Make ice cream and other frozen treats at home with a minimum of effort

Premium frozen desserts can be easily made (and customized) at home with common ingredients and this user friendly and reasonably priced Cuisinart CIM-60.

Often, we receive gifts we suspect we will never use. There are closets and other ‘secret’ spots in most peoples’ homes where these items wind up spending their perennial boxed-up lives. Some are ‘regifted’ and others donated to charities. Once in a while, though, a device that seems unlikely proves to be a great addition to the tools of a working kitchen. The Cuisinart Pure Indulgence?Ice Cream-Frozen Yogurt & Sorbet Maker is genuinely among them.

Ice cream is not terribly expensive and the varieties and flavors of it available at most major grocery stores seen nearly limitless. Limitless, that is, until you know exactly what you would like to have and cannot find it! No fat, low fat, lots of fat and lots of flavors. Ice cream, frozen yogurt and sorbet. There are literally hundreds of choices. How about if you knew what you really wanted and could whip it up yourself in about one half an hour. This Cuisinart CIM-60 gives you all the options, limited only by your ability to decide and to gather the needed ingredients.

It is a pretty straight forward device, somewhat reminiscent of the hand cranked ice cream makers of earlier years. The turning, though, is not electronic and it ‘cranks‘ itself got about one half an hour for most treats. No crushed ice or rock salt is needed any longer because the Freezer Bowl, the container that the ingredients are poured into before the device is started, is pre-frozen in your own freezer and is a fully sealed unity that never requires opening and can be reused an unlimited number of times.

There are only four parts to the CIM-60 Iced Cream-Frozen Yogurt Maker. The outer casing (in an attractive stainless steel finish,) the freezer bowl which is kept in your freezer in a state of readiness for whenever the mood or need strikes you, a plastic mixing arm and an easy locking lid. Once assembled, the mixed recipe is simply poured into the top of the assembled CIM-60 and turned on for, generally, between 25 and 30 minutes. The results are outstanding – even unbelievable as they are smoother and richer that the most ‘premium’ of the store-bought brands. The entire device cleans up easily with warm water and gentle dish detergent.

The enclosed booklet (Instructions begin on one side and Recipes on the obverse) is straight forward and easy to read and understand. The recipes include some basic formulations for ice creams, frozen yogurts, sorbets and drinks – each of which can easily be reformulated to adjust for specific desired flavors. However, be forewarned. This is a “fat makes things taste better’ recipe book where the “Simple Chocolate Ice Cream” comes out at a plentiful 286 calories (66% 0f them from fat) for a one-half cup serving. The “Deep Chocolate” recipe is even worse (better?!) at369 calories per serving. This is NOT a weight-loss treat.

To their credit, however, the recipes are of a type that easily allow for simple substitution of key ingredients to allow for a wide range of creative possibilities. Most users will quickly be able to figure out how to make the flavor and/or type of treat they can imagine or desire.

If you are interested in making your own formulations of frozen delights at home, this Cuisinart CIM-60 Pure Indulgence Ice Cream-Frozen Yogurt and Sorbet maker may be just what the Doctor ordered – or tried to talk you out of. Simply assemble the thing, mix and pour in the mixed ingredients, turn it on and about 30 minutes later – real enjoyment awaits you. It is quite simple to operate. There is but one switch that turns it "On" and "Off."

The ice cream and yogurt comes out in ‘soft’ form but can be brought to ‘hard packed’ style by placing it in a sealed plastic container in your freezer for a couple of hours. We found the outcome both acceptable and mouth watering either way. Cuisinart has branched into many products since first introducing the classic “Cuisinart” food processor to the United States back in 1973.

Some have had more to recommend them than others. This one is a winner!