Process of Making Ice Cream
Most big companies make ice cream using a continuous process. Milk, cream, and sugar are combined and pasteurized in a large tank. Then, they are pumped into a holding tank where they are mixed with flavorings and stabilizers. The mixture is then pumped into a freezing tunnel where it is quickly frozen and sent to a packaging machine.
Mixing Raw Materials
A very skilled and experienced person known as the Mix Master performs mix-making procedures at the Blend Tank. A batch of ice cream mix starts with heavy cream, condensed skim milk, and liquid cane sugar. To these ingredients, the Mix Master also adds egg yolks, cocoa powder for our chocolate flavors, and natural stabilizers, which help prevent heat shock and the formation of ice crystals.
Important Ingredients
Excess sugar makes the product soggy and depresses the freezing point; the ice cream then requires a lower freezing point and a lower hardening temperature. Insufficient sugar results in an ice cream with weak and coarse texture. Sugars are among the cheapest source of solids and are used at levels between 10-16% of the total mix, depending on the fat content, the process used and the type of product required.
Tips for Ice Cream Production Success
Tetra Pak Technical Product Manager and specialist Steen Gyldenloev shares four insider tips to help you optimize production and get the best from your ice cream equipment.
Commercial Ice Cream Production
Commercial ice cream is made by blending together milk, cream, milk solids, sugars, modifying agents, and flavorings in stainless steel vats. The mix is homogenized to create a consistent texture and pasteurized to destroy bacteria. The process involves freezing the mixture at a low temperature and incorporating air through a process called “overrun.”
How a Commercial Ice Cream Maker Works
A commercial ice cream machine freezes a mixture of milk, sugar, and other ingredients at a very low temperature. As the mixture freezes, air is incorporated into it through the overrun process. Temperature control is essential for even freezing and maintaining the right texture.