There are many kinds of commercial ice cream as you will see if you browse any supermarket freezer.
It’s not just flavours and specific brands that make this such a diverse product, but also the mode in which it is produced.
Most ice cream sold by supermarkets is made in a factory in large quantities, but not all commercial ice cream is created in this way.
For example, ice cream for restaurants is often artisanal and made in smaller batches.
What is ice cream?
Basically, ice cream is a frozen blend of sweetened cream mixture and air.
A lot of ice cream is made from milk and eggs and is therefore known as dairy ice cream. It derives its creaminess from its milk fat content and according to UK regulations, dairy ice cream must contain not less than five per cent fat and seven per cent other milk solids.
To complicate things further, not every commercially made ice cream contains, milk, or cream.
In fact, the only thing necessary for it to be “ice cream” is that the product contains five per cent fat. Hence, some companies make their ice cream from vegetable oil which is a much cheaper ingredient than fresh cream or milk.
Most commercially produced ice cream also contains stabilisers and emulsifiers to ensure that it has a longer shelf life.
How to make ice cream for commercial use
Ice cream made in a factory uses continuous freezers and liquid ammonia to cool the ingredients. High volumes of air are pumped into the ice cream mix as it freezes, and this is what gives it its fluffiness and volume.
Not all commercial ice cream is made this way though.
While the industrial examples are made with preservatives, colours, and flavours artisan styles are created with fresh and quality ingredients. Most ice cream for restaurants will be created in a kitchen.
First, a base mix will be created probably using cream and eggs and be left to rest for several hours
Flavourings can then be added. The mixture is then churned and frozen in a batch freezer.
From there it is removed and placed into a container which is large enough, airtight and made from the correct material such as food safe plastic.
If the ice cream is being served from a display cabinet it may be scooped straight away, otherwise it is blast frozen and stored in a freezer.
Where to buy ice cream for commercial use
Not every catering business has the time or the manpower to create ice cream on a regular basis, but there are companies out there that will do it for you and do it well.
All you need to do is ensure you store it at the optimum temperature of 0°F (-18°C) and in the right kind of container to ensure that it retains its delicious flavour and texture.
Venturepak’s range of ice cream storage containers is a good place to start.