Ice cream

Irresistible Ice Cream

We Australians love our ice cream with its myriad of delicious creamy flavours. Children and adults alike love to lick it as it drips from a cone. Such fun! Or vigorously scoop it from a bowl until only a skerrick remains. Or smother it with rich chocolate sauce for the ultimate indulgence.

Or just enjoy it ‘on-the-side’ of a sweet cake or pie. With our climate and abundance of milk, it’s not surprising that Australians are among the largest consumers per capita of ice cream in the world.

We just love it! And, it is reassuring to know that ice cream is not just a delectable treat, but a real food. A great energy source with a place in a healthy diet. Long before the invention of the freezer, it was a sensation loved by all who ate it.

The ancient Chinese and Arabs enjoyed a delicacy of whipped and frozen cream or milk while the Romans delighted in snow mixed with fruit, cream and honey.  Today we wouldn’t be without it! The goodness and delicious taste of ice cream.

What is ice cream?

This wonderful cold and creamy substance comes in many forms and there are many secret and coveted recipes.

Around 70% of the ingredients in ice cream are derived from milk. The mix may also contain other natural ingredients, such as sugar and fruit. Small quantities of stabilisers, flavours, colourings and emulsifiers may also be added to enhance flavour, texture or appearance.

There are no added preservatives as ice cream is preserved naturally by freezing. As it freezes, the mixture is whipped and blended to give its smoothness.

The whipping blends air with the ice cream. This increases its volume and reduces the kilojoules per serve. It also helps to give ice cream its structure and a warming mouthfeel.

And while every maker’s recipe may be unique, ice cream must meet stringent microbiological standards including the need to pasteurise it before freezing. No ingredient may be included unless approved by the Food Standards Australia, New Zealand and the food regulations of each State or Territory. These regulations require ice cream to contain not less than 10% milk fat and not less than 168 grams of food solids per litre. The amount of air used in the whipping is also standardised as this also affects the texture.