Creating Ice Cream With Dry Ice
If you’ve never tried making homemade ice cream, you’re missing out on a simple yet delightful pleasure. Contrary to popular belief, making ice cream is simple, and you don’t need to purchase expensive appliances or gadgets to get started. You can make ice cream without them using some muscle and ice, or try a more straightforward method using dry ice. Keep reading to learn more about this incredible technique!
How Can Dry Ice Make Ice Cream?
The process of making ice cream is relatively straightforward. First, you must chill the cream mixture enough to freeze it while continuously stirring it to prevent it from freezing solid. This will result in a smooth and creamy, soft but frozen treat. Most techniques use regular ice and salt, which lowers the freezing point of the ice considerably to make it colder. Liquid nitrogen is also a popular chilling agent but can be challenging to handle and transport. However, dry ice can provide the same – much more efficient – chilling action.
Since dry ice is freezing (around -109 degrees Fahrenheit), it is excellent at chilling the ice cream base mixture. You can quickly dispose of any extra dry ice since it sublimates (changes from a solid directly to a gas) at room temperature. This sublimation process makes dry ice perfect for camping and other similar uses where leftover liquid water would be a problem. Dry ice is already safely used in many foods and drinks, so adding it to your ice cream-making process is no different if you handle it safely. Be sure to wear gloves and work in a ventilated area at a minimum.
What Are the Steps?
Making ice cream with dry ice is a simple process. First, crush the dry ice into fine powder by putting it into a plastic bag (not sealed) and crushing it with a rolling pin or mallet until the pieces are pea-sized. Then, pour the crushed dry ice slowly into your chilled ice cream base in a bowl and stir it vigorously. A stand mixer can make this process much more manageable. As you go, the dry ice powder will mix through the base and freeze it quickly into ice cream.
The vigorous stirring will prevent it from freezing solid. Once the ice cream forms, stop adding the dry ice powder and let it churn for 2-3 minutes. The dry ice will sublimate, forming a cloud over the bowl but disappearing quickly, leaving delicious ice cream behind.
Order Your Dry Ice Online Today!
Dry Ice Corp is the largest regional supplier of dry ice and related products in the Northeastern United States. Our ice is fresh and delivered right to your doorstep. We are happy to help you determine the best way to ship your goods, whether you have a huge number of cookies or a single pie, and help you select the perfect amount of dry ice for the job. Give us a call at (201) 767-3200, or contact us online for a quote. To connect with us online, be sure to follow us on Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter.
