Ever Wonder How Your Ice Cream Is Made? Let’s Dive In!

After a day of healthy eating, it’s finally time to unwind with the family. You finish a hearty dinner and stroll into an ice cream parlour, excited to cap off the meal with something sweet.

As you gaze at the vibrant mounds of ice cream with funky names, a thought crosses your mind: “This doesn’t look real.” Those fluffy piles often mean there’s more air than actual ice cream!

You decide to try a different place across the street. No fancy displays here—just a scoop of strawberry ice cream. But as you taste it, you think, “Wait, this doesn’t taste right. Real strawberries are a bit tart and have those tiny seeds!”

You glance at your child happily enjoying her scoop, but worry creeps in. When you ask the manager about the ingredients, the vague answer leaves you uneasy about what’s really in that scoop.

Sadly, this is the experience for many ice cream lovers today. The art of making natural ice cream is slowly being replaced by industrial production.

So, let’s take a step back in time and discover how ice cream was traditionally made!

A Sweet History Lesson

Long before modern refrigeration, ice creams were made overnight using ice made on cold nights by setting out shallow earthenware pots filled with water. In Japan, they used the ice blocks preserved during winter to cool ice creams during summers for aristocracy.

Our beloved ice creams have a much longer history than we imagine. Even before modern refrigeration was invented, ice creams were produced, albeit only for the elites. Ice cream’s origins are known to reach back as far as the fifth century B.C. in the markets of Athens, where ancient Greeks were selling snow mixed with honey and fruits. On the other side of the globe, the Chinese were using rice water and sugar as the ice cream base. Quite ingenuously, they used salt to lower the freezing point of ice and more solid ice creams could be made.

However, modern ice cream has travelled from the Middle East and India (Faloodeh) to Europe (Gelato and sorbets) to the US (soft serve, modern ice creams) through centuries.

Interestingly, the first record of plant based ice cream is from 1899 in a vegetarian cookbook by Almeda Lambert. Her recipe consisted of nut cream, sugar, vanilla, which was cooked together before being frozen.

 

How Is Your Ice Cream Made?

Let’s get a little technical—don’t worry, we’ll keep it fun! There are three main ways that commercial ice creams are made:

1. Artisanal Method: This is where the magic happens! Ice cream is crafted in small batches using whole, natural ingredients. Think local fruits, freshly made nut milks, and no artificial colours or flavours. This method preserves the true taste of your favourite flavours and keeps it healthier—like a classic strawberry ice cream made with real strawberries! And the air percentage is lower than any other method (22-25%).
2. Industrial Method with Whole Ingredients: Here, natural ingredients are mixed and heated to ensure safety (goodbye, harmful bacteria!). Then, the mixture is homogenised. It breaks down fat molecules and ensures they are evenly distributed throughout the mixture. The homogenization process is critical to preventing the formation of large ice crystals during freezing for that creamy texture we all love. This method maintains a quality that’s a step above mass-produced options.
3. Industrial Method with Premixes: This is where things can get a bit tricky. Many brands use premix powders that often contain no real milk. Instead, they’re filled with hydrogenated oils and artificial flavours and higher air percentage (250%!). You might be surprised to find out that your beloved soft serve is often made this way!

 

How to Choose the Real Deal

Now that you know a bit about how ice cream is made, how can you make sure you’re enjoying the good stuff? Here are three tips:

  1. Weigh Your Ice Cream: Next time you’re at an ice cream shop, ask to weigh your scoop. If the volume (millilitres) to weight (gram) ratio is more than 150%, you might be paying for a lot of air instead of delicious ice cream!
  2. Read the Labels:If you find palm oil, dextrose, mono and diglycerides of fatty acids (E471), polysorbates (E432, E436) and artificial colours, ,it’s best to pass. Look for natural ingredients that you can actually recognize.
  3. Ask Questions:Don’t be shy! Ask your scooper about their ice cream-making process. Are they using fresh ingredients or premixes? Knowledge is power!

Join the Movement!

We’re on a mission to bring back the authenticity of this beloved dessert. By sharing this article, you’re helping spread the word about choosing quality ice cream made with love and care. Let’s celebrate the joy of real ice cream together!

So next time you treat yourself, remember to savour every scoop and know exactly what you’re enjoying. Happy indulging! 🍨✨

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