The Science behind Creamy Ice Cream
October 7, 2016There is nothing like a sundae or cone with rich, creamy ice cream. Ice cream is the perfect dessert at any time of year. Ice cream makers carefully choose ingredients to give their ice cream a smooth and creamy texture. Ice cream is both an emulsion and a foam. An emulsion is formed by dispersing milk and cream in water and ice with an emulsifier. A foam forms when air is mixed with the other ingredients and forms small bubbles. Ice cream consists of ice crystals, droplets of fat, and air pockets. Ingredients That Make Smooth, Creamy Ice Cream Fat is necessary to make ice cream smooth. The amount of milk fat varies. Ice cream with a higher fat content is richer and creamier. Egg yolks can be used to add fat and lecithins that bind fat and water together to make a creamy emulsion. Egg yolks are heated, which…
Read MoreHow to Soften Ice Cream That Is Too Hard to Scoop
September 30, 2016Ice cream is a delicious dessert that can be enjoyed at home any day of the year, but there is a common problem that everybody has encountered at least once. Sometimes when you take a container of ice cream out of the freezer, it is hard as a rock and impossible to scoop, even if you let it sit out at room temperature for a while. This can be frustrating for you and your family, and it can also cause pain if you keep trying to scoop but the ice cream just won’t budge. Fortunately, there are some strategies you can use to quickly thaw ice cream and make it easier to scoop without turning it into a soupy mess. These techniques are often used in ice cream shops and restaurants. Strategies to Quickly Soften Ice Cream Take the container of ice cream out of the freezer and let it…
Read MoreHow to Serve Ice Cream Cake
September 22, 2016Kids love ice cream, especially at special occasions like birthday parties. If you are planning a birthday party for your child, you can serve a delicious ice cream cake from Praline’s. We can make an ice cream cake with your choice of flavors. How to Store and Thaw an Ice Cream Cake If you pick up an ice cream cake from Praline’s for your child’s birthday party, you should keep it in the freezer until shortly before you are ready to serve it so it won’t melt. When it is getting close to the time for dessert, you will need to take the cake out of the freezer so it can thaw a bit. This will make it easier to cut and serve. You can thaw the cake in your refrigerator for 30 minutes or on the counter for 10 to 15 minutes. This will help it reach the right…
Read MoreTake Your Child to Praline’s for Ice Cream after a Game or Practice
September 13, 2016Labor Day has come and gone, and kids across Connecticut are back in school and getting settled into a new routine. For many children, that routine includes after-school sports. Kids of all ages work hard at practices and games after school and work up an appetite. You can surprise your child after a game or practice by taking the whole family out for ice cream. This is a great way to reward your child for working hard at a sport or to celebrate an impressive performance at a game. Come to Praline’s for Freshly Made Ice Cream and Toppings Praline’s has locations across Connecticut that serve delicious ice cream and other treats, such as frozen yogurt, sherbet, and sorbet. We can serve our famous desserts in sundaes or cones with your choice of toppings. We serve many classic flavors that kids love, such as chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, chocolate chip, and…
Read MoreOpening A Praline’s Ice Cream Shop Is a Great Business Opportunity
September 8, 2016If you are thinking about opening your own business, you have many options. You will have a good chance of success if you work with a company that has quality products and a brand that customers already know and enjoy. Praline’s has ice cream shops across Connecticut that are popular with children and adults. We serve delicious ice cream that people have come to know and love. Praline’s Has Delicious Products and a Successful Business Model Opening a Praline’s franchise is a great business opportunity. By opening a franchise, you can deliver quality products to customers who already know of the company’s reputation for delicious ice cream and other treats. You will have a better chance of success with a franchise that people already know than you might if you were to start your own business from scratch and introduce a new product that people have never heard of or…
Read MoreEnd a Fun Family Day with Ice Cream at Praline’s
September 1, 2016If you are planning a day filled with fun activities for your family, you want to make it special for everyone involved. You can take your kids to one of the many attractions that Connecticut has to offer, such as a park, beach, museum, or one of the businesses across the state that cater to kids and families. Connecticut is full of tons of activities designed for families with young children. Ice Cream Sundaes, Toppings, and Cones After a long day spent having fun together, there is no better way to cap off the day than with some tasty ice cream. Stop in at your local Praline’s and treat your entire family to some of our delicious frozen treats. We can serve you and your family sundaes or cones with your choice of our homemade ice cream. We serve dozens of flavors, so there is sure to be something that…
Read MorePlanning a Play Date? Take the Kids out for Ice Cream
August 24, 2016Planning a play date can be a great way to let children get together, enjoy themselves, learn social skills, and make new friends. A play date is fun for kids as well as parents, who get to spend time with other adults and may make some new friends themselves. If you and some other parents are getting your kids together for a play date, you can finish off the day by taking everybody out for ice cream. Kids and adults of all ages love ice cream, so this is sure to be fun for everyone involved. Pile everyone into a car and head to your local Praline’s. We have locations across Connecticut, so there is sure to be a Praline’s ice cream shop near the home where you are hosting the play date. Choose from Dozens of Ice Cream Flavors and Toppings We serve homemade ice cream in dozens of…
Read MoreTake Your Kids out for Ice Cream after the First Day of School
August 19, 2016Summer is almost over, which means that students of all ages will soon be heading back to school. Some kids are excited to return to school and to be able to see their friends every day and meet their new teachers, but others are disappointed that summer is over and they will now need to get up early every morning and study. Whether your kids are excited about the new school year and want to celebrate or need to be cheered up, ice cream is the ideal solution. Take your kids to your local Praline’s for an ice cream sundae or cone after the first day of school. Ice cream is the perfect way to celebrate for a child who is happy about the start of the new school year and can lift the spirits of a child who wishes summer would never end. Try Some of Praline’s Delicious Ice…
Read MoreEnjoy an Ice Cream Cone on a Hot Summer Day
August 12, 2016Eating scoops of freshly made ice cream piled on top of a crunchy cone is the perfect way to relax on a hot summer day. A cone enhances the taste of ice cream and adds texture that perfectly complements the frozen sweetness. If you are looking for ice cream cones to top with ice cream for your family at home, or if you want to head to your local ice cream shop, you have many options. Cake (Wafer) Cones Cake cones, or wafer cones, are light and flaky and have a subtle sweetness. Flour, sugar, and shortening are combined to create a mix similar to cake batter. Cake cones can be made with pastry, cake, and tapioca flour for crunchy sweetness. Sugar Cones Sugar cones are classic. They are a bit sweeter than traditional cake cones because they incorporate molasses or brown sugar in the baking process. Sugar cones are…
Read MoreHow Does Air Affect the Texture of Ice Cream?
August 4, 2016If you have tried ice cream from several brands or different ice cream shops, you may have found that some tastes heavier and some has a lighter and creamier texture. This difference is due largely to the amount of air, or overrun, that is used to make the different brands of ice cream. Air is added in a churning or mixing process while the ice cream is being frozen. This is similar to adding air to cream to make whipped cream or making a meringue by beating egg whites. How Air Affects Ice Cream Overrun is the percentage of increase in the volume of ice cream due to added air. For example, an overrun of 100 percent means that for every gallon of ice cream ingredients, you would have two gallons of ice cream after air is added. Federal guidelines limit the amount of overrun in ice cream and set…
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