Types of Frozen Desserts

Study Notes

Ice Cream: a sweetened frozen cream that contains at least 10% fat, typically made from dairy products, sugar, and flavorings
Gelato: a dense, creamy Italian-style ice cream that typically contains less fat than traditional ice cream
Sorbet: a frozen dessert made from fruit puree, sugar, and water, containing no dairy products
Frozen Yogurt: a frozen dessert made from yogurt, often lower in fat and calories than traditional ice cream
Sherbet: a frozen dessert made from fruit puree, sugar, and water, containing a small amount of dairy products (usually milk or cream)

Sweeteners: sugar, honey, maple syrup, and other sweeteners are commonly used in frozen desserts
Stabilizers: ingredients like guar gum, carrageenan, and xanthan gum are used to improve texture and prevent ice crystal formation
Emulsifiers: ingredients like mono- and diglycerides, and triglycerides are used to improve mixability and texture
Flavorings: natural and artificial flavorings, such as vanilla, chocolate, and fruit extracts, are used to give frozen desserts their desired taste

Mixing: ingredients are combined and mixed together to create a uniform blend
Pasteurization: the mixture is heated to kill bacteria and extend shelf life
Homogenization: the mixture is forced through a small opening to break down fat molecules and create a smooth texture
Freezing: the mixture is frozen to a temperature of around -20°C to create a solid frozen dessert
Aging: some frozen desserts, like ice cream, are aged in cold storage to allow the flavors to develop and mature

Air content: frozen desserts can contain air pockets, which affect their texture and scoopability
Overrun: the amount of air incorporated into the frozen dessert during the manufacturing process
Tempering: the process of heating and cooling the frozen dessert to create a smooth, creamy texture

Ice cream is a sweetened frozen cream that contains at least 10% fat, typically made from dairy products, sugar, and flavorings.
Gelato is a dense, creamy Italian-style ice cream that typically contains less fat than traditional ice cream.
Sorbet is a frozen dessert made from fruit puree, sugar, and water, containing no dairy products.
Frozen yogurt is a frozen dessert made from yogurt, often lower in fat and calories than traditional ice cream.
Sherbet is a frozen dessert made from fruit puree, sugar, and water, containing a small amount of dairy products (usually milk or cream).

Sugar, honey, maple syrup, and other sweeteners are commonly used in frozen desserts.
Guar gum, carrageenan, and xanthan gum are used as stabilizers to improve texture and prevent ice crystal formation.
Mono- and diglycerides, and triglycerides are used as emulsifiers to improve mixability and texture.
Natural and artificial flavorings, such as vanilla, chocolate, and fruit extracts, are used to give frozen desserts their desired taste.

Ingredients are combined and mixed together to create a uniform blend during the mixing stage.
The mixture is heated to kill bacteria and extend shelf life during the pasteurization stage.
The mixture is forced through a small opening to break down fat molecules and create a smooth texture during the homogenization stage.
The mixture is frozen to a temperature of around -20°C to create a solid frozen dessert.
Some frozen desserts, like ice cream, are aged in cold storage to allow the flavors to develop and mature.

Frozen desserts can contain air pockets, which affect their texture and scoopability.
The amount of air incorporated into the frozen dessert during the manufacturing process is known as overrun.
Tempering involves heating and cooling the frozen dessert to create a smooth, creamy texture.