FoodNet

Experimental cookery

1932

Page 73

Presented as published in 1932. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
Effect of fat on texture. High butter fat produces a firm body, for the chilled fat particles are very firm. Too much fat produces a very hard ice cream. Fillers are sometimes used to give a better body. In home-made ice cream when little cream is used, egg may be added to produce a firmer body, and to add flavor. Effect of proteins on texture. The milk solids not fat and the protein content particularly affect the body of the ice cream. The casein and albumin of milk are found as calcium and magnesium caseinates and albuminates in the milk. As such they imbibe water and swell. With too little protein the body has little resistance, and with too much protein its hydration produces a very soggy, heavy ice cream. Mortensen states that high serum solids give a smooth mix for they absorb the water, but their use can be carried to an extreme. He adds that those who do not use a high percentage of serum solids must pay more attention to the treatment of the mix. Combs and Martin concluded that a certain amount of acidity produces a finished appearance in the mix. They have found that too high acidity causes the ice cream to melt quickly, since the reaction is brought nearer the isoelectric point of casein and at the isoelectric point very little water is held by casein. Effect of treatment of the mix on texture. Any treatment of the ingredients of the ice cream or of the mix itself that increases the viscosity affects the body and texture of the ice cream. Pasteurization, homogeniza- tion, and aging all affect the viscosity and will be discussed later. Though the texture of the ice cream, like the body, is affected by the ingredients used and their proportions, it is also affected to a greater extent than the body by the freezing process. The texture of ice cream depends largely on the size of the crystals and the amount of air incorporated during freezing. Incorporating chocolate or fruit. Some special problem studies have indicated that the temperature at which the chocolate is combined with the other ingredients is the most important factor in obtaining a uniform color and not a speckled product. The temperature at which the chocolate is combined, at least with a portion of the ingredients, should be above the melting point of the chocolate. The chocolate may be added to a portion of the milk which has been warmed or made into a sirup. Martin advises that the chocolate be made into a sirup with the sugar and a portion of the milk. 92 FREEZING Fruit, such as strawberries, raspberries, and peaches, may be put through a sieve before adding to the mix. If larger pieces of fruit are desired, they can be prevented from freezing into chunks of ice by letting them stand for some time, or over night, in a heavy sirup. The sugar entering the berries or fruit lowers the freezing point of the fruit, so that it does not freeze or is less hard. To keep the fruit as whole as possible, the sirup should be added to the cream mix. Then the fruit is added after the cream is in a soft frozen state.