The Importance of Churning

• The churning process is the most crucial step in getting a smooth ice cream. Churning ice cream as it freezes breaks up the ice crystals as they form so you don't end up with a block of frozen cream. This step also incorporates air, a trick that many store-bought brands use to make smoother and more voluminous ice cream. The longer you churn, the more air you can incorporate. But churning for too long can also result in larger ice crystals, so it's important to strike the right balance. You may find cutting the churning time down from your ice cream maker's recommendation will result in a smoother consistency.

Overall Freezing Time

• In addition to churning time, the size of the ice crystals in your ice cream depends upon how quickly the ice cream freezes once it's placed in the freezer. Ice cream manufacturers have the equipment to freeze ice cream rapidly, but there are things you can do to speed up the process at home. First, chill the container in which you plan to freeze your ice cream ahead of time. Make sure the container is long and shallow, rather than tall and deep, to expose more of the ice cream to the cold. Finally, don't crowd your ice cream as it freezes -- allow the air to circulate freely around it.

The Right Ingredients

• Certain ingredients in your ice cream base may help deter large ice crystals from forming. Many swear by using condensed or evaporated milk, but cornstarch and dry milk have the same effect. The researchers at America's Test Kitchen tried these ingredients and found that while they did limit the ice crystals, each had some undesirable side effect on the taste or texture of the finished ice cream. It found corn syrup resulted in the ideal texture without any unwanted changes to the rest of the ice cream base.

More Tricks

• A splash of liquor, up to 3 tablespoons per 1 quart of ice cream base can help with the texture. Alcohol doesn't freeze, so it will prevent your ice cream from becoming too solid -- plus, it adds flavor. Gelatin will also keep your ice cream soft, as does using more fat than called for by swapping cream for the half-and-half or milk in your recipe.