To make handmade ice cream in your restaurant or bakery. can be a good way to differentiate yourself and offer added value to your customers. Whether you use ice cream as an accompaniment to sweet and savory dishes, or if ice cream is an integral part of your desserts, making your own ice cream will allow you to offer your customers a unique and different variety of flavors.
Thanks to advances in gastronomic techniques and equipment, ice cream has for years ice cream is a preparation present not only in ice cream parlors but also in the sweet and savory menus of restaurants, bars and cafés all over the world.. Frequently in the hotel and catering sector, ice cream has been purchased already prepared to offer it to customers as a dessert, since there are good industrial and artisan ice creams available in the market for hotel and catering businesses. However, there is currently a growing trend towards in-house ice cream production in restaurants, favored by the favored by the accentuated interest of consumers and diners for homemade preparations, homemade desserts and original proposals.
The emergence of ice cream making machinery and artisan ice cream making modules in the training programs of the main hotel and catering schools, such as the Artisan ice cream masterclass at the Escuela Superior de Hostelería de Bilbao (Bilbao School of Hotel Management).the Basque Culinary Center Intensive Ice Cream Training Course or the Expert Course in Ice Cream Production of the University of Alicante among others, make it easier for professionals in the kitchen and pastry industry to own ice cream production.
If you are considering including in your restaurant business the elaboration of your own ice cream and you have doubts about where to start planning its elaboration and integrating it in the style of the cuisine offered by your restaurant, you are in the right place. Join us throughout this article as we go over all the points that you need to keep in mind when implementing the homemade ice cream in your menuThe following are some of the most important things to know: the types of ice cream, the importance of the choice of ingredients, how to sell it to your customers, and additionally, some tips and inspiration through recipes that will be very useful for you to make the decision.
Types of ice cream
Let’s start at the beginning, what do we call ice cream? In a nutshell an ice cream is a food preparation made from several ingredients that undergo a process of churning and subsequent cooling. to bring them to a semi-liquid, semi-solid or solid state that must be maintained until cold consumption.
The ingredients and their balance in the formula will determine the type of ice cream that will result, being possible to distinguish the following ones types of ice cream elaborations:
- Slushies. These preparations are presented in a semi-liquid state with a minimum of 10% dry extract. They do not contain air and their service temperature is between -2 and -4ºC. The thickness of the ice crystals they contain is related to the amount of sugars in their formulation and the degree of cooling to which they are subjected.
- Ice popsicles. They are perhaps the simplest ice cream preparations in their version based on sugar and flavored water (with fruits, aromatic herbs, etc.) that are incorporated into a popsicle mold with a toothpick inserted into it. Once solidified, they are unmolded and stored at a temperature that ensures their structure and shape until they are ready to be served. If a creamier texture is desired, fats can be incorporated from milk, cream, cream cheese or egg yolks.
- Sorbets are ice creams that do not contain fats, but water and a minimum of approximately 15% of fruits, juices, concentrates and occasionally alcohol, in addition to 20% or more of total solids. During the production process, they are beaten to incorporate a certain amount of air and give them a texture with sufficient plasticity for serving and consumption. Unlike ice cream, which lasts longer in the mouth, sorbets are thirst-quenching products that provide immediate refreshment. More and more cooks are serving them in their savory version as a starter, combining them with summer ingredients (fresh herbs, goat cheese, paprika, etc.).
- Milk ice cream or creamy ice creams are those containing milk fat, milk powder and milk proteins in their composition. A certain amount of air is incorporated during the production process. Despite being subjected to low temperatures, they must have a creamy texture with sufficient plasticity to facilitate serving and consumption. In general, ice cream is less refreshing than sorbet, but it remains longer in the mouth and its palatability makes it appetizing to eat at any time of the year. Its composition gives an impression of consistency, a real dessert or gourmet accompaniment to dishes and appetizers. Like sorbet, it can be made in both sweet and savory versions.
