In two months, it will be a year since I began blogging about ice cream.  The experience has been, well, adventurous.  From creamy ice cream to fruity sorbet and sherbet, I have shared many recipes with my readers.  I have included store and pint reviews and expanded my repertoire of ingredients (rhubarb, anyone?). But one thing I have neglected to share is a list of what you will need to make the perfect scoop.  How could I forget this important information?!

Below is a list of basic ingredients and equipment that you will need to make ice cream (or another scoop).  I hope you will find this list helpful.

Is there anything that I have left off?  Leave a comment and I will add it to the list.

Fridge and pantry items
Keep these items in stock and it will be easy to make ice cream on the fly

Cornstarch
Heavy Cream
Eggs - you will need these if you are making a custard-style ice cream
Ice - I am reminding you about ice, because if you are like me, you often forget to fill the ice cube trays
Sugar
Salt
Whole Milk

Other useful ingredients to have on hand

Brown sugar
Chocolate - good quality of course
Cinnamon sticks
Cocoa powder
Fresh fruit
Guar Gum - for better scoopability
Lemons - mostly for the zest
Vanilla extract
Vanilla beans
Vodka - I use this type of alcohol the most, second to brandy
Xanthan Gum - to prevent iceyness

Essential equipment

Blender or food processor
Candy thermometer
Fine mesh sieve
Ice Cream Maker - see Equipment page for more details and recommendations
Kitchen scale - Invest in one of these, it is well worth it
Kitchen timer - Important to timing boiling to achieve good consistency
Large flat spoon - Helpful for removing ice cream from ice cream maker
Measuring cups and spoons
Multiple sized ice cream scoops
Multiple sized non-reactive bowls
Pint and quart non-reactive containers - I prefer flat, wide containers for easier scooping
Small and medium sauce pans
Wooden spoons

What is this stuff?

Xanthan gum is a small microorganism called Xanthomonas campestris bacteria (its the good bacteria, people, not the bacteria that makes you sick) and is produced through the fermentation of glucose and sucrose (usually from corn). 

How is it used in ice cream?

Xanthan gum is found in many foods and is often used as a stabilizer or emulsifier. In ice cream, xanthan gum stabilizes the air bubble structure and gives the ice cream a better texture and more creamy mouth feel.  Xanthan gum also acts as an emulsifier and evenly distributes the fat molecules throughout the ice cream, giving it a smoother texture.  This makes xanthan gum a great tool when you are attempting to make ice cream without egg yolks, which acts as the emulsifier in custard-style ice creams.  Because air and fat are evenly distributed, xanthan gum also helps prevent the formation of ice crystals in the ice cream (but not completely; still not a good idea to leave the ice cream on the counter too long).

Is it used in other foods?

Xanthan gum is also found in other foods such as salad dressing and sauces.  In this capacity, the xanthan gum helps prevent the oils from separating and suspends solid particles (such as spices). Xanthan gum also is frequently used in gluten free baking.  Since wheat, and therefore gluten, are omitted from this type of baking, xanthan gum gives the dough the "stickiness"  that gluten usually provides.

Are there any risks to using xanthan gum?

Some people complain that xanthan gum can have a laxative effect, but most sources note that this usually occurs at large doses.  Since a little xanthan gum goes a long way (especially when making ice cream), I don't think many people will have a problem with the amount of xanthan gum in my recipes.  

Where can I purchase xanthan gum?

You can usually find xanthan gum in natural food stores, or you can purchase it online.  Bob's Red Mill is a good online source.

What if I don't want to use xanthan gum?

If you do not want to purchase or use xantham gum, you can always fall back on the Jeni's tried and true ice cream base and use cream cheese as a emulsifier substitute.  Cream cheese will still help you achieve increased scoopability.

Sources:

About.com - Dairy Free Cooking

TLC: How Stuff Works - How Ice Cream works

Wisegeek.com

Wikipedia