Frozen Desserts with a Crunch

While there are numerous ways to make frozen desserts, they are all complex mixtures of ice crystals, air bubbles, and a sugar solution that is not frozen. In addition, they may contain small solid particles of fruit or other ingredients that are there to enhance their taste.

A traditional ice cream is made from milk, cream, possibly eggs, and a range of taste substances. Ideally, the ice cream itself should have a creamy texture and be free of any particles that might crunch between the teeth. But many also incorporate chocolate chips, dried fruit, caramel, nougat, or nuts to add a textural element. It is said that a famous brand of ice cream, Ben & Jerry’s, contains crunchy particles in each and every bite because one of the founders, Ben Cohen, suffered from anosmia, a lack of the sense of smell. To compensate, he oversaw the development of recipes for ice cream that had abundant texture and an interesting mouthfeel.