A subcategory of the classic milk or cream ice creams is the parfait glacé.
parfait glacé
o
semifreddo
in Italy, which is a frozen dessert made with egg yolks, sugar, soft egg whites, cream, cream cheese or mascarpone. It can be enjoyed as is, but it can also be the base for preparing a soufflé. ice cream. It has the particularity of being both a mousse and an ice cream and does not contain any gelling product. It is consumed between -5 ° C and -8 ° C and can be presented in molds of various shapes. It can be served with sauce, coulis, fresh fruit, nuts or spices and is an ideal ice cream dessert for catering establishments because it is easy to prepare and does not require a special machine.
The role of the ingredients in classic ice cream production
The elaboration of ice cream is an equation of pure alchemy that requires a deep knowledge of ingredients and ice cream formulation because a successful ice cream recipe will depend on the right balance of raw materials. Therefore, to make a good ice cream you need to know the ingredients and the composition of each one of them.It takes practice to find the right balance between the different ingredients and their proportions in the recipe.
In general, a classic ice cream has approximately 60- 64% water and 36-42% total dry matter from the sum of all its ingredients. Without going into details about its elaboration, a basic ice cream recipe consists of water (ice crystals) and dry components including fat, non-fat milk solids, other ingredients consists of water (ice crystals) and dry components including fat, non-fat milk solids, other ingredients such as emulsifiers and stabilizers, and sugar.
Below we analyze each of the basic ingredients in a basic ingredients in a creamy ice cream base recipe:
- Milk fat
There are different ways to add milk fat to an ice cream base recipe. This can be done through different ingredients such as milk and cream, cream cheese, mascarpone or yogurt, among others. Each of these ingredients, having different fat percentages, will have a specific fat content in the ice cream formula.
Milk fat has a great impact on the stability and softness of the ice cream and the balance in the formula is fundamental as it provides both creaminess and palatability. A percentage higher than 12-14% of milk fat mass will cause the ice cream to melt very quickly, so it is important to keep within these margins.
- Non-fat milk solids
Non-fat milk solids (NMS) are dry, non-fat milk components that contribute to the texture and stability of ice cream. They help air to enter the mixture and also protect the fat globules, so that the structure of the ice cream is more stable. In order to correctly dose these non-fat components of milk, recipes mostly use concentrated fresh skim milk or low temperature skim milk powder or even derivatives such as caseinates.
- Emulsifiers and stabilizers
Emulsifiers and stabilizers also play a vital role in ice cream production. Milk proteins are the most emulsifying part of an ice cream, therefore cream cheese is an ideal ingredient to give stability to ice creams thanks to its high amount of milk proteins it contains.
Stabilizers in the ice mixture ensure a more stable ice cream that does not melt as quickly when heated. There are specific powdered stabilizing compounds for ice cream on the market that give it structure and prevent the formation of ice crystals, without having much influence on its flavor.
- Sugars
Sugars have a great impact on flavor and also reduce the freezing point of ice cream. The fact that an ice cream can be spoonable at low temperatures such as -12°C is due to the freezing point reduction factor. Different sugars are often used in ice cream recipes because each sugar has a different freezing point and sweetness. The challenge for the confectioner is to achieve the desired freezing point and ice cream flavor.
The base mix prepared with these ingredients is recommended to have a total dry matter between 36% and 42%, which can be modulated by adding or reducing the amount of sugar, fat or dairy components. However, it must be taken into account that other ingredients will be added to the flavored ice creams, which may vary the percentage of the final ice cream.
- Ingredients to add flavor
Additional ingredients are added to the base mixture for flavor. There are ingredients such as herbs or spices that are infused into the ice cream mix that have almost no impact on the correct proportions of the base mix. But when we make ice cream with other ingredients such as cocoa powder, we add dry matter that does change the proportions in the base mix. Furthermore, if we make chocolate ice cream from melted chocolate, we are not only adding cocoa solids, but also fat.
This is the reason why it is advisable to make several basic mixtures depending on the added flavors to be incorporated to one or the other. For example, a base for nut and chocolate based flavors that have a percentage of added fat and a base for fruity flavors.
The perfect cream cheese for ice cream formulation
Cream cheese is a versatile culinary ingredient that adds value to a number of ice cream recipes. that adds value to a large number of ice cream recipes. In general, cream cheese provides the ice cream with flavor, fat, protein and a stabilizing function.. In particular, Quescrem cream cheeses and mascarpone cheeses are perfect for ice cream elaborations because:
- Its milk protein content provides consistency, emulsification and stability to the ice cream mixture.
