Why Does Ice Cream Turn Grainy?
July 28, 2016Rich, creamy ice cream is a delicious treat to enjoy on a hot summer afternoon or for dessert any evening throughout the year. If you have bought a large container of ice cream at the grocery store and found that it took on a grainy texture after it was out of the freezer for a while, you may have wondered why that happened and how to prevent it in the future. What Makes Ice Cream Creamy The creaminess of ice cream depends on the size of the ice crystals in it. Smaller ice crystals make for creamier ice cream. When ice cream is churned constantly and cooled quickly, the water forms a lot of tiny “seed” crystals in a process called propagation. Ice cream that has a lot of small seed crystals will be smoother and creamier than ice cream with a smaller number of larger crystals. Constant churning makes…
Read MoreCan Ice Cream Go Bad?
July 21, 2016If you have a family and you all love ice cream, you probably find that it disappears almost as soon as you buy it. However, if you live alone or your family does not eat ice cream very often, it may sit in the freezer for quite a while after you bring it home from the store and open it. That raises the question of how long ice cream can be kept in the freezer and whether it can go bad. Many people believe that since ice cream is frozen, it can stay fresh and safe for an indefinite length of time, but that is not true. Ice Cream Can Get Freezer Burn Ice cream that sits in a freezer for a long time can get freezer burn. This occurs when moisture travels from the inside of the ice cream to the surface and refreezes. This results in ice crystals…
Read MoreWhat Makes Hard and Soft Serve Ice Cream Different?
July 12, 2016If you love ice cream, you have dozens of options any time you go to an ice cream shop. One of the most obvious differences is hard versus soft serve ice cream. Both are delicious, but they are made in different ways to give them very different textures. Many people prefer one over the other, but some enjoy both. Differences between Hard and Soft Serve Ice Cream The two types of ice cream have some major differences in the way they are made. Soft serve ice cream has less milk fat and more air than harder ice cream. If soft serve ice cream has the right amount of air, it will have a whitish color. When air is added, the ice cream becomes fluffy and the large molecules allow it to reflect white light, which gives it a white color. This white color means the ice cream is of a…
Read MoreTry Some Delicious Ice Cream at Praline’s after a Day at the Beach
July 7, 2016Summer is a time to relax and enjoy the outdoors, the warm weather, and spending time with family and friends. Now that summer is in full swing, you are probably planning to spend a lot of time at the beach with your family. After a day spent swimming, lying in the sun, and building sand castles with your kids, you will all want to cool off and relax with tasty treats. Stop in at your local Praline’s ice cream shop and sample a sundae or cone with some of our delicious ice cream and toppings. Try Some of Our Delicious Flavors and Toppings We serve traditional flavors, such as vanilla, chocolate, and chocolate chip, as well as some of our own specialties. Try some of our Donnatella, Graham Cracker Smacker, Snickers, Cookie Kaboom, Dulce de Leche, Beez Neez, or Salty Caramel ice cream. Top off your sundae with hot fudge,…
Read MoreWhy You Shouldn’t Refreeze Melted Ice Cream
June 28, 2016If you have ever left ice cream out on the counter for a while or had it melt when the power went out, you may have decided to refreeze it so it wouldn’t go to waste. However, that is not a good idea since refreezing melted ice cream can affect the texture and taste and can also be hazardous to your health. How Ice Cream Is Made Ice cream is made from a blend of fat, oil, sugar, water, salt, stabilizers, flavors, and possibly candy or fruit that is churned and frozen. An ice cream maker agitates the mixture, and then it is frozen to a creamy consistency. The process of churning creates air pockets that give ice cream its smooth texture. How Melting and Refreezing Affect Ice Cream’s Texture and Taste When ice cream melts, its structure changes. The walls of the cells break and lose moisture, and fat…
Read MoreHow Ice Cream Shops Make Rich, Creamy Ice Cream
June 22, 2016If you have ever tried to make homemade ice cream, you may have had trouble getting the creamy texture you find in ice cream from an ice cream shop, or it may have been frozen rock-solid or had big ice crystals. Professional ice cream makers use some ingredients and techniques that people do not use as often when making homemade ice cream. Here are some of the secrets professionals use to make creamy, scoopable ice cream. Professional Ice Cream Machines Ice cream machines that people use in their kitchens at home usually have a removable core that is chilled in a freezer. These machines are designed to produce small batches of ice cream. Professional ice cream shops use larger machines that can produce greater quantities of ice cream in less time. These machines freeze the ice cream faster, which produces smaller ice crystals and a creamy texture. Colder Freezers Another…
Read MoreFun Activities to Stay Cool in Connecticut this Summer
June 14, 2016Connecticut might be better known for its long New England winters than sweltering summer heat, but that doesn’t mean it’s wool caps and snowball fights all year long. No, as anyone who’s lived in Connecticut knows, the summer months usually range from a bit stuffy to downright scorching. Luckily, we live in the age of central air conditioning. Doubly lucky for those of us who aren’t content to spend all summer inside (suit yourselves), there’s plenty of fun summer activities to help Connecticut kids, teenagers, and adults cool down. Looking for some ideas to beat the heat this summer? Keep reading to learn some of our favorite. Take a Dip at One of Connecticut’s Gorgeous Beaches and Lakes Connecticut’s Department of Energy & Environmental protection lists new fewer than 23 state parks with areas for swimming, many with on-duty lifeguards. Some of our favorites are the following: Indian Well State…
Read MoreHow to Store and Scoop Ice Cream
June 8, 2016Ice cream is a delicious treat that can be enjoyed any day of the year. If you like to buy ice cream at the store or from a local ice cream shop and store it in your freezer to eat later, here are some tips to help you keep it frozen and serve it so you can get the best texture and taste. How to Store Ice Cream Storing your ice cream at the right temperature is key. The best temperature to store ice cream is -8 degrees Fahrenheit. This will keep it frozen solid and will give it a creamy texture when it is served. Be sure to keep the temperature in your freezer as consistent as possible. Don’t store ice cream on the freezer door. This area has the greatest temperature fluctuation whenever you open the door. You can keep the temperature more consistent if you store the…
Read MoreHow Are Sorbet and Sherbet Different?
June 2, 2016Sorbet and sherbet are both delicious cold and fruity desserts that come in a variety of flavors. Many people use the terms interchangeably, leading to confusion. They are not the same thing. They are made with some of the same ingredients, but there are key differences. Here is a brief explanation so you will know what to order the next time you visit your local ice cream shop. How Sorbet Is Made There are only two main ingredients used to make sorbet: fruit and sugar. It may include other ingredients as well, such as water, flavorings, or acid, but there are no dairy products in sorbet. It is essentially fruit that is mixed with sugar, churned, and then frozen. Sorbet is also a gluten-free dessert. Sorbet has a light and refreshing taste since it does not contain any dairy products. It is sometimes used to cleanse the palate between courses…
Read MoreHow to Make the Perfect Ice Cream Sundae
May 24, 2016An ice cream sundae is sure to delight children and adults at any time of the year, but especially on a hot summer day. If you want to make sundaes with your family, here are some tips on traditional and unconventional toppings you can use to create the perfect frozen treat. Choosing the Right Dish and Spoon The first thing you will need is a dish for your sundae. The traditional choice is a glass dish. You can use an upright dish that has a wide opening and a short stem or a canoe-shaped glass dish. If you don’t have either of these, you can use a bowl. Just make sure the dish you use can hold enough ice cream and toppings for your sundae. You will also need the right spoon. A long-handled spoon is the best choice because it will allow you to scrape every last bit of…
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