To understand the question ‘how long does home-made ice cream last?’, we should look at how it is created and compare the difference with products you’d buy from the supermarket.
What makes all ice cream utterly delicious is the combination of eggs, milk and sugar used as a basis for almost all flavours.
Yes, there are diary-free options and those which utilise different ingredients for those with dietary restrictions, but the majority of ice creams are a delectable combination of full-fat dairy.
So, it’s not the basic ingredients which distinguishes the home-made from commercial varieties of ice cream; it is how they are made.
Ice cream which is created for the commercial market is produced in industrial quantities at factories using machines called continuous freezers. These use liquid ammonia to cool the product and high volumes of air are pumped in to increase the volume and lightness during the process.
When ice cream is home-made, the air, which is essential if you want ice cream that is light and creamy, is achieved because it is churned in a much more artisanal way.
Basically, air is not pumped into the ice cream, therefore the texture is likely to be denser and creamier.
Home-made ice cream is more labour intensive and works out more expensive; it also requires different handling from its commercial counterpart.
One reason for this is because commercial ice cream tends to contain additives to ensure that it has a longer shelf life.
While the ice cream you make at home just has to travel from the ice cream maker into the freezer, a branded variety will be created in a factory, be transported to a supermarket (or takeaway) before it makes it to the domestic environment, hence it needs to be stabilised.
Additives can also enhance the taste and colour of ice cream. Home-made ice cream will not have these additives, consequently its shelf life will be shorter.
What is the shelf life of home-made ice cream?
The scrumptiousness of home-made ice cream should ensure that it is polished off well before its best-by date, but if you do happen to make large quantities of ice cream, for example in your restaurant kitchen, then you definitely need to be aware of its shelf life.
A lot comes down to the way it is stored but in general home-made ice cream that is correctly stored can last up to three months in the freezer.
How do you increase the shelf life of home-made ice cream?
One of the reasons your home-made ice cream can become spoilt is if it is stored incorrectly.
It would be such a shame to go to all the trouble of producing such a fabulous iced confection only for it to go off in days.
And this could potentially occur if you haven’t placed it in the correct container.
Ice cream contains small crystals, and when it is stored in a container that is airtight, these crystals remain unaffected.
However, if air gets into the tub, or it is not stored at the correct temperatures, then the ice crystals will become larger and the ice cream will be affected by something called freezer burn.
Of course, home-made ice cream does not contain the additives of commercial ice cream, so this makes it more vulnerable to outside factors, especially if it is made with eggs. The reason for this is that eggs themselves have a short shelf life and are more perishable.
So, as well as ensuring your home-made ice cream is stored in a container that is fit for the purpose, you should also ensure the freezer is at the correct temperature.
You need to ensure that the temperature of the freezer reads at 0ºF/-18ºC, which is the optimum temperature at which to store ice cream. It is essential that the airtight containers you choose are freezer-safe too.
At Venturepak, we supply ice cream containers that adhere to the correct standards of food safety.
We have containers in various sizes, from 50ml – suitable for small scale production – to two-litre tubs, all of which are made from food grade plastics – a must-have if you want to ensure your ice cream retains all the properties that make it so delicious and for a longer time.
So, what are you waiting for?
If you love home-made ice cream as much as we do, you’ll want to treat it with the respect it deserves, so take a look at our comprehensive range.