Soft Serve Ice Cream Recipe

Prep

Measure all ingredients. If using gelatin, sprinkle it over the cold water in a small cup to bloom while you heat the milk.

Heat dairy

Combine the whole milk and heavy cream in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Warm to just below a simmer (steam rising and small bubbles at the edges), about 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent a skin from forming.

Whisk yolks and sugars

While the milk warms, whisk the egg yolks, granulated sugar and invert sugar in a bowl until the mixture is pale and slightly thickened, about 1–2 minutes. Whisk in the powdered milk if using.

Temper and thicken

Slowly pour about 1/3 of the hot milk mixture into the yolk mixture in a thin stream while whisking constantly to temper the eggs. Then pour the tempered yolk mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk, stirring continuously. Cook over low-medium heat, stirring constantly with a heatproof spatula, until the custard coats the back of the spatula and reaches 170–175°F (77–80°C), about 3–6 minutes more. Do not boil.

Add stabilizer (optional)

If using bloomed gelatin, remove the pan from heat and whisk the softened gelatin into the hot custard until fully dissolved. If using gelatin in powder form without blooming, sprinkle into the hot custard and whisk quickly (not recommended for best texture).

Strain and chill

Pour the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove any coagulated bits. Stir in the salt, vanilla extract and invert sugar (if not already added). Cool to room temperature, then cover with plastic wrap pressed to the surface to prevent a skin. Chill in the refrigerator until thoroughly cold, at least 4 hours or overnight. Chilling improves texture and freeze performance in the soft-serve machine.

Prepare machine

If using a countertop soft-serve machine, chill the freezer bowl or machine parts per manufacturer instructions. Lightly oil or spray any removable parts that contact the mix to aid release (use a small amount of neutral oil).

Fill machine

Pour the well-chilled custard into the machine's reservoir. Do not overfill; follow the machine's fill line.

Freeze to soft-serve texture

Run the machine according to manufacturer instructions until the mixture reaches a soft-serve consistency, typically 10–20 minutes depending on machine and starting temperature. The finished texture should be smooth, airy, and pipeable but not fully hard-frozen.

Dispense and serve

Dispense the soft serve into cones or cups, swirl as desired, and immediately garnish with sprinkles, sauce, or toppings. Soft serve is best served right away for optimal texture. If you must hold, keep in the machine hopper or a refrigerated dispenser at about -6 to -4°C (21–25°F) for up to a few hours; it will firm up and may need brief agitation before serving.

If you don't have a soft-serve machine, you can achieve a similar result by freezing the chilled custard in a shallow metal pan. Freeze for about 30–45 minutes, then vigorously whisk or beat the partially frozen custard to incorporate air. Repeat every 20–30 minutes until smooth and scoopable (this approximates a churned soft-serve texture). This method produces a slightly denser result than a true soft-serve machine.

Wash machine parts promptly according to the manufacturer's instructions. Leftover custard base (uncooked or cooked) can be refrigerated for 24–48 hours (uncooked base should be handled carefully); cooked and chilled custard base may be frozen for up to 1 month in an airtight container. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and re-run through your soft-serve machine before serving.