When making ice cream, the choice of ingredients is crucial for the texture and taste. Milk powder is a popular ingredient because it gives the ice cream a creamy consistency and intensifies the flavour. It already contains milk fat, milk sugar and proteins, which help to make the ice cream smooth and full-bodied without having to use large quantities of fresh milk or cream. This makes production more flexible and often more cost-effective.
Another important aspect of ice cream production is the prevention of so-called crystal formation. When frozen, water particles in the mixture tend to form large ice crystals, which makes the texture of the ice cream grainy and less pleasant. This is where stabilisers such as guar gum, xanthan gum or locust bean gum come into play.
These natural or semi-chemical additives act as stabilisers or emulsifiers. They bind water and ensure that the water particles remain evenly distributed during freezing. This results in smaller ice crystals, which makes the ice cream nice and creamy and smooth. They also help to keep the ice cream stable during storage so that it does not become too hard or too soft.
In short, milk powder is a practical ingredient for improving the creaminess of ice cream, while guar gum, xanthan gum or locust bean gum ensure that the texture remains smooth and no unwanted crystals form. Together, they ensure a pleasant taste experience and perfect consistency.
