| Description: |
Ice cream (originally iced cream) is a frozen dessert made from dairy products such as cream (or equivalents), combined with flavourings and sweeteners. This mixture is super-cooled by stirring while reducing its temperature to prevent large ice crystals from forming. Traditionally, the temperature has been reduced by placing the ice cream mixture into a container that is immersed in a mixture of crushed ice and salt. The salt allows liquid water to be below the freezing point of pure water, allowing the immersed container with cream to make better contact with the melted water/ice mixture.
Although the term "ice cream" is sometimes used to mean frozen desserts and snacks in general, it is usually reserved for frozen desserts and snacks made with a high percentage of milk fat. Many countries, including the United States, regulate the use of some of these terms based on quantities of ingredients.
Modern commercial ice cream is made from a mixture of ingredients:
* 10-16% milk fat
* 9-12% milk solids-not-fat: this component, also known as the serum solids, contains the proteins (caseins and whey proteins) and carbohydrates (lactose) found in milk
* 12-16% sweeteners: usually a combination of sucrose and/or glucose-based corn syrup sweeteners
* 0.2-0.5% stabilizers and emulsifiers e.g., agar or carrageenan extracted from seaweed
* 55%-64% water which comes from milk solids or other ingredients
These ingredients make up the solid part of the ice cream, but only a portion of the final volume, the remainder being air incorporated during the whipping process. Generally, the cheaper the ice-cream, the cheaper the ingredients, and the more air is incorporated, sometimes as much as 50% of the total volume. (Since ice cream is sold by volume, it's economically advantageous for producers to reduce the density of the product). Artisan-produced ice creams, such as Berthillon's, often contain very little air, although some is necessary to produce the characteristic creamy texture of the product.
Ice-creams come in a wide variety of flavours, often with additives such as chocolate flakes or chips, nuts, fruit, and small candies/sweets. Some of the most popular ice cream flavours in supermarkets are vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, and Neapolitan (a combination of the three). Many people also like ice cream sundaes, which often have ice cream, hot fudge, nuts, and other toppings. Ice cream is truly a classic dessert. |
