I recently made the Triple Vanilla Ice Cream from the Pie and Pastry Bible, with the creme fraiche variation, and the ice cream turned out really grainy - not ice crystal grainy, but it was as if the custard was grainy (though I don’t recall the custard being very grainy before I froze it). This has happened before with this recipe, using the creme fraiche variation ( I omitted the Cobasan, and didn’t put in the requisite amount of alcohol - which I have done before in other recipes, and not had a problem with the texture).

Any ideas? It seems to be related to using the creme fraiche (home made), but I am not quite sure yet. Has anyone else experienced this same problem?

Do you strain your custard?  That should take care of any graininess.

I do strain it before freezing it. It doesn’t feel grainy after I strain or cool it, but it does turn grainy after freezing. It’s so weird!

Is the custard cooked?  Might it have to be pulled off the heat a bit earlier?

sounds like you’re right about the creme fraiche being the culprit…  but , one more thing, is that the alcohol would keep it from freezing.  Maybe what you’re seeing as grainy,is that it’s able to freeze more solid, without the addition of alcohol.??

I tend to agree with Tiffany.  If you think the graininess is not from ice crystals, then I think the only other possibility is uncooked egg forming lumps when frozen.  Alcohol helps prevent graininess because it stops large ice crystals from forming, so you definitely want to keep that in the recipe.  The texture of ice cream with alcohol in it is always better (as long as it is in the correct proportion, of course, otherwise too much would prevent it from freezing at all).

Tguidici, I do not know why you are having a problem in your dessert. However, what is closely associated with GRAININESS
in ice cream is the freezing temperature. IT MUST BE FROZEN BELOW “ZERO DEGREES”. Otherwise air bubbles will have a chance to form.
If your apparatus has that capability then I would consider employing it. I hope everything goes well for you & you solve your dessert problem.

  ~FRESHKID.

Graininess can also be a result of over churning ice cream. You don’t want to over churn ice cream made with creme freche, buttermilk, sour cream, or fresh cream cheeses. You only want to churn it till it reaches the soft set stage. Then the ice cream should be transfered to a freezer safe container to finish freezing in the freezer for at least 6 hours.