clock: I tried making chocolate protein ice cream with Ninja CREAMi
If you're looking to beat the heat with a summer treat at home, Ninja CREAMi might be just what you're looking for.
So here are the details
When it comes to ice cream makers, there are a variety of products on the market. Some of the most popular brands are priced at $300 to $400. What makes the Ninja CREAMi stand out is its claim to be able to make a variety of frozen desserts with just one device. This means users don't need to have many appliances to make frozen desserts, saving space in the kitchen.
The product claims to be a multifunctional kitchen appliance that can help you make anywhere between 7-11 different frozen treats at home, including ice cream, sorbet, gelato, etc., depending on the model, with the deluxe model also offering extra options like Italian ice and slushies.
Ninja CREAMi has been gaining traction on social media, with influencers sharing their experiences with the ice cream maker.
Users are also excited that the device allows them to enjoy healthier frozen treats, such as protein ice cream, which can be made into a variety of protein mixes and shakes.
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Try it for yourself
Firstly, it was super easy to set up. The Ninja CREAMi comes with six standard parts: the base, outer bowl, outer bowl lid, paddle, and CREAMi pint (dishwasher safe). There was very little assembly required, just attaching the paddle to the outer bowl lid.
Next, choosing what to make is a very fun process. Ninja offers users hundreds of free recipes that can be accessed by scanning a QR code on the machine or by visiting the website. The recipes are diverse, some are simple with minimal ingredients, while others are more complex with additional steps and elements. The nutritional value of the recipes also varies, with some being healthier with less sugar and more protein.
I tried two recipes from the Ninja website: Chocolate Protein Ice Cream and Dairy Free Peanut Butter Ice Cream.
Both recipes are prepared similarly: mix the ingredients together and add to a CREAMi pint (this takes about 3-5 minutes), freeze for 24 hours, then use a machine to blend the mixture.
Finally, add your “mix” such as chocolate chips or nuts.
The Chocolate Protein Ice Cream has the two base ingredients, plus chocolate chips. After freezing the mixture overnight, you pour a pint into the outer bowl, secure the lid to secure the bowl, and turn the dial to “light ice cream.” The machine then blends the ice cream, with an indicator that counts down the time it takes to blend. In this case, it was four minutes.
Once the cycle was complete, I noticed that it wasn't the consistency of ice cream, so Ninja recommended I add 2 tablespoons of milk and select the “Respin” feature, which took about 2 minutes. As a final step, I added the chocolate chip mix-in, replaced the bowl and used the “Mix-in” feature, which took about 2 minutes.
Being a chocolate lover, I know this will be a go-to recipe for me, and also being a fitness enthusiast, it's fun to get some protein in the form of ice cream.
The second recipe I tried was Dairy Free Peanut Butter Ice Cream. Some of my friends are lactose intolerant so I wanted to try a recipe they would also enjoy. This recipe has a few more ingredients and steps than the Chocolate Protein Ice Cream.
One notable difference is that all ingredients are mixed in a blender before freezing in the Ninja pint; Ninja says that the CREAMi is not a blender, so solid foods need to be mixed before using in the machine.
After freezing overnight, I mixed it up using the same instructions as the first recipe, except I replaced the dairy milk with coconut milk.
Final thoughts
Overall, this machine is very easy to use and has a great selection of desserts to choose from. The downside is that if you're impatient like me, waiting 24 hours for the mixture to freeze isn't ideal, but it's well worth the wait.
Product was provided by the brand for review purposes
