE
ESSENCE OF THE BEAN,

YOU'VE GOT TO USE THE BEAN.

REGARDLESS OF THE VARIETY,

THE BEST PODS HAVE A KIND
OF WHITE CRYSTALLINE POWDER ON THEM.

THAT'S THE ACTUAL VANILLIN,

THE CHEMICAL COMPOUND
THAT PROVIDES THE FLAVOR.

SO THE MORE WHITE, THE BETTER.

NOW WRAPPED IN PLASTIC OR SEALED
IN A GLASS JAR AND REFRIGERATED,

WHOLE BEANS WILL KEEP THEIR
FLAVOR FOR ABOUT SIX MONTHS.

AFTER THAT, THEY START TO LOSE
A LITTLE OF THEIR MAGIC.

FOR OUR BATCH OF VANILLA ICE
CREAM, ONE BEAN WILL BE ENOUGH,

BUT WE WANT TO GET ALL THE
LITTLE BLACK SPECKS AND PULP

THAT COMES FROM THE
INSIDE OF THE BEAN.

SO JUST SPLIT IT DOWN THE MIDDLE

WITH A PARING KNIFE,

SCRAPE THE SEEDS OUT,

AND PUT THE WHOLE
THING IN THE POT.

AS SOON AS YOUR MIXTURE
COMES TO 175 DEGREES,

KILL THE HEAT

AND ADD YOUR OTHER INGREDIENTS.

NOW SUGAR IS THE
NEXT BIG PLAYER.

AND FOR THREE CUPS OF DAIRY,
I USUALLY GO WITH ONE CUP.

BUT SINCE I'D LIKE SOME EXTRA
SMOOTHNESS IN MY ICE CREAM

AND A LITTLE ACCENT FLAVOR,

AND SINCE I CAN
INTERCHANGE SUGAR

DIRECTLY FOR PRESERVES,

I'M GOING TO REMOVE

THREE TABLESPOONS OF THIS SUGAR

AND REPLACE IT

WITH THREE TABLESPOONS
OF THE PRESERVES--

PEACH PRESERVES, I MIGHT ADD.

JUST ADD THAT RIGHT TO THE MIX,

AND STIR UNTIL THE PRESERVES
HAVE COMPLETELY DISSOLVED.

OH, AND DON'T FORGET
A PINCH OF SALT.

OKAY, OUR VANILLA
ICE CREAM MIXTURE

HAS COME DOWN TO
ROOM TEMPERATURE,

AND WE'VE REACHED A KIND
OF SECRET MILESTONE

IN ICE CREAM MAKING.

IT'S THE KIND OF SECRET THAT
ICE CREAM MANUFACTURERS

DON'T LET LEAK OUT
OF THEIR VAULTS,

AND IT'S THIS...

AGE THE MIXTURE IN
THE REFRIGERATOR

FOR AT LEAST SIX HOURS,

OR BETTER YET, OVERNIGHT... WHY?

WELL, WITH ALL THAT HEAT,

WE'VE PUT A LOT OF CHANGES
INTO MOTION INSIDE THE DAIRY,

AND THEY NEED TIME TO
FINISH DOING THEIR THING.

A RESTED MIX WILL
CREATE A TEXTURE

THAT ANY OTHER ICE CREAM--EVEN
A CUSTARD-BASED ICE CREAM--

CANNOT MATCH.

AND LIKE ICES,

THE COLDER THE MIX IS
BEFORE YOU START TURNING,

THE FINER THE TEXTURE WILL BE.

OUR ICE CREAM
MACHINE IS TURNING,

AND OUR VANILLA MIX
IS NOT ONLY COLD,

BUT MELLOWED FOR 12 HOURS.

HAVEN'T WE DONE THIS BEFORE?

ANYWAY, TIME TO TURN.

NOW FREEZING ICE CREAM IS A
LOT LIKE FREEZING SORBET.

BY THE TIME IT REACHES
SOFT-SERVE CONSISTENCY,

ALL OF THE ICE CRYSTALS THAT ARE
GONNA BE FORMED IN THE ICE CREAM

HAVE BEEN.

AND ALL THE AIR THAT CAN
BE WORKED IN, HAS BEEN.

IN THIS CASE, I'D SAY THAT'S
ABOUT 100 PERCENT AIR,

SINCE IT'S DOUBLED IN VOLUME.

NOW JUST LIKE SORBET,

ICE CREAM SHOULD BE
HARDENED IN THE FREEZER

FOR AT LEAST A COUPLE OF
HOURS BEFORE SERVING.

THERE YOU GO... I'LL BE BACK
FOR YOU IN A COUPLE OF HOURS.

BY THE WAY, EVERY TIME YOU
TAKE A SORBET OR ICE CREAM

OUT OF HERE,

SOME OF THE SMALLER ICE
CRYSTALS ARE GOING TO MELT.

