Tefal Dolci programmes: the 10 buttons explained by a chef

How the Tefal Dolci ice cream maker works

The Tefal Dolci ice cream maker programs make more sense once you know that the Dolci works the other way round from a classic churning machine. You don't churn a liquid until it sets. You freeze the base first, in the Tritan bowl, for 24 hours at −18 °C. Then the blade spins and shaves the frozen block, layer by layer, into a smooth texture.

Each bowl holds about 480 ml and you get 3 in the box, so 1.4 litres in total. In the UK, Ireland and Australia the machine is sold as the Tefal Dolci (model IG602A). In France, Italy, Spain and Belgium it's the Moulinex Dolci (MJ602AF0, MJ6038F0). Same machine, same buttons.

Spoon programmes: SORBET, ICE CREAM, GELATO and more

The buttons are in English in every country and there's no numeric display. You simply choose the texture you want. The five spoon programmes are:

• SORBET (about 3 min 14 s): fruit, sugar and water, no milk. Read the full guide: Tefal Dolci sorbet programme.
• ICE CREAM (3:16): richer bases with milk and cream.
• GELATO (3:45): the Italian-style texture, dense and smooth.
• FROZEN YOGHURT (3:14): yoghurt-based bases.
• LIGHT ICE CREAM or SMOOTHIE BOWL (3:41), depending on your model. See Tefal Dolci light ice cream.

A sherbet has no button of its own. You make it on SORBET: here's how in our Tefal Dolci sherbet guide.

Drink programmes: SLUSHY, FRAPPE, COCKTAIL, MILKSHAKE

The other four buttons turn the frozen bowl into something you drink with a straw. Cycles run between 2 min 21 s and 3 min 12 s.

• SLUSHY: icy and fruity.
• FRAPPE: thick, icy and creamy, perfect with coffee and milk. Full guide: Tefal Dolci frappe programme.
• COCKTAIL: frozen drinks for grown-ups.
• MILKSHAKE: the classic, milky and smooth.

RE-SPIN, MIX IN and RINSING: the function buttons

Next to the programmes you'll find the function buttons, each running for about 1 min 30 s:

• RE-SPIN: if the result looks crumbly or sandy, run it again. It's the most useful button on the machine.
• MIX IN: folds in pieces such as chocolate, biscuits or fruit.
• RINSING: a quick rinse of the blade between batches.

Got more questions about the buttons? Have a look at our Tefal Dolci questions page.

SMOOTHIE BOWL or LIGHT ICE CREAM: check your model

Some European versions of the Dolci have SMOOTHIE BOWL instead of LIGHT ICE CREAM. If yours has no LIGHT ICE CREAM button, the ICED rule is simple: put light recipes on GELATO. In the ICED° app every recipe already tells you which button to press on your model.

The real secret: the base, not the button

The programme only does the shaving. What decides the texture is the base you froze the day before: sugar, fat and water in balance. Too little sugar and the block is hard and crumbly. Too much and it won't freeze properly. That's why I built the ICED° app, with over 800 recipes, the grams for your machine's bowl and a traffic light that warns you before freezing if the base will set too hard. Start with our free 30 sorbets book or browse the Tefal Dolci recipes.

Step by step

1. Prepare the base and pour it into the Tritan bowl.
2. Put the lid on and freeze the bowl for 24 hours at −18 °C.
3. Fit the frozen bowl in the Tefal Dolci and lock it in place.
4. Press the programme that matches your base: SORBET, ICE CREAM, GELATO, FROZEN YOGHURT, LIGHT ICE CREAM or a drink button.
5. Wait for the cycle to finish (about 2 to 4 minutes).
6. If it looks crumbly or powdery, press RE-SPIN.
7. For pieces of chocolate or fruit, add them and press MIX IN.

Frequently asked questions