History of Frozen Desserts

Study Notes

Frozen Desserts

Frozen desserts have been enjoyed since the 2nd century B.C.
Ice cream was rare and enjoyed primarily by the affluent until the mid-1800s
Classification of commercially frozen desserts:
- Ice cream: produced by freezing a pasteurized mix containing at least 10% milkfat, 20% total milk solids, sweetener, and other optional ingredients
- Frozen custard: eggs are added to the ingredients found in ice cream
- Reduced-fat ice cream: made with 25% less fat than standard ice cream
- Light ice cream: contains at least 50% or less total fat or 33% less calories than standard ice cream
- Lowfat ice cream: not more than 3 grams of milkfat in a 4 fluid once serving
- Nonfat ice cream: less than 0.5 grams of milkfat per serving
- Gelato: Italian-style ice cream that is rich in egg yolk solids and total solids, contains little air and no stabilizers or emulsifiers
- Bulky flavored ice cream: contains significant amounts of ingredients such as nuts, fruits, confections, cookies, and cocoa
- Soft-serve ice cream: served after being drawn from the freezer without hardening
- Frozen yogurt: similar to ice cream, but generally lower in fat and must contain bacteria culture
- Fruit sherbet: a pasteurized frozen product containing fruit juices, sweeteners, stabilizers, 2 to 5% total milk solids, and 1 to 2% milkfat
- Sorbet: contains frozen fruit and/or fruit juice, sugar, and stabilizer, with a volume of air whipped into the product up to 20%
- Italian ice: also known as frappe, frozen to a slushy consistency and served as a drink
- Novelties: composed of sugar, water, and flavoring, with large ice crystals present

Characteristics of Frozen Desserts

Crystal formation: all types of frozen desserts are crystalline products in which water is crystallized as ice
Overrun: the amount of ice cream obtained above the amount of mix frozen, resulting from whipping air into the mix during freezing
Body: the term used to imply firmness or resistance to rapid melting
Texture: refers to the fineness of particles, smoothness, and lightness or porosity

Ingredients in Frozen Desserts

Milkfat: an optimum amount of cream supplies milkfat, which gives desirable flavor and improves body and texture
Nonfat milk solids: often added to improve flavor and texture
Sweeteners: add flavor, lower the freezing point, and affect the amount of water frozen
Eggs: sometimes used in ice creams, especially in French vanilla or custard ice cream
Stabilizers and emulsifiers: affect the fat-globule structure, agglomeration, and whipping quality
Acids: citric acid is commonly used in sherbets and ices to provide a tart flavor and reduce the perception of sweetness

Preparation of Frozen Desserts

Commercial ice cream processing:
- Pasteurization: destroys pathogenic organisms, aids in blending ingredients, and improves flavor and keeping quality
- Homogenization: divides fat globules finely, improving texture and palatability
- Aging: allows fat globules to solidify, increases viscosity, and improves body and texture
- Freezing and hardening: utilizes a liquid refrigerant, and dashers scrape freezing ice cream from walls of the chamber while whipping air into the mix
Ice cream preparation in the home:
- Pasteurization: not necessary if using pasteurized milk, cream, and eggs
- Heating: advantageous to blend ingredients thoroughly and destroy pathogenic bacteria
- Cooling: cools quickly and ages or holds the mix for 3 to 4 hours at refrigerator temperature before freezing
- Home ice cream freezers: electric or hand-cranked, with a metal can, paddle or dasher, and ice and salt
- Packing the freezer: with ice and salt, and the proportion of salt to ice is important for efficient freezing
- Rate of cranking: slow agitation at the beginning of the freezing period, and rapid agitation after the mixture is chilled