Deni Scoop Factory 5100

Author's Rating:

Pros: It really is easy.

Cons: Really expensive to replace parts.

Author's Review
I purchased the Deni Scoop Factory 5100 because I was at Target, and it was at Target. I'm an impulse shopper. I can admit that. Besides, who wouldn't want to make delicious, creamy, premium ice cream at home in less than 30 minutes?


Parts is Parts

And parts you get. A motorized base, "speedee freeze" canister, stir paddle, and "clear-vue" lid with "e-z add" opening. All conveniently packaged in one easy to carry box. Included is an instruction manual with BONUS recipes in 3 languages!

Mysteries Revealed

You simply settle the frozen cylinder on the base. Pop in the stir paddle and twist-lock the lid. Plug it in and push the "on" button. Pour in your chilled mixture o' choice and wait. 20 - 30 minutes later you have soft-serve ice cream. Pack it into an airtight container and place it in the fridge to "ripen". Or just eat it. Could this be easier?


Keys to Success

1. Make sure the cylinder is frozen.
2. Mush up stuff you want to add in.
3. Experiment. Good stuff in = good stuff out.

<INSERT attempt #1>
I am so vanilla.

2 eggs
2/3 cup of sugar
Beat together until thick and creamy.
Then add:
1 3/4 cups of milk
2 cups of cream
2 teaspoons of vanilla

Mistakes:
• Cylinder was in the freezer less than 6 hours.
• Mixture was not pre-chilled. Dairy products alarmingly near room temperature.

Results:
Cold, sweetened milk with bubbles.

<INSERT attempt #3>
Yes, we have no bananas.

Add fruit to basic vanilla ice cream

Mistake:
Did not mush up the bananas.

Result:
A not altogether unpleasant vanilla ice cream with big chunks of frozen banana. Still not quite what we were looking for.

<INSERT attempt #5>
Lemon Berry Nirvana

Dissolve
2/3 cups of sugar in
1/2 cup water over low/medium heat. Stir in
3 cups of fresh berries and stir until they soften then mash them up a bit.

Dump into a bowl to cool and add

1/2 cup lemon juice and a little zest. Meanwhile, whip
2 egg whites until not quite stiff and fold them into the cooled fruit

soup. Pour into the machine and wait about 20 minutes. Yum.

Mistakes:
None!

Results:
Perfect.


It Slices! It Dices! It Juliennes! And more!

Well, not really. But you can make more than just ice cream. Ice milk for example. Frozen yogurt, sorbets, and sherbets. Not to mention slushes and frosty adult beverages. You could modify just about any recipe to work keeping in mind the basic proportions of 3 3/4 cups of liquid and 2/3 cup of sugar, adjusting for the sweetness of your other ingredients.


Clean up, clean up, everybody, everywhere...

Clean up is a breeze. The base wipes clean with a damp cloth. The lid and paddle can go in the top rack of the dishwasher, and the cylinder gets a quick wash with warm soapy water. Note that the cylinder should be completely dry before replacing it in the freezer.


Look Ma! It bounces!

And it does, about 2 times from average freezer height, resulting in a slightly bent outer rim. Thankfully no one's toes were in the way. And even more thankfully, the machine wasn't harmed. Which is a very good thing considering that a replacement cylinder costs $30, plus shipping. More than I paid for the entire unit.


Everything is dangerous when you're stupid.

• This is an electrical appliance. Don't submerge it in the sink or wash it in the dishwasher.
• The "e-z add" opening is just that. An opening. Don't let your hair get tangled up in the paddle and yanked in out in big hanks by the scalp.
• Don't handle the frozen cylinder with wet hands. Resist the urge to lick it. Those stories your grandma told you about the dumb kid and the pump handle are true.


But it's not a Donvier

True. But consider this. They both have cool Euro sounding names, with one big difference.
Deni - electric. Donvier - manual. The Deni is of course louder by default. Unless you have a really noisy elbow. They both work basically the same way, and are the same size, with the Deni being cheaper, and motorized. The lowest price I could find online for the Deni was $40, about the same as the Donvier. Get thee to Target!