5 Mistakes to Avoid When Making Ice Cream (2024)

FAQs

5 Mistakes to Avoid When Making Ice Cream? ›

So you can up the fat in your ice cream by substituting cream for milk or half-and-half in recipes. Even more effective, is that you can also add more egg yolks if making a custard-based ice cream, which will increase the creaminess due to their emulsifying properties.

So you can up the fat in your ice cream by substituting cream for milk or half-and-half in recipes. Even more effective, is that you can also add more egg yolks if making a custard-based ice cream, which will increase the creaminess due to their emulsifying properties.

Sugar: it's more than just a sweetener

This is generally more of an issue in ice creams that use tart ingredients like lemons, which require more sweetener than, say, vanilla beans. Similarly, too little sugar in ice cream can make it rock hard.

Weak, watery ice creams may not contain enough solids. Try adding some skimmed milk powder (SMP). Or you can experiment with stabilizers. A little bit of salt may bring out some more flavor as well!

If the ice melts too quickly, the mixture isn't cold enough and it won't freeze. If too much rock salt is added to the ice, the mixture will freeze too quickly around the edges of the canister and leave the middle in liquid form. Follow the suggestions below and you too can make a succesfull batch in about an hour!

Liquid sugars like invert sugar, corn syrup, honey, and glucose syrup all add body, creaminess, and stability to ice cream, and a little goes a long way.

Keep It Creamy

There are several ways to keep your ice cream from freezing solid in the freezer. David Lebovitz, author of the book, The Perfect Scoop, recommends adding a few tablespoons of alcohol (such as a fruit liqueur to fruit-flavored ice cream, or vodka when you don't want an alcoholic flavor).

The most common ones used in ice creams are guar gum, cellulose gum and carob bean gum. They are used to reduce ice crystal growth, deliver flavour cleanly, increase smoothness, body and creaminess and slow down melting. They also help hold the air bubble structure together and give the ice cream a better texture.

All ice cream have the same basic parts: ice crystals, air, fat, sweeteners, and other solids. Size of the ice crystals determines how smooth the texture of the ice cream will be. Larger crystals make a grainy texture, while smaller ice crystals create a smooth texture.

Churn in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions, typically 20 to 30 minutes. The ice cream will be soft after churning. For firmer ice cream, transfer to an airtight container and freeze for 2 to 4 hours before serving.

What can I add to homemade ice cream to make it thicker? ›

Adding thickening agents, such as egg yolks, cornstarch, gelatin, tapioca starch, or even Junket tablets, enhances the texture and elevates the overall ice cream experience. Remember, making homemade ice cream is as much an art as it is a science.

Chill Your Base Well

The initial mixture should be very cold before it hits the ice-cream machine; ideally, you'll want to refrigerate it overnight. It'll need less churning time this way, and that will keep ice crystals from snowballing.

Salt: Rock salt, which is also sometimes labeled as "ice cream salt", works best for lowering the temperature of the ice to freeze the ice cream quickly. But coarse kosher salt or even regular table salt will work in a pinch if that's what you have on hand.

Really make sure to cool down your ice cream base before churning. It should be cold to the touch before it goes in (otherwise it won't freeze properly). You know your ice cream is done churning when it gets to the consistency of soft-serve. It'll set up the rest of the way once it's in the freezer.

Have you ever had homemade ice cream leave an oily film in your mouth? It is because the ice cream was over-churned. Adding candy pieces, nuts, or dried or fresh fruit to the ice cream will add a flavor and texture dimension.

Keep the Pint Airtight

Besides keeping a lid on your pint or gallon, you can place plastic wrap tight across the surface of your ice cream before covering it with a lid. This will help stop ice crystals from forming.

Ice forms on homemade ice cream due to crystallization, and this process is usually triggered when you don't freeze your ice cream fast enough. Your recipe and storage method may contribute to crystallization as well.