Cream and milk
The fat content in the cream provides both flavour and a rich texture, and it also helps to properly aerate the ice cream mixture during churning. Meanwhile, milk proteins in the cream and milk bind with the water, preventing it from forming large ice crystals.
Churning the ice cream base is a bit like making whipped cream. You need to churn just enough to make the fat globules stick to the air bubbles and form a protective coating that stabilizes the foam. But too much churning can cause the fat globules to stick to each other, turning the mixture into butter. Adding too much cream can also ruin the whole enterprise: A combination of cream and milk that has a total milk fat content of between 8% and 15% is the sweet—pun intended!—spot.
Is it possible to make a lower-fat ice cream that tastes good? Yes, but to replace the stabilizing function and creaminess of fats, you’ll need to use ingredients like corn starch and gelatin, or even milk powder, evaporated milk or sweetened condensed milk.
Egg yolks
Classic French-style ice cream contains egg yolks. The number can vary from 4 to 10 yolks per 4 cups (1 litre) of liquid. The egg yolks serve as an emulsifier that binds the water (which comes from the milk) and the milk fat into a creamy mixture, much like mayonnaise. This emulsion makes the ice cream thicker, creamier and slower to melt.
However, egg yolks are not absolutely essential; eggless ice cream recipes can also work very well. Since these are more neutral in flavour, they make excellent bases for fruit ice creams.
FROZEN DESSERTS
Eggless Vanilla Ice Cream
SUMMER COOKING
Strawberry Ice Cream
Sugar and salt
Sugar is essential for the overall taste, and it also keeps the cream from freezing into a solid block of ice. The reason is simple: Sugar is like the salt that is put on the roads in winter; it lowers the freezing point of water. As the ice cream base freezes, some of the water crystallizes. The remaining water combines with the sugar to form a thick syrup that surrounds the ice crystals. It is this mixture of liquid syrup and solid ice crystals that creates the malleable texture of ice cream. The right amount of sugar is therefore crucial—about 15% to 20% of the overall weight of the liquids, or at least ¾ cup per litre. Too much sugar and the ice cream is too soft; not enough and it’s too hard.
As for salt, it enhances the natural flavour of the cream as well as the aroma of added ingredients such as vanilla, chocolate or caramel. A pinch of salt can make all the difference! All of these ingredients ensure your ice cream has a smooth texture and the perfect taste. All that’s left is to properly store it.
Do you now have the urge to make some ice cream? Find out even more by reading our ice cream maker article.