Troubleshooting Your Recipe

Let’s say that you aren’t 100 percent satisfied with the final result. First you must identify what it is that you do not like about it. See for possible ice cream defects. If any of the defects are present in your finished product and are due to an ingredient and not a mistake in the manufacturing process (making the base, pasteurization, homogenization, ageing, churning, or freezing and hardening), then the recipe can be adjusted. Once you have identified the culprit (too much fat, not enough stabilizer, not enough water, etc.), make adjustments with sensible percentage increases or decreases. For example, if the problem is the amount of stabilizer, make percentage adjustments in decimals (e.g., .3% to .5% or .1%), and do not exceed the recommended percentages (see table). Remember that you might not get the recipe right on the first try. Trial and error are an integral part of making dairy-based frozen desserts. Consider it a learning experience.