Five easy recipes for homemade ice cream

Ice cream, that timeless delight that captivates nearly everyone, transcending age and individual culinary tastes.

The only thing that’s perhaps evolved over time in this enduring favorite is our growing desire for ice cream made with superior ingredients, or perhaps with less fat. This is why our interest in crafting quality homemade ice cream has surged.

To master the art of homemade ice cream, we turned to one of the finest artisanal ice cream makers around.

We’re talking about Yiannis Niktaris, who stands out with the exceptional quality of the raw materials he uses in his “Fatto a mano” workshop (located at 21 K. Varnali Street, Peristeri).

“‘Fatto a mano’ means ‘made by hand,'” explains Yiannis. “I’ve developed a deep passion for ice cream over the past seven years, always striving to use the best natural ingredients, favoring Greek products whenever possible.

All my ice creams are made from fresh cow’s or buffalo milk, thyme honey, PDO Crete anthotyro from my homeland, and fresh seasonal fruit. Imported ingredients are of similar quality, such as genuine Valrhona chocolate and natural Madagascan vanilla.”

All my ice creams are made from fresh cow’s or buffalo milk, thyme honey, PDO Crete anthotyro from my homeland, and fresh seasonal fruit. Imported ingredients are of similar quality, such as genuine Valrhona chocolate and natural Madagascan vanilla.”

This passionate Cretan ‘ice cream artist’ crafts natural, handmade ice cream with skill and love, using both original and traditional flavor combinations.

“I want the ice cream’s flavor to ring true. I’m obsessed with quality and don’t chase after flashy colors or flavors, so I avoid using colorants and flavor enhancers. I opened my shop in the thick of an economic crisis, and today I collaborate with many stores throughout Greece that proudly serve my ice creams, from Corfu and Crete to Santorini and Folegandros.”

Yiannis welcomed LiFO.gr into his workshop and shared five delectable ice cream recipes.

Yogurt Ice Cream with Mango and Lime

Ingredients for the yogurt ice cream:

1 litre of fresh milk

900 g drained yogurt

140 g sugar

130 g. thyme honey

For the mango syrup:

300 g pureed mango

250 g mango syrup

250 g mango syrup

250 g mango syrup

300 g pureed mango

Lemon juice

Method:

Place the milk in a saucepan over medium heat.

Heat the sugar in a pan until hot, then stir and bring to a boil. Add the honey, stir again and remove from the heat. Let the mixture cool before refrigerating it for an hour. Next, pour the yogurt into a bowl, adding the milk gradually and mixing with a hand mixer until well combined.

Place the bowl in the freezer for approximately 2 hours. Afterward, remove the bowl and beat the mixture again with a hand mixer until it becomes fluffy and the ice crystals formed during freezing are dissolved. Return the mixture to the freezer and repeat this process 2-3 times until the ice cream achieves a smooth, velvety texture with minimal ice crystals.

For the mango syrup

In a saucepan over low heat, combine the mango puree with the brown sugar and lemon juice. Heat until all the ingredients are well blended. Remove from the heat and allow it to cool.

To serve, scoop a portion of the yogurt ice cream, drizzle the mango syrup over it, and garnish with a sprinkle of lime zest.

Buffalo Milk Ice Cream with Aegina Pistachios

Ingredients

1 l buffalo milk

250 g heavy cream (35% fat)

230 g sugar

5 g salep

3 g mastic tears

For garnish: toasted and grated Aegina pistachios

Method

Combine half the sugar and half the mastic in a food processor and pulse until they reach a powdery consistency. Mix this powder with the salep.

In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the milk and the remaining sugar. Once the mixture is hot, add the salep, mastic, and sugar. Reduce the heat and stir until the powders are fully dissolved in the milk. Stir in the cream and continue to mix for another 5 minutes.

Strain the mixture to remove any lumps from the salep and small crystals from the mastic to avoid a bitter taste and grainy texture. Let the mixture cool, then pour it into a bowl and place in the freezer.

After 2 hours, beat the mixture thoroughly with a hand mixer. Repeat this process 2-3 times until the ice cream is smooth and chewy with minimal ice crystals. Serve a scoop of this kaimaki ice cream garnished with a generous sprinkle of toasted and grated Aegina pistachios.

Mint Chocolate Ice Cream

Ingredients

1 litre of milk

10 mint leaves

70 g egg yolk

220 g sugar

400 g 64% couverture chocolate

Method

Blend a cup of milk and the mint leaves in a food processor until smooth. Add the mint pulp to the remaining milk, mix thoroughly and place in the fridge for a day, stirring occasionally. The following day, strain the milk and transfer it to a saucepan along with the egg yolk.

Gently heat the mixture, add sugar and stir until it dissolves and the mixture is smooth. Melt the couverture in a bain-marie, combine it with a portion of the milk mixture, and then incorporate it into the rest of the mixture. Lower the heat and stir continuously for 5 minutes.

Remove the saucepan from the heat, let it cool, then transfer the mixture to a bowl, cover it and place it in the freezer. After 2 hours, give it a good whisk with a hand mixer. Repeat this process 2-3 times until the ice cream achieves a creamy consistency and is free of ice crystals.

Serve a scoop of ice cream garnished with hot chocolate and mint leaves.

Strawberry Ice Cream

Ingredients

1 litre of whole milk

230 g of cream

220 g of sugar

300 g of strawberries

Method

In a saucepan over medium heat, heat the milk and then add the sugar, stir, and bring to a boil. Let the mixture cool completely before adding cleaned and well-rinsed strawberries. Blend with an electric mixer until the strawberries are fully incorporated and the mixture is smooth. Pour the mixture into a bowl and place it in the freezer.

After 2 hours, give the mixture a good whisk with a hand mixer. Repeat this process 2-3 times until the ice cream is creamy and has as few ice crystals as possible. Serve the ice cream garnished with strawberries.

Racomelo Ice Cream

Ingredients

1 litre of cow’s milk (3.7% fat)

150 g of cream (35% fat)

200 g of egg yolk

270 g of sugar

For the rakomelo

100 g of raki

25 g of honey

2 cinnamon sticks

2 whole cloves

Method

In a saucepan, combine the milk and egg yolk over medium heat. Once the mixture is hot, add the sugar and stir until it dissolves and the mixture is smooth. Add the cream, reduce the heat and continue stirring for 5 minutes. Allow the mixture to cool, then pour it into a bowl, add the rakomelo and place in the freezer.

After 2 hours, whisk the mixture thoroughly with a hand mixer. Repeat this process 2-3 times until the ice cream is creamy and has as few ice crystals as possible.

Racomelo

Method:

In a saucepan, combine the raki, honey, and spices over medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring continuously. Remove the spices to avoid bitterness, then take the rakomelo off the heat and let it cool.

As the ice cream contains alcohol, it tends to be a bit more “runny”. If you decrease the amount of alcohol, the ice cream will have a firmer texture.

Instructions

Use a metal container for the ice cream as it freezes better in the freezer. The egg, which contains lecithin, lends the ice cream a delightful, creamy texture. When combined with alcohol, it helps solidify the cream.

When serving the ice cream, dip a spoon in warm water and scoop out the desired amount, then promptly return it to the freezer to prevent the formation of ice crystals.

For the best taste experience, let the ice cream rest a bit before enjoying it.