Why is premium ice cream so freaking expensive?

I was watching a cooking program a few nights ago and the chef said something like, "Here's an easy ice cream recipe you can try at home for instant and delicious ice cream." And then he proceeded to dump dry ice and liquid nitrogen in a mixer with cream. WTF?!? It worked, but I'm lucky if I have vanilla pods at home, not Alfred Noble's lab.

We used to do that with the kids during National Chemistry Week in the US.  It is very cool (hehe).  But, yeah, not really something most people could do at home.  Plus, it's about -320F/-195C - not a temperature most people should be playing with at home. 

MACKIES!!!

I could really do with some Tillamook caramel butter pecan or mudslide. Where are the 1.75 quart containers of not quite as fancy ice cream? Carte d'Or just doesn't cut it.

Oooooh Tillamook....soo good.  Not just ice cream, but the cheese curds!!  I want to go there!!

OK, I took the bait and decided to make ice cream.  How is making your own ice cream supposed to be cheaper than buying?  I have only just put the fruit on the stove so I don't know how mch it will make exactly but I can tell you that it has not been that much cheaper than buying.  Here is the rough breakdown : £3 pounds for the blackberries, about 50p for the cream, plus sugar and electricity.  I'd say it's about the same as buying.

June

I'd say it's about the same as buying.

Wait until you taste it! Your taste buds will give you the answer!

It's like this, Cake Queen  ... you could buy a cheap cake at Tesco, right? But it wouldn't come close to tasting as good as your homemade ones. And ice cream's the same. Shop bought can't hold a candle to homemade! 

Wait until you taste it! Your taste buds will give you the answer!

It's like this, Cake Queen  ... you could buy a cheap cake at Tesco, right? But it wouldn't come close to tasting as good as your homemade ones. And ice cream's the same. Shop bought can't hold a candle to homemade! 

I hope so cause I dont have an ice cream maching and I'm doing everything by hand!

I hope so cause I dont have an ice cream maching and I'm doing everything by hand!

No worries--I made some ice cream without a machine over the weekend, and it's seriously yummy! And I used to own a machine. Well, I still do. It's in storage in the US. 

Anyway, my rhubarb crumble ice cream is amazing. And I've never seen that in a shop!  That's why I make my own, to get the flavors that *I* want, as well as getting it without additives.