As the days warm up, having a little something splendid to cool you down is magic. How about homemade ice cream?

Homemade ice cream is your very own stroke of magic. You can forget generic shop-bought ice cream when you’ve got your very own ice cream of the Gods whenever you want it. There’s something intensely satisfying about making your own ice cream, and it’s gloriously simple to do.

Even if you know everything there is to know about ice cream, we’ve got some ice cream tips to surpr-ICE-you (sorry, we couldn’t resist) and help you keep cool in the kitchen … or your very own gelateria.

Can you make ice cream at home?

Absolutely, yes. It’s simple, and, best of all, making ice cream at home draws you. It teases you, willing you to make it different, better, more inventive next time. Homemade ice cream is your very own science lab.

You can use the very best ingredients to get the most out of your ice cream: free range eggs, full-fat organic milk and rich Madagascan vanilla pods tumble together to make a deeper, creamier ice cream. Yes, just like we do at Hotel Chocolat.

When you’ve perfected your vanilla and you’ve added all the strawberries in Somerset to the mix and you’ve licked your richest chocolate tub clean, step it up gear. Our Scoops-to-Chill Big Dipper pops in six ice cream-inspired flavours are a delight to munch on while you come up with your next swoony invention.

Swirl into your homemade ice cream all your favourite flavours, bring your own combos to life or recreate a revolutionary scoop of ice cream you tasted once and never got to try again.

How to make ice cream with an ice cream maker

To make ice cream with an ice cream maker you need to put your ice cream maker in the freezer the night before you start. Then you can crack on with the mixture – it’s a lot like making your own custard.

For that perfect vanilla, gently heat cream, milk and a vanilla pod over a low heat. When it starts to swirl and before it boils, take it off the heat and leave to cool for 30 minutes, so all that lovely vanilla infuses into the cream and milk.

While it cools, whisk egg yolks with sugar – preferably with an electric whisk – until it’s thick and light in colour. Next, slowly beat the cooled cream into your eggs and pour it all back into the pan. Cook on a low heat, stirring constantly, until the custard coats your spoon, which usually takes about 10 minutes or so.

Turn off the heat and leave it to cool, then stick it in the fridge for six-ish hours. On the final step of your journey to ridiculously scrummy homemade ice cream, scrape the seeds from the vanilla pod into the mixture, chuck the pod then pour the concoction into your ice cream maker and let it work its magic. 

How to make ice cream without one

Even without an ice cream maker, you can make divine homemade ice cream – there are oodles of no-churn ice cream recipes out there – and they’re often even simpler than the traditional custard mixture.

Simply whisk sweetened condensed milk, double cream and vanilla extract until it’s stiff. Scrape into a container, cover and freeze until solid. You can take it out and stir it every now and then. Why not explore dairy-free ice cream options, too?

Ice cream inspiration

Now for the fun part. Time to open your mind, free your creativity and celebrate the best of ice cream. Leap into a moment of nostalgia with Raspberry Ripple Ice Cream Little Dipper, and our Ice Cream Swirls or take inspiration from the classic strawberry and raspberry go-tos and lean into the berry world?

Blackcurrant ice cream is fragrant and sharp; gooseberry has a fresh kick. Citrus fruits make beautiful – reach beyond lemon, though, and dip into refreshingly distinctive grapefruit and soft, mellow clementine.

For a kick of indulgence, chocolate fudge ice cream piled with brownie is pure genius. Just crumble dense brownie bites into your ice cream mixture when it goes in the ice cream maker.

For a thrill, throw in praline, honey and chopped dates. And you can level up the sweet-sweet crunchiness with a sprinkle of sea salt.

For a truly winning dinner party pud, burnt butter and pecan is incredibly moreish. The wonderful nuttiness of burnt butter works so well with pecans, and the sugar ups the treacle and caramel yumminess.

Try something completely different and add herbs and spices into your mix. Saffron ice cream is a stunning colour and has a super-delicate taste, and the subtle perfume of cardamon is delightful. Ginger and lemongrass adds a touch of Asia to your ice cream, and fiery chilli blows your mind with an explosion of hot and cold. 

How to make cookie dough ice cream

To make edible cookie dough, combine baked cookie dough with creamed butter and sugar then add milk until your mixture resembles cookie batter. Use a small spoon or melon baller to scoop your cookie dough onto a lined baking tray and freeze for an hour. As your ice cream churns, pour in the cookie dough, or if you’re making ice cream without an ice cream maker then simply stir it into the mix before freezing.

How to make ice cream mochi

Yes, you can make ice cream mochi. Microwave sweet rice flour, sugar and water in a covered bowl for a minute. Give it a good stir to remove any lumps, then microwave for another minute. Dip a rubber spatula into water and stir the mixture again. Microwave for 30 more seconds. If food dye is your thing, add it now.

Cover baking paper with cornstarch and scrape your dough onto the paper. Dust with more starch. Roll it out and refrigerate for 30 minutes to set the dough. Cut the set dough in rounds, place a scoop of ice cream on each round, wrap the edges up to seal the ice cream. Stick the tray in the freezer while you cut and make more mochi until you have no dough left.

What are the best ice cream toppings?

We love ice cream toppings. In fact, we love them so much we could write pages and pages on just how much we love them.

Ice cream toppings add texture, flavour, colour. You could revive your childhood dreams of piling on all the toppings, or you could exercise terribly grown-up restraint to find elegant coherence with your ice cream.

Maybe combine coconut flakes and mango coulis on a rum and pineapple ice cream. Maybe elevate your cherry and chocolate ice cream with kirsch-soaked cherries and sponge bites for your very own frozen black forest gateau. Or maybe go fully retro ice and top lemon ice cream with sherbert, space hoppers and jelly beans.

When it comes to the world of ice cream, no combination is too extreme, too wacky. Homemade ice cream is your place to explore flavours, rekindle memories and create wonderful moments.