Summary: Components of Gelato
Before analyzing each single step that will lead to the production of ice cream, we briefly describe all the components of the mixture, also focusing on their function.
Among the "auxiliary" components of the ice cream mixture, we cannot forget the fats, which are found mainly in milk, cream, butter and egg yolks. Even margarine (vegetable fat) is sometimes used to increase the quantity of fats in the mixture An exact dosage of fats gives creaminess to the final product, improves the organoleptic characteristics of the ice cream and helps to increase the amount of air incorporated during the freezing phase (overrun).
To prepare a quality ice cream, we cannot neglect the S.L.N.G, or those components considered "Non-Fat Milk Solids". I S.L.N.G. represent what remains of the milk after removing the fats and water, and are made up of proteins, lactose and mineral salts. SLNGs are important because they help to give body to the ice cream, reduce the quantity of frozen water in the finished product, stabilize the mass and retain the air contained in the mixture, guaranteeing its overrun.
The addition of some emulsifiers and stabilizers / thickeners for ice cream can further improve the structural characteristics of the finished product. This category includes: locust bean gum, guar gum, sodium alginate, mono / di glycerides of fatty acids and soy lecithin.
To prepare an ideal ice cream it is essential to respect (in order) 5 distinct phases:
- Balancing and preparation of the mixture
- Pasteurization of the compound
- Maturation of the mixture
- Creaming of ice cream
- Firming of the ice cream
Balance of the mixture
The balance of the mixture is essential to obtain an ice cream with ideal characteristics.
When the mixture is not properly balanced, the ice cream can appear sandy, rubbery or elastic; other times the ice cream melts quickly, is too sweet or frothy.
To overcome all these drawbacks, it is advisable to carefully balance the mixture, thus studying the components (milk, cream, egg yolks, fruit, etc.) and the percentage of fats, sugars and other solids contained in each of them.
The basic ice cream recipe will be ready only when the ice cream maker has carefully chosen the ingredients and established the exact quantity of each in the mix formulation.
To understand...
Essentially, balancing the mixture is important to ensure that all the flavors of the ice cream, ideally combined in a giant bowl, behave the same way and are equally creamy, easy to spread and sweet "at the right point".
To understand the importance of the balance of a mixture, we report a practical example. We choose three different ice cream flavors and imagine to combine them in a cup: cream, hazelnut and strawberry. If the mixture is not adequately balanced, the risk is that to have a cream ice cream that is too sandy and not creamy at all (excess of lactose), a hazelnut ice cream that is too fluid and devoid of body (too many sugars) and a grainy, compact strawberry ice cream with large ice crystals (few sugars) .
Only through the correct balance, it will be possible to guarantee a soft, creamy and velvety ice cream, regardless of the flavors chosen.
Balancing is therefore essential to ensure that all ice creams - distinguished according to the category "yellow base", "white base", "fruit base" - possess the same structural characteristics, therefore the correct percentage distribution of fats, sugars SLNG ( Non-Fat Milk Solids), other solids and total solids.
How do you balance the mixture?
As already repeated several times, to obtain a correct balance of the mixture it is necessary to proportion sugars, fats, S.L.N.G. and other solids that make up the individual ingredients.
The limits for balancing cream, cream and fruit blends are shown in the following table:
Based on needs and requests, an ice cream can be formulated with a minimum or maximum dose of sugars and fats. In no case, however, it is advisable to go below the minimum percentages or exceed the maximum threshold to avoid the imbalance of the mixture: in these cases, the ice cream could lose its structural and organoleptic qualities.
At this point a question arises: how is it possible to know the quantity of sugars, fats, proteins and other solids contained in each ingredient?
It is important to observe the nutritional composition of the ingredients by analyzing reference tables, which specify the quantities of sugars, fats, proteins, milk solids and other solids contained in each food.
Below is the nutritional table of the main components of an ice cream mix.
Table taken from - The Italian artisan ice cream - Giovanni Preti
To make fruit ice creams, you need to know the amount of sugar contained in the chosen fruit. In this type of formulations, the calculation of sugars and solids is obviously more complex, not only because the percentage of sugars changes from fruit to fruit, but also because the same quantity is influenced by the degree of ripeness of the fruit, by the harvest period. and from the place of origin.
The artisan ice cream maker is always advised to use ripe fruit and to respect seasonality.
Below are the average nutritional values of the fruit most used for the preparation of ice cream.
Table taken from - The Italian artisan ice cream - Giovanni Preti
Other articles on "Making Ice Cream - Balancing the mix"
- Types of Ice Cream
- Ice-cream
- Sugar in Ice Cream
- Fats in Ice Cream
- Artisan Ice Cream - Non-Fat Solids and Dry Residue
- Preparation of Ice Cream - Pasteurization, Maturation, Creaming
- Making homemade ice cream
- Calories of ice cream
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