- Its balance between fats and proteins allows high stability during cold processing and freezing.
- They allow you to easily incorporate a wide variety of original ice cream flavors of different intensity: goat cheese, yogurt, cheesecake, tiramisu, etc.
- They offer options for lactose free, low fat, high protein, organic and clean label ice creams.
Some of our most used references for making ice cream are:
Natural Cream Cheese
with a mild flavor and easy to combine with any ingredient and available in its versions
Lactose free
,
Light
y
+PRO
. which is ideal for making flavors such as cheesecake ice cream.- The Quescrem range of flavors such as
goat curl
The Quescrem range of flavors, such as goat cheese, blue cheese or garlic and fine herbs, makes it possible to produce flavored ice creams in a simple way with natural ingredients and with minimal handling. - The only
yogurt designed for cooking
and the first and only
kefir spread
of the market. Two different products that, thanks to their composition and flavor, will allow you to create irresistible ice cream trends. - Mascarpone Quescrem which has a 42% fat content and is ideal for very creamy ice creams and for special flavors such as tiramisu. It has a high stability and good aeration capacity, and is also available as a
lactose-free
.
Quescrem Plus
which allows you to make simple ice creams in Thermomix-type food processors without using a batch freezer.
Once you have dissected the perfect perfect ingredients for an ice cream recipe, here are some guidelines for incorporating homemade ice cream into your menu.
The best ice cream recipes.
Do you need inspiration to introduce your own ice creams in your menu? We propose some ideas to introduce ice creams in your menu, with different combinations of flavors that you can adapt to the tastes of your clientele or to the latest trends in gastronomy.
latest trends in gastronomy
of the moment.
To begin with, you can make an ice cream base with any of the Quescrem varieties that will serve to accompany different types of dishes. A cream cheese ice cream in sweet or savory version, a goat cheese ice cream for meats, a garlic and herbs ice cream for fish, a yogurt ice cream for pickles and salted fish, a mascarpone ice cream to give a chic touch to any dish.… But you can also try some of these combinations:
- Goat log ice cream with fig jam and candied walnuts. An ice cream perfect as an accompaniment, the contrast of the sweet with the Quescrem Goat Roller will be unforgettable. The use of goat log in an ice cream will attract the attention of the diner looking for something different without increasing the workload in your kitchen. Thanks to the cream format of Quescrem with goat log, you will not have to work the cheese beforehand to integrate it into the ice cream. In addition, the combination of Rulo de Cabra with figs and candied walnuts would allow you to consume the ice cream on its own, or as an accompaniment to desserts or hot dishes.
- Kefir ice cream with blueberries. The combination of kefir with blueberries with Quescrem’s Kefir spread in its frozen version, will bring a touch of healthy freshness to your menu. Kefir is a dairy product widely consumed today, but its traditional format would make it impossible to perceive the taste of kefir when used in ice cream preparations, due to the small amount of product that could be added to the formula. On the other hand, Quescrem spreadable kefir, having a high protein content, would allow to reformulate the ice cream, thus being able to add more kefir to the mixture and obtain ice creams with an intense kefir flavor. This type of ice cream is not usually found in restaurant menus, so it will allow you to differentiate yourself from the competition with such an original combination as kefir with blueberries.
- Mascarpone and toasted white chocolate ice cream. Mascarpone, considered a gourmet product by many, will give a touch of unparalleled creaminess to your ice cream and allows you to combine it with both sweet and savory flavors. In this example we have combined it with roasted white chocolate, making the most of the chocolate aroma while maintaining a hazelnut color in the ice cream.
- Lactose free tiramisu ice cream. Food allergies and intolerances are the order of the day and it is a point in favor of your business to propose appetizing alternatives to this type of customer. Although there is a wide variety of lactose-free ice creams, it is not very common to find the tiramisu flavor since there is a reduced offer of lactose-free mascarpone. Quescrem lactose-free mascarpone due to its creaminess will make your lactose-free tiramisu ice cream just like a traditional one.
