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Ice cream glossary

Plain definitions of the words you meet on labels, in recipes and on this site, each with its source named.

This ice cream glossary is for home makers, students, small shop owners and curious eaters who meet a word on a label, in a recipe or on this site. We define each of the ice cream terms in plain words and name the source under it. You can see what overrun means, what makes frozen custard different, and why sherbet vs sorbet comes down to dairy.

Overrun
How much bigger ice cream gets than the mix it started as, because of air whipped in during freezing. It is a percentage of the mix volume: a liter of mix that becomes 1.5 liters has 50% overrun.
Source: H. Douglas Goff, University of Guelph, Overrun calculations
Mix
The liquid blend of dairy ingredients, sugars, stabilizers and emulsifiers that is pasteurized, aged and then frozen. Guelph's homemade section calls it unfrozen ice cream. Water makes up 55 to 64% of it.
Source: H. Douglas Goff, University of Guelph, Ice Cream Mix General Composition
Pasteurized mix
Mix heated so that every particle is held at a set temperature for a set time, as the U.S. frozen dessert standard requires: for example 155 F for 30 minutes, or an equivalent time and temperature.
Source: Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), 21 CFR 135.3, Definitions (pasteurized mix)
Aging
Holding the cooked, cooled mix cold before freezing so the fat crystallizes and the proteins and stabilizers fully hydrate. This helps whipping, body and texture. Guelph advises at least four hours, usually overnight.
Source: H. Douglas Goff, University of Guelph, Ageing of Mix
Churning
The freezing and whipping step. The mix freezes against a cold wall while blades scrape off the ice and a dasher beats in air. Guelph says ice cream leaves this step with about half its water frozen.
Source: H. Douglas Goff, University of Guelph, Freezing/Whipping of Ice Cream
Dasher
The paddle assembly that turns inside an ice cream freezer, whipping air into the mix as it freezes. In a home machine it sits in the center of the can and lifts out when the ice cream is done.
Source: H. Douglas Goff, University of Guelph, Freezing/Whipping of Ice Cream
Batch freezer
A freezer that freezes and whips a single batch of mix at a time. Guelph says a batch takes 10 to 15 minutes to come out about half frozen. A home crank or electric machine is a small batch freezer.
Source: H. Douglas Goff, University of Guelph, Freezing/Whipping of Ice Cream
Continuous freezer
The factory freezer. Mix is pumped without stopping through a refrigerated barrel with scraping blades and a dasher, leaving in about 30 seconds about half frozen. The first commercially successful one dates to about 1926.
Source: H. Douglas Goff, University of Guelph, Freezing/Whipping of Ice Cream
Draw
Taking ice cream out of the freezer, about half frozen, ready to pack or to serve as soft serve. Guelph gives no single number for the draw temperature, but a colder draw means faster hardening.
Source: H. Douglas Goff, University of Guelph, Freezing/Whipping of Ice Cream
Hardening
The step after the freezer: packaged ice cream sits, unstirred, in a very cold blast freezer while most of its remaining water freezes. At home, put the ice cream in the freezer for at least 3 hours before serving.
Source: H. Douglas Goff, University of Guelph, Hardening
Soft serve
Ice cream served semi-frozen, straight from the freezer, instead of being packaged and hardened. Guelph's suggested soft-serve mixes run about 10% fat and 36% total solids.
Source: H. Douglas Goff, University of Guelph, Freezing/Whipping of Ice Cream
Stabilizer
A small amount of a thickening ingredient, usually a plant gum such as locust bean gum, guar gum or carrageenan. It slows ice crystal growth in storage and keeps the texture smooth. Guelph puts it at 0 to 0.4% of the mix.
Source: H. Douglas Goff, University of Guelph, Stabilizers
Emulsifier
An ingredient whose molecules attract both water and fat. It lets fat droplets partly clump as the mix freezes, for a smooth, dry ice cream that melts well. Egg yolk was the original one.
