Machine and method for making ice cream

A method for making ice cream, comprising the following steps:

• a) preparing basic ingredients defining a basic mixture for ice cream;
• b) heating the basic mixture to cause an at least partial evaporation of the water contained in the basic ingredients, so as to make a basic mixture concentrate;
• b.1) cooling the basic mixture concentrate, after the step of heating the basic mixture to cause the at least partial evaporation of the water contained in the basic ingredients;
• b.2) providing a capsule having deformable side walls so that the capsule is collapsible and storing the cooled basic mixture concentrate inside the capsule;
• c) subjecting the basic mixture concentrate to a mixing and cooling treatment comprising the steps of:
• c1) adding a basic liquid to the basic mixture concentrate, so as to dilute the basic mixture concentrate;
• c1.1) aging the diluted basic mixture concentrate while stirring the diluted basic mixture concentrate at a temperature between 0° C. and 7° C. after the step of adding the basic liquid to the basic mixture concentrate;
• c2) stirring and simultaneous thermal treatment of the diluted basic mixture concentrate at a temperature of between −11° C. and −3° C. for a predetermined period of time, to allow converting the diluted basic mixture concentrate into an ice cream product;
• wherein the step b) comprises, during the heating, subjecting the basic ingredients to a pressure below atmospheric pressure in a range of between 7 kPa and 20 kPa;
• pasteurizing the basic ingredients after the step a) and prior to the step b) by maintaining a pasteurizing temperature for a length of time between 15 and 40 minutes;
• homogenizing the basic mixture before the step b).