- Yogurt and lime ice cream with raspberries. This yogurt and lime ice cream with raspberries is an ideal option as a refreshing dessert or pre-dessert, since yogurt ice cream also has the advantage of being very well accepted as a light and healthy food. We accompany the homemade ice cream with a base of raspberry sponge cake as a topping, a raspberry sauce with yogurt and a crunchy white chocolate and freeze-dried raspberry. For its preparation we have Quescrem Culinary Yogurt, perfect for ice cream formulations due to its balance between fat and protein, which is not cut by the addition of acids and with a refreshing and intense yogurt flavor.
- Cheesecake ice cream. An ice cream with the flavor of one of the public’s favorite desserts, the cheesecake. Despite being a very common ice cream, we rarely find homemade cheesecake ice cream. Quescrem professional has a very distinctive dairy flavor reminiscent of fresh cheese thanks to its point of acidity, compared to other cream cheeses that taste more like butter or cream. This allows the cheese in the ice cream to stand out without being lost when combined with the rest of the ingredients in the formula. In addition, as with the classic cheesecake, with cheesecake ice cream we can also play with the toppings that we add at the end with different fruit flavors and dry ingredients such as dried fruit crumble, spiced cookies, etc.
- Salted yogurt and spicy mango ice cream. A very interesting option is to elaborate ice creams that are eye-catching for the diner. If we are going to make our own ice cream, what better way to showcase our work than by making ice cream with an unusual twist? Mango is combined with spicy touches in many cuisines around the world, as well as yogurt, which is present in many Asian dishes such as curries. It is an interesting mixture of flavors for the diner that can be used as an accompaniment to different sweet and savory dishes. The Quescrem Culinary Yogurt used in the recipe allows maintaining an intense yogurt flavor with its characteristic acid touch, thanks to its balanced composition between fat and protein, which makes it perfect for use in ice cream making it possible to add a considerable amount of product.
- Salmon and cream cheese ice cream. A combination present in the great majority of appetizer trays, presented in a format as different as ice cream. This salty ice cream could be used to accompany numerous dishes such as a vegetable cream, for example fennel and parsnip, creating interest and surprise at the same time.
- Quescrem Plus ice cream and red wine. This cheese and red wine ice cream will be perfect to accompany sweet dishes, such as a caramelized roasted pear, as well as savory dishes, such as roasted vegetables. This original recipe will allow us to play with the type of wine and grape variety, giving you the possibility of pairing the wine with the dish in a very different and original format. The use of Quescrem Plus in the recipe will also add the advantage of making ice cream using a food processor, without having to use a buttercream maker.
How to increase ice cream sales in your store?
We have said that ice cream can be a touch in a sweet or savory dish and can also be a dessert in itself.
Adding a touch of ice cream to your dishes can help increase diner’s interest by the dish itself, as its mere appearance in the name of the dish on the menu can be irresistible. Therefore, homemade ice cream with interesting flavors can help you sell a dish better, it allows us to highlight a meal, where the customer does not expect it and surprise him, for example, a salmon carpaccio with a yogurt and dill ice cream, a quenelle of mascarpone ice cream with a steak, or a cucumber and lemon ice cream accompanying a salad.
A good offer of homemade ice cream can help you sell more ice cream as a dessert in itself.. Ice cream sales are usually related to temperature, so in general in summer ice cream sells easily, but once winter arrives, ice cream sales decrease. So how do you sell more ice cream in your restaurant at any time of the year? Here are some strategies to achieve this:
- Analyze your customers’ expectations
Regardless of whether your goal is to sell ice cream or any other product, you should always analyze your clientele in order to adapt perfectly to their needs.
Compared to other European neighbors, Spain is one of the countries that consumes the least ice cream. According to a preview of the Household Food Consumption Panel prepared by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. published in May 2020, the average consumption of ice cream per Spaniard has grown by 5.8% in the last year, but is still around 6 liters per person per year. A relatively low percentage compared to other European countries such as Switzerland, Finland and Sweden, which hover around 14 liters. Beyond the borders of Europe, the United States is one of the countries with the highest consumption, with an average of 22 liters of ice cream per capita per year.