Source: H. Douglas Goff, University of Guelph, Emulsifiers
Milk solids-not-fat
The solids milk brings besides fat: milk sugar (lactose), proteins and minerals. They add body and help hold air, but too much lactose can feel sandy. Guelph puts them at 9 to 12% of the mix.
Source: H. Douglas Goff, University of Guelph, Milk Solids-not-fat
Total solids
Everything in the mix that is not water: fat, milk solids-not-fat, sugars, stabilizers and emulsifiers. Water is what remains. Guelph gives about 36% in economy ice cream to over 40% in super-premium.
Source: H. Douglas Goff, University of Guelph, Water
Freezing point depression, or PAC
Dissolved sugars, milk sugar included, lower the temperature at which the mix freezes, so some water stays liquid and the ice cream stays scoopable. Some recipe systems call this PAC; Guelph explains the idea without that name and gives no sugar-by-sugar table.
Source: H. Douglas Goff, University of Guelph, Sweeteners
Relative sweetness, or POD
How sweet a sweetener tastes compared with table sugar (sucrose). Some recipe systems call this POD; Guelph explains the idea without that name and gives no table of factors. Sweeteners are usually 12 to 16% of the mix by weight.
Source: H. Douglas Goff, University of Guelph, Sweeteners
Freeze concentration
As water freezes out as pure ice, the liquid left holds the same sugar in less water, so its freezing point drops further. Guelph says that at 3 F only about 72% of the water is frozen.
Source: H. Douglas Goff, University of Guelph, Structure from the Ice Crystals
Ice crystals
The frozen water in ice cream. For a smooth texture they need to be many and small, and fast freezing makes smaller crystals. Guelph says a typical crystal is about 50 micrometers across.
Source: H. Douglas Goff, University of Guelph, Structure from the Ice Crystals
Recrystallization
Changes in the number, size and shape of ice crystals in frozen storage while the total amount of ice stays the same. Small crystals vanish and large ones grow, so the texture coarsens. Stabilizers and steady cold storage slow it.
Source: H. Douglas Goff, University of Guelph, Theoretical Aspects of the Freezing Process
Heat shock
Damage from temperature swings in storage and transport. Ice partly melts and refreezes onto larger crystals, so each swing makes ice cream coarser and icier. Guelph calls it the greatest cause of lost smooth texture.
Source: H. Douglas Goff, University of Guelph, Ice Cream Shelf-Life
Ice cream, by U.S. law
Under the U.S. standard, ice cream has at least 10% milkfat and at least 10% milk solids-not-fat, plus minimum weights for the whole gallon and for its total solids. The solids-not-fat minimum can drop as fat rises.
Source: Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), 21 CFR 135.110, Ice cream and frozen custard
Frozen custard
Ice cream with at least 1.4% egg yolk solids by weight, under the U.S. standard. Plain ice cream must stay below that. With bulky flavors the yolk level may drop in proportion, never below 1.12%.
Source: Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), 21 CFR 135.110, Ice cream and frozen custard
French ice cream
The same U.S. rule lets ice cream with frozen custard's egg yolk level also be called french ice cream or french custard ice cream. A custard base cooked with egg yolks is the home version.
Source: Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), 21 CFR 135.110, Ice cream and frozen custard
Philadelphia style
The usual name for ice cream made without eggs. Our sources do not define the term. Under the U.S. standard, such a product is simply ice cream, with under 1.4% egg yolk solids.
Source: Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), 21 CFR 135.110, Ice cream and frozen custard
Sherbet
A frozen, sweetened dessert with a little dairy, usually fruit-flavored. Under the U.S. standard it has 1 to 2% milkfat, plus minimums for milk solids and for weight per gallon.
Source: Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), 21 CFR 135.140, Sherbet
Sorbet and water ice
Made like sherbet but with no milk or milk ingredients, and no egg except egg white. The U.S. standard name is "[flavor] ice", and the rule never uses the word sorbