Verdict
As one of many first of its variety, Cuisinart Gentle Serve Ice Cream Maker is pretty nicely thought out by way of offering all the pieces you want for an ice cream-making session. By turning the method of constructing frozen desserts from a solo exercise into an occasion the entire household can take part in, it’s certain to win a variety of followers. Nevertheless, there are some facets that may very well be improved: my pattern struggled with sorbet, and the toppings chute is poorly positioned, that means that sprinkles tended to litter the worktop.
Execs
- Creates ice cream in 20 minutes
- Also can churn non-dairy, sorbet and frozen yogurt
- Makes as much as 10 servings
Cons
- Bowl wants 24 hours to freeze
- Bigger than bowl-style ice cream makers
- Costly
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10 servingsMakes as much as 800ml of ice cream. -
Prepared in 20 minutesIce cream is made in 20 minutes, though the bowl has to go within the freezer for twenty-four hours earlier than use.
Introduction
Making ice cream with a frozen bowl and paddle-style equipment is nothing new – however getting it out as soon as the dessert is frozen generally is a messy affair.
Bringing consistency and a less-mess approach of dishing out to the sport is Cuisinart with its Gentle Serve Ice Cream Maker.
Not solely does it churn the ice cream right into a softly frozen consistency, it comes with all the pieces you want to costume your desserts: a trio of topping containers for sprinkles, nuts or chocolate, a heated plate for heat sauces and a helpful cone holder. It’s each purposeful and enjoyable for all of the household.
Design and options
- 1.42-litre capability bowl
- Warming plate
- Fold-away cone holder
The place Cuisinart’s Gentle Serve Ice Cream Maker differs most from different ice cream makers is in its design. The premise is similar – a frozen bowl and a paddle – however slightly than the paddle and mechanical lid being screwed on high of the bowl, a 1.42-litre insulated bowl (which accommodates 800ml of combination) has a gap within the backside and is elevated above a drip tray so you may dispense instantly from the bowl’s base.
That is managed by a dishing out arm. Behind the dishing out arm sits a chute that toppings drop down into from containers on the facet of the machine.
General, the ice cream maker doesn’t take up a lot area on the worktop, however it’s fairly tall at 45cm, making storage a problem.
In addition to three containers for toppings, there are another considerate touches to breed the ice cream parlour expertise at home.
These embrace a drop-down cone holder on one facet and a small heated plate and mini stainless-steel pan at the entrance, which gently warms sauces.
There are two settings on the management knob: one only for churning, and one for churning and warming.
Solely the paddle, containers, chute, and drip tray are dishwasher-safe, that means there are round 10 minutes of cleansing and washing up afterwards.
Efficiency
- Susceptible to dripping after sampling
- Sensible recipe playing cards
- Takes round 20 minutes to freeze
Like ice cream makers that don’t have their very own freezer, the Cuisinart Gentle Serve Ice Cream Maker wants its bowl to be frozen in a freezer for at least 24 hours earlier than use. Which means that, realistically, it’s greatest to depart the bowl in there on a regular basis throughout the hotter months so you can also make ice cream when the temper strikes.
I discovered that assembling the machine was pretty easy, though it does need to be finished in a sure order: the dishing out arm must be inserted at a 90-degree angle earlier than including the topping chute, for instance. One small gripe is that the dishing out arm positions aren’t marked as open and closed, so it’s doable to pour all of your combination in, solely to have it gush by to the drip tray.
I did like that the machine got here with separate recipe playing cards although, which lined all the pieces from sorbet to non-dairy. I began by making vanilla ice cream, following the supplied recipe. The bowl and paddle have been straightforward to suit and the lid clicked into place.
There’s a slender hole within the lid to pour within the combination: it was a bit of difficult to take action, even from a jug, so there have been some dribbles.
The directions advise setting a timer when you begin churning so the ice cream doesn’t turn out to be too frozen. I felt that it will be helpful if a timer have been a function of this machine, given its value. One other niggle is that there’s no separate change for the warming plate independently of the churning – it’s straightforward to overlook to begin it warming within the pleasure of constructing ice cream.
After about quarter-hour, I checked on the consistency and noticed that ice crystals had began to type. As suggested, I checked it by dishing out a bit of of the ice cream. Nevertheless, at this level, it was nonetheless extra liquid than slush.
What I did discover, is that after that preliminary dispense, the spout continued to drip. Presumably, this was residue that had left the bowl however not been allotted at the time. 5 minutes later, I heard the paddle begin to battle, so I allotted the ice cream once more and this time it was of comfortable serve consistency – stable sufficient to be piped right into a cone.
I discovered including toppings extra of a problem. Because the chute is behind the spout (which continued to drip) it’s laborious to see the place you’re positioning the cone. Sprinkles additionally bounce down the chute at velocity, and most ended up on the worktop slightly than on the ice cream. A large bowl could also be extra appropriate for utilizing this function.
The warming plate heated the chocolate cream sauce within the pan nicely, with out scorching it.
Scraping the remainder of the ice cream out of the bowl was barely awkward – I both needed to go away the bowl within the ice cream maker and scrape out the highest at an odd angle, or take away the bowl and get it out shortly earlier than it dripped from the outlet within the backside. There’s no scraper included, which is a disgrace.
I additionally used the ice cream maker for a sorbet recipe. I discovered this to be extra of a problem – the sorbet took longer to freeze to a slushy consistency, dripped much more from the spout after testing a pattern for consistency, and tended to dispense in blobs slightly than in a stream. Plus, because it turned firmer, the lid tended to detach at one facet.
Newest offers
Must you purchase it?
You desire a enjoyable solution to make ice cream
If you wish to get the children extra concerned in making their meals, or are in search of an exercise the entire household can get pleasure from, that is nice enjoyable.
You don’t want a lot recent ice cream
Given the value and the quantity of area this one takes up, you’d be higher off with a compact mannequin.
Ultimate Ideas
By including on extras, comparable to toppings and heat sauces, and even a spot for cones, the Cuisinart Gentle Serve Ice Cream Maker does one thing that the majority ice cream makers don’t: it’s an all-in-one gelateria, albeit with one flavour at a time. Nevertheless, the design isn’t with out the odd flaw: whereas components such because the warming plate work superbly, the dishing out arm might use a tweak to cease it dripping extra liquid, and arrows to point its place.
That stated, making ice cream utilizing it does really feel like extra of an occasion, so its attraction might simply outweigh the niggles. If, nevertheless, you’re unlikely to make use of these extras as a lot, it’s possible you’ll wish to think about a extra inexpensive mannequin, such because the Choose Ice Cream Maker.
How we take a look at
We take a look at each ice cream maker we overview completely over an prolonged interval. We use trade normal checks to match options correctly. We’ll all the time let you know what we discover. We by no means, ever, settle for cash to overview a product.
Discover out extra about how we take a look at in our ethics coverage.
Used as our foremost ice cream maker for the overview interval.
We use totally different ice cream recipes and flavours to see how nicely the machine copes.
FAQs
It may possibly have ice cream prepared in 20 minutes, though the bowl does must have been stored within the freezer for at least 24 hours earlier than use.
A lot of the elements could be put within the dishwasher, however the primary unit and bowl need to be washed by hand.