The reason for these differences stems from our consumption habits. Ice cream is less present in our culture, due to our wide range of desserts: fruits, pastries and dairy products. We like ice cream, but we eat very little of it. Therefore, your goal is to make your customers want to come back for more ice cream, no matter the time of day or season.
And if you have regular customers from those countries, remember that their interest in ice cream is greater, so you can use this to your advantage.
- Offers an adequate amount of ice cream flavors
To increase the number of ice cream sales in your establishment, there is a fundamental factor to consider: offering the right amount of ice cream flavors. Customers should have enough choices to make them want to try them without having too many.
In an average restaurant menu there may be 2 to 4 desserts with homemade ice cream, while in a restaurant with a very long dessert menu or in a specific cafeteria/ice cream parlor business, the ice cream menu may have between 6 and 10 different ice cream flavors to give more options to the diner.l. Keep in mind that too many flavors to choose from can have a negative effect on your business by making it difficult for customers to make a decision and causing them to experience a sense of frustration.
- Creates new flavor and format experiences
Even with a small menu, it is possible for your restaurant to offer original ice cream flavors to create new taste experiences for your customers. Examples such as the ice cream of
goat log cheese
o
kefir ice cream
can make the difference in your menu.
You can also offer new forms of presentation and follow the new trends in confectionery by offering ice cream cake or ice cream sandwich or macaron. Let your imagination run wild.
- Adapt the dessert menu to each season
As with the main courses, it is important that your catering business adapts its dessert menu according to the season.
desserts according to the season
. In winter we do not consume ice cream in the same way as in summer. Flavors such as pear, walnut, chestnut, gingerbread or tiramisu are favorites at this time of year and will easily find their way onto the menu. You can also combine them with another dessert such as a piece of warm apple pie served with a scoop of caramel ice cream or a chocolate fondant with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for example.
- A commitment to natural, handcrafted and local products.
A good ice cream is based on the use of good raw materials in its preparation. When making ice cream, prioritize natural ingredients so that the ice cream is as close as possible to the natural flavor of the fruit or vegetable, without extra flavorings. Also, if you can, indicate the percentage of fruit or vegetable it contains so that your customers know it. Know well the origin of the ingredient and choose those that are cleanlabel or with few additives so that your ice cream has less total ingredients.
.
Prioritize local ingredients whenever possible, and dairy ingredients from areas of reference in dairy production such as Galicia.
- Give visibility to your ice cream offer
Once you know your customers well and your dessert menu is adapted to the seasons, you should highlight the presence of ice cream in your catering establishment. An effective way to do this is to include ice cream in a menu, consisting of a starter, main course and dessert with the added advantage that ice cream in a menu can be served quickly and is economical.
- Always recommend desserts
Your restaurant service should be the first to love your ice cream and recommend it. This is one of the best ways to show customers that your ice cream is delicious. Another technique that works very well is to recommend ice cream as soon as the order is taken, suggesting that they leave a little room in the meal because your ice cream is exceptional.
When recommending your ice cream, do not hesitate to prioritize its quality and origin. Tell us if all the raw materials are of first quality, where they come from or why you have chosen them. This is one of the best ways to show your customers that your ice cream is different and better than the competition.
- Know the highest and lowest sales moments and take action
If your goal is to increase the sale of ice cream in your establishment, it is important that you know in detail the consumption of ice cream in it, how much you sell per day and also per service. For this analysis to be reliable, do it for at least one month considering the following key points:
1. What is the amount of ice cream sold, by time slot and in relation to the number of customers that frequented your establishment during the period analyzed.
2. What are the best-selling ice creams on your dessert menu and during which services.
Once you have done this analysis, you will have enough information to launch marketing actions at the right time and at the moments when they are most needed. In addition, with this analysis you can see if your ice cream offer is working well or not.
We hope this compilation of tips on the process of making ice cream and its best ingredients and recipes, as well as guidelines to increase the sale of ice cream in your establishment, can be of use to you inspiration when it comes to incorporating the ice cream, an irresistible confectionery elaboration in the offer of your hospitality business.
Remember that we are at your disposal to help you with any questions you may have about specific applications of our cream cheeses in your ice cream preparations or in any other preparation with our products that you want to incorporate into your business. You can contact us through our social media profiles or by email info@quescrem.es.
