Magimix Gelato Expert review
It's been a few months of testing with the Gelato Expert and I think I've given the machine a good run for it's money thus far. I thought my other half would be fed up of ice cream by now but he doesn't seem to have got bored just yet. It's not just my other half, but friends and neighbours too that have got to try the ice creams and give feedback. I wanted to be as thorough as possible with testing.
I have been looking at the outcome of each recipe that I've made and the quality of the end results. I'm looking for good smooth consistent textures, good mouthfeel, lightness that comes with good incorporation of air with churning. There's no point comparing it with shop bought as this is purely home made ice cream and comparing with commercial defeats the object. I also looked at how the end results compared to my old machine which was also one with a built in compressor.
The ease of use of this machine is a great bonus, there is nothing else to do other than add ingredients push a button and off you go. The only extra prep needed is to use a saline solution or cooking alcohol if you use the removable bowl (it stops the bowl from sticking to the inside). I like the fact there are two bowls if you want to make several batches. When you are done making ice cream you can pop most of the items used into the dishwasher.
I've tested all three functionalities; the ice-cream/sorbet, the gelato and the granita functions using traditional and not so traditional ingredients.
First the ice cream/sorbet functionality; it produced a nice creamy texture with any of the methods used. I tested traditional custard bases using 1:1 milk-cream, all cream and all milk bases. I also used meringue bases, mousse bases and the all in one method using yoghurt or coconut milk as a base. The machine produced consistent results every time, clean good texture and nice creaminess. The only variation was the time taken for the machine to finish and this was dependent on the volumes used. For 450ml time taken was 16 - 20 minutes and for 1 litre it took no more than 35- 40 minutes. Bear in mind that during the churning process the mixture will often double in size so you end up with a greater volume.
I used traditional sorbet recipes (fruit juice and 1:1 sugar syrup) and also fruit based (puree and 1:1 sugar syrup). All resulted in a light and airy finish, no graininess or excess of ice crystals at all. Some of the recipes I also added alcohol to see how it would cope, alcohol lowers the freezing point. The only difference was that it took slightly longer but the end texture was still good.
The gelato function gives you a more traditional soft ice cream texture, which the only downside was that you did need to serve the ice cream pretty quickly as it did have a tendency to melt faster.
The granita function is an added bonus, many of us will have used the tried and tested recipe of putting the base mix in the freezer and taking it out to scrape every 30 minutes with a fork to produce the required effect. All this machine requires is that you put the mix in and select the granita function. The texture it produces is exactly as you would expect from a traditional Italian granita, close textured, yet creamy with a nice fine-grained end result.
So what are the downsides, if there are any?
As mentioned before if you use the gelato function, you will need to serve it pretty quickly once it is made, as it melts quickly.
If using the main in built bowl, some of the mixture will freeze quite hard on the sides as it churns. The size has often been a sticking point with reviewers, width wise it is less than other machines, but it is quite tall which makes storage a little awkward.
The machine only flashes to indicate when it is finished, it doesn't beep, though luckily it will go into storage mode and keep the mixture cool for up to 2 hours.
It is noisy as any machine with an in built compressor will be, but not excessively so.
There is also the price to consider, at €599, it does come in at the high end of the scale, but no more than other ice cream makers in the same pro quality range. Some of the other ice cream machines at the higher end and similar price range vary in capacity from 800ml to 1.5l , the Gelato Expert being one of the few that has a two litre capacity.
If you like to make ice creams on a regular basis, then this machine is a quality investment, it is very easy to use not just for conventional recipes but non conventional too. I've produced ice creams such as plain old vanilla, butter popcorn, soy sauce caramel, mango and kaffir lime as well as cherry, honey and yoghurt. Sorbets such as strawberry, balsamic and black pepper and a ginger beer and pineapple and also a pimms granita to name but a few. The machine makes light work of any recipe and is ready in very little time. It suits any ability from the novice to the professional cook. Consistent results every time no matter what recipe you use.
If you want more information and specification on the machine go to http://www.magimix.nl/producten/voorbereiden/IJsmachine/Gelato-Expert/
1 comments
Just bought a machime but not a recipe to be found. Feeling a bit lost as to where to find some
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