how to make ice cream – Ice cream is a dairy product which consist of frozen blend of cream (sweetened or not) mixed with air where air forms about fifty percent of the mixture. The following consist of the various steps that can be followed in the processing of ice cream.

a. Blending of ingredients; this is the first step in the manufacture of ice cream whereby all the ice cream mixture is made. This consist of milk fats for example butter fat, non fat solids, stabilizers, emulsifiers (to keep the emulsion) and other raw materials depending on the type of ice cream. These are blended together so as to ensure that all the ingredients are dispersed well in the mixture for a smoother ice creams.

b. Pasteurization; the ice cream mix is pasteurized at pasteurization temperatures of approximately seventy nine degrees Celsius for about twenty five seconds. This is an important step in ice cream manufacture as it kills pathogenic micro-organisms where the target bacteria is mycobacterium tuberculosis and other spoilage micro-organisms which may be present in the raw materials. These temperatures are usually higher than those used in pasteurizing fluid milk as the mix is more viscous because of the ingredients added. In some ice cream eggs may be added which also contributes to higher pasteurization temperatures since they may contain bacteria that causes typhoid.

c. Homogenization; this is an important step in how to make ice cream process and it is here that fat globules are broken down into smaller fat globules which facilitate the process of emulsification. This will contribute to a smoother and creamier ice cream which is palatable and desirable. This will also ensure that the emulsifiers and stabilizers are well blended and spread well throughout the product before it undergoes further steps in processing.

d.Aging of the homogenized mix; after homogenization, the mix is aged at low temperatures and this may take place overnight or in some processes this process may take about four hours. This will allow the mix to cool followed by freezing of milk fats partially as this will enhance the mouth feel of ice cream. Aging is also important as it is at this step that proteins stabilizers hydrate thus improving on whipping properties of the mixture in steps that follow.

e. Addition of flavors and colors; after aging of the mix, colors and flavors can be added depending on the needs but in some cases it may be left without adding flavor or color. These flavors must be in liquid form so as they do not affect flow properties of ice cream in the freezing equipment and all these should be added before freezing.

f. Freezing; this is done primarily to freeze the mix and incorporate air which forms a greater portion of ice cream. This can be conducted in a continuous process or batch process depending on the type of freezer. in freezing, ice cream mix is pumped onto the freezing barrel where air is added into it. The process of adding air in the mixture is referred to as overrun and it is the one which contributes to the lightness of ice cream and it forms about fifty percent of ice cream.

g. Addition of fruits and bulky flavorings is done after freezing as they will not be added before because they are likely to interfere with the flow of the mix in the freezer thus reduce efficiency in freezing. This also ensures that these flavorings are not damaged into smaller pieces thus remain whole until consumption.

h. Packaging; this is done depending on the nature of ice cream some may prefer to do it in small tubs while others may not be packed in these tubs because of their nature.

I. Hardening; in this ice cream is quickly cooled to holding temperatures of about negative twenty five degrees Celsius thus forming small ice crystals which will be stable at low temperatures unlike slow cooling which will allow for the formation of large ice crystals which will be very unstable. crystals are important in the rheology and mouth feel of ice cream hence should be carefully done and the holding temperatures should be constant as fluctuations of temperature may lead into formation of different crystal sizes which will affect the smoothness of ice cream.