Note: This question is for an ice cream machine WITH a compressor
Pretty much all recipes for ice cream/gelato call for completely chilling the mixture before starting to churn.
I get that for "passively" cooled machines (compressorless) it's important, so that you don't loose any of the pre-cooling you've done to the hardware.
Does it actually matter for a compressor-based machine? The machine can certainly cool it down without a hitch, but would it impact the final texture?
Best Answer
Firstly, it will work and you will get ice cream. However, cooling the base (a) decreases the time it take to freeze, and (b) potentially improves the flavor of the base (as ingredients meld together). Let's say you are not concerned with "b". The more quickly you freeze ice cream, the smaller the ice crystals...the creamier the texture. So, in any ice cream making scenario, it is better to begin with cold base. How much better? How much creamier? It's probably a matter of preference in the end. It sounds like you probably have an ice cream maker with a compressor. Why not make a double batch of base, freeze one immediately, place the other in the fridge for 24 hours. Freeze that one the next day. Taste them at the same temp/consistency, and tell us here what you've learned.