FEATURES AND OPERATION
19
The PRO LINE™ Series Frozen Dessert Maker is the only home
freezer that lets you control the amount of air that is mixed into a
dessert. Professional ice cream makers call this “overrun,” which
refers to how much the ingredients expand (overrun) as a result of
air being whipped into the mixture. One quart of liquid ice cream
mix that freezes into 11⁄2quarts of ice cream is said to have a 50%
overrun; one quart of mix that freezes into 2 quarts of ice cream
has a 100% overrun…which means that half the ice cream is
nothing but air!
The best gourmet ice creams typically have low overruns – on the
order of 20% to 30%. This gives them a very dense texture and
flavor. Many packaged and soft-serve ice creams are produced
with 40% to 90% overruns for a lighter texture and fewer calories
per serving. Significant overrun is possible only with ingredients
that trap air when whipped; this includes the dairy-based desserts
and excludes most of the simple water-ices, like sorbet, granita,
and margaritas.
To control the overrun of your ice cream and other dairy desserts,
simply vary the amount of mixture you start with. If you fill the
freezing cylinder nearly to the top, little air is present during
mixing and you’ll produce a very low overrun dessert (but be
careful: recipes high in milk fat – like those used for gourmet
ice cream – may develop grainy flecks of butterfat when frozen at
very low overruns). If you only fill the cylinder halfway, you’ll
produce a dessert with a nearly 100% overrun. Vary the amount
of ingredients between these two extremes to produce
intermediate levels of overrun.
Experimenting with overrun is both fun and practical. Ice cream
for the kids can be whipped to a lighter consistency, while the
gourmet treats destined for your freezer can embody a sinfully
indulgent richness.
THE AIR IN THERE: