Thursday, July 5, 2012

How is Ice Cream Made?

Ice cream is one of the most popular desserts in the world and constitutes a 13-billion dollar business in the US. It is believed that 98% of all Americans eat ice cream regularly and that the average American eats about 24 quarts of ice cream each year. With all this frozen yumminess being consumed, have you ever wondered how ice cream is made?

Thinking about starting in ice cream business?

Ice cream is made from butterfat, milk solids, sugar stabilizers, and flavorings. The ingredients used in making ice cream are chosen to give us the texture and flavor that we love so much.

  • Butterfat – this puts the creamy in ice cream
  • Milk solids - these give ice cream “body” and help give it a smoother texture.
  • Gelatin or gum - these ingredients are used as stabilizers and are added to prevent large ice crystals from forming once the ice cream has been frozen.
  • Sugar – is of course added to give ice cream that yummy sweetness
  • Flavors – Anything from chocolate to bubblegum that is added to give a variety of tastes to this already tasty treat.

These ingredients are mixed then pasteurized at around 155° F for about 30 minutes. After the pasteurizing process, the concoction is thoroughly blended together and the cooled in a freezer. While in the freezer, the mixture is whipped to fill it with air to make it smooth and light. The air also acts as an insulator so that ice cream stays cold and can be easily eaten. Before it freezes solid, the mixture is removed from the freezer and poured into containers and then stored at a chilly -25° F.

How is soft serve ice cream made?
Soft serve ice cream is lower in fat and calories than traditional ice cream because there is more air. The same ingredients that are used in regular ice cream is mixed whipped in a special machine that adds a lot more air to it to create one of America’s favorite frozen treats.

No matter how ice cream is made, it is clearly one of the most popular foods in the country. If you are thinking about cashing in on your neighbor’s sweet tooth by starting your own ice cream business, be sure to start with a well-researched ice cream business plan. Accurate, yet simple to use ice cream business plan templates can be purchased for relatively little money and will help ensure that your ice cream business is successful.

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