food & beverage
Pure ice cream enjoyment
What makes the perfect ice cream
21 July 2025 · Alexandra Gorsche
From a creamy texture to the ideal melt - many factors come together to create real ice cream enjoyment. Hubertus Tzschirner reveals which ingredients, techniques and subtleties are crucial - for everyone who not only loves ice cream, but wants to understand it.
Creaminess
- Why: A smooth, creamy texture ensures a pleasant mouthfeel and a great melt.
- How: Use of milk fat (cream, whole milk) and/or binding agents such as guar gum, locust bean gum, xanthan gum, etc. Avoid large ice crystals by stirring continuously during freezing with an ice cream machine.
Airiness (overrun) determines the texture
- Why: The amount of air incorporated during preparation influences the lightness of the ice cream.
- How: Premium ice cream has a moderate overrun (approx. 20-30% air), which keeps the ice cream dense and creamy. Bulk products often contain more air (up to 50%), which loosens up the texture but can water down the flavor.
Sweetness and balance
- Why: Sugar enhances the taste and prevents the formation of large ice crystals.
- How: Sugar, glucose syrup or other sweeteners must be used in a balanced ratio to prevent the sweetness from being too dominant.
Fat content
- Why: Fat is a flavor carrier and also provides creaminess.
- How: A fat content of 10-16%, such as cream or milk, provides an ideal balance between taste and texture. Some older recipes also contain butter.
Melting behavior
- Why: Perfect ice cream should melt evenly in the mouth without appearing grainy or watery.
- How: Use stabilizers (e.g. guar gum) or egg yolk to improve water binding. Correct ratio of fat, sugar and water in the recipe.
Temperature tolerance
- Why: Ice cream should be soft enough to be scooped easily, but not melt too quickly.
- How: Use sugar and fat that lower the freezing point. Alcohol or glucose syrup can also help to control the melting speed.
Intense flavor
- Why: Flavors must be able to develop even at low temperatures.
- How: High-quality ingredients such as vanilla pods, dark chocolate or ripe fruit. A small amount of salt or lemon juice enhances the flavors.
Stability
- Why: Ice cream should retain its texture and consistency even after a few days in the freezer.
- How: Stabilizers such as locust bean gum, guar gum or egg yolk. Avoid temperature fluctuations to minimize the formation of ice crystals.
