How is ice-cream made?

Ice-cream is a frozen dairy product, typically consisting of milk or cream, sugars, flavourings, water, stabilisers and emulsifiers. It is a smooth, semi-solid foam that is solid at very low temperatures, but becomes malleable and begins to melt when removed from freeze-storage. There are many techniques and recipes but production of ice-cream typically involves mixing the base ingredients together, followed by pasteurisation to kill harmful bacteria that may be present.

The ice-cream mix is then homogenised to break down fat globules and ensure they are evenly dispersed throughout the mixture, thus giving a smooth and creamy texture. The mixture is then cooled and any flavouring or colours are added. Air is generally incorporated to achieve the desired lightness/denseness of the ice-cream. Finally, the ice-cream is packaged and frozen.