WHEN THAT WATER REFREEZES,

IT'S GONNA JOIN UP
WITH LARGER CRYSTALS

THAT SURVIVED THE THAW.

THAT MEANS THAT EVERY TRIP
A SORBET OR ICE CREAM MAKES

OUT INTO THE WORLD,

THE GRAINIER IT'S GONNA
BE THE NEXT TIME AROUND.

NOW TO MINIMIZE
THIS VICIOUS CYCLE,

SPLIT UP LARGE HOMEMADE BATCHES

INTO SEVERAL SMALL CONTAINERS,

THEN JUST BREAK THEM
OUT AS YOU NEED THEM.

IF NASTY, BIG GRAINS AREN'T
ENOUGH TO CONVINCE YOU,

PONDER THIS...

WHEN EXPOSED TO AIR FOR
LONG PERIODS OF TIME,

ICE CREAM GETS LEATHERY
FROM SURFACE EVAPORATION,

AND IT CAN PICK UP SOME
PRETTY FUNKY FLAVORS

THAT FLOAT AROUND
INSIDE A FREEZER.

SO TAKE A CUE FROM PREMIUM
ICE CREAM MAKERS,

AND PUSH A HEAVY LAYER
OF PLASTIC WRAP,

OR EVEN WAXED PAPER,

RIGHT DOWN ON THE SURFACE
OF THE ICE CREAM

BEFORE YOU PUT THE LID ON.

NO EXPOSURE TO AIR...
NO LEATHERY SURFACE.

YOUR ICE CREAM WILL THANK YOU.

OH, AND REMEMBER,
ICE CREAM AND SORBET

HATE LIVING IN THE DOOR.

SO ARMED WITH ALL
THIS KNOWLEDGE,

AND YOU'RE STILL
GONNA BUY ICE CREAM?

IT'S OKAY... WE ALL DO.

OKAY, CHECK OUT
THE FAT CONTENT.

NOW BY LAW, ANYTHING
CALLING ITSELF ICE CREAM

HAS TO CONTAIN AT LEAST
TEN PERCENT MILK FAT,

BUT THAT'S A BARE MINIMUM.

THE GOOD STUFF WILL
ALWAYS CONTAIN MORE.

CHECK IT OUT... IT'S
THERE ON THE SIDE PANEL.

THE SECOND BIG
THING IS AIR.

BY LAW, ICE CREAM
MANUFACTURERS

CAN USE 100
PERCENT OVERRUN.

THAT MEANS THERE'S AS
MUCH AIR, BY VOLUME,

AS THERE IS ICE
CREAM IN THE CARTON.

YOU GO WEIGH YOUR HALF,
"G," ALONG WITH SOME OF THAT DISCOUNT STUFF

DOWN THE BLOCK... GO
AHEAD, CHECK IT OUT.

CHECK IT OUT.

SEE, SINCE HIGH-END ICE CREAMS

WILL NEVER CONTAIN ANYTHING
CLOSE TO 100 PERCENT OVERRUN,

THEY'LL ALWAYS WEIGH MORE
THAN LESS COSTLY BRANDS.

PRETTY AMAZING, HUH?

READ THE INGREDIENT LIST,
GO AHEAD.

LOOK FOR THINGS YOU'D SEE
IN HOMEMADE ICE CREAM--

CREAM, EGG, SUGAR--
STUFF YOU CAN PRONOUNCE.

EMULSIFIERS AND FILLERS
HAVE NAMES ONLY A CHEMIST COULD LOVE.

YOU KNOW, POLYSORBATE
80... WHAT'S THAT ABOUT?

SO AVOID THEM, OKAY?

WELL, I'M GLAD WE HAD
THIS TIME TOGETHER.

YOU HAVE A GOOD DAY,
OKAY? BYE-BYE.

IT ISN'T SO TOUGH TO FATHOM

GENERAL WASHINGTON'S
LITTLE OBSESSION...

JUST A SINGLE BITE OF
THE SIMPLEST FRUIT ICE,

SORBET, SHERBET OR
ICE CREAM IS AN ENIGMA.

IT'S A SLAP OF COLD GIVING AWAY

TO A LOVING HUG OF CREAMINESS...

TEXTURES MORPHING,
FLAVORS RELEASING,

AND OVERLAPPING
WAVES AND THEN...

IT'S A MEMORY.

NO WONDER ICE CREAM RATES

AS THE TOP PRE-ADOLESCENT
SENSUAL EXPERIENCE.

WE HOPE WE'VE INSPIRED YOU

TO DABBLE IN THE
FROZEN ARTS YOURSELF...

IN THE PRIVACY OF YOUR
OWN FREEZER, OF COURSE.

UNTIL NEXT TIME...

THIS IS "GOOD EATS."

♪