Fresh Fig Ice Cream Recipe - WonkyWonderful (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to making ice cream very creamy? ›

When it comes to great ice cream, cold temperatures and speed are your friends: the faster you bring your base from liquid to solid, the creamier it'll be. In a 2-quart unit, a typical batch of ice cream will take between 18 and 25 minutes to churn.

Cornstarch: Often used in non-custard ice creams, cornstarch mixed with milk helps thicken the base and create a smooth mouthfeel. Gelatin: Adding a small amount of gelatin to the ice cream mixture improves texture by reducing ice crystal formation and creating a smoother consistency.

Sugar, corn syrup or honey, as well as gelatin and commercial stabilizers, can all keep your ice cream at a softer consistency. Ice cream also stays softer when you store it in a shallow container, rather than a deep tub, and cover the surface of the ice cream with plastic wrap to keep ice crystals from forming.

If you are churning your ice cream and it is not thickening, make sure that the canister is cold. Try adding some more ice and rock salt to it. Next time, put the canister into the freezer the day before you start making ice cream. This will ensure that it is cold enough.

Locust bean gum (E410)

LBG is a very popular stabilizer in ice cream. It's one of the best gums at reducing ice crystal size.

Most home ice cream recipes call for simple table sugar, which is chemically known as sucrose. But in pro kitchens you have more options. 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.

The cream cheese helps create an ice cream with a denser, smoother texture. As explained by TASTE, cream cheese acts as a stabilizer in ice cream, preventing water from seeping out of the milk and cream as well as preventing the formation of ice crystals that detract from ice cream's creaminess.

Egg yolks are the most common emulsifier, and they work, but they're not the best. A common - and better - emulsifier for ice cream is soy lecithin, which can be derived from soybeans, sunflowers and rapeseed. Soy lecithin has a neutral taste, and also allows you to make egg-less ice cream.

At its core ice cream is a successful emulsion of fat into water, sugar, and ice with air mixed into the batch. An emulsion is a mixture of two substances that typically separate (like oil and water). But, instead mix together to form the consistent creamy base used for ice cream.

There are two things that play part in making an ice cream perfectly scoop-able. It's the sugar content and the fat content. A higher fat content will cause an ice cream to be more scoop-able since fat freezes at a different temperature than water.

Why does my homemade ice cream freeze so hard? ›

Homemade ice cream usually contains much less air than the stuff you buy in the store. Air keeps ice cream soft. So the less there is, the harder your ice cream. It can also be caused by low fat or sugar content.

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.

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. Store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to a month.

The eggs yolks serve as an emulsifier that binds the water (which comes from the milk) and milk fat into a creamy mixture, much like mayonnaise. This emulsion makes the ice cream thicker, creamier and slower to melt.

Sugar is a natural thickener that absorbs water and increases the viscosity of ice cream. After mixing sugar and fresh milk, and then adding other ingredients, solid ice cream can be quickly formed. This method is perfect for those who want to make a natural and healthy ice cream.

At its core ice cream is a successful emulsion of fat into water, sugar, and ice with air mixed into the batch. An emulsion is a mixture of two substances that typically separate (like oil and water). But, instead mix together to form the consistent creamy base used for ice cream. It's Science!

Here are some tips for making creamy, non-icy homemade ice cream: Use plenty of fat - A good ice cream base should contain ample fat, usually from dairy like cream, whole milk, or egg yolks. More fat means a smoother texture. Cook the base - Heating the ice cream base deactivates enzymes that can make ice cream icy.

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.

Soft serve gets its characteristic lightness from its air content. Generally, soft serve has less fat and more air than hard serve ice cream. It is also served at warmer temperatures, giving the dessert its softness.