ulitave

There's a certain magic to making homemade ice cream. Unfortunately, as any maker of practical magic knows, sometimes the shit just don't work. Even when you follow the instructions to the letter, every once in a while the velvety custard refuses to churn into ice cream. Too much fat? Too little? Curdled eggs? No eggs? Water in the flavoring? Sunspots?

I've made identical batches of ice cream and seen the first one work and the second flop. And vice-versa. Ice crystals forming on the cooling bowl? I've had double batches flavored with different ingredients taste like they were made by two different people. (such as the pumpkin and the red bean at the last moviegasm). Did the engine overheat and melt the bottom of the mix even as the top froze? Dunno.

I have a gear in my headthat let's me take any flavor I taste and turn it into ice cream. Today I'm making flan ice cream. I dug up my recipe and deciphered my notes. Everything went by the book. Yet when 11yo and I poured the custard into the churn, I left the kitchen. I want to watch the magic. I'm afraid I'll spoil it. I worry that I overstrained the custard today and took out too much fat, that it won't churn. I only have half a vanilla bean left, and not quite enough heavy cream for another batch. Maybe today's batch just won't work.

I'll know in about 12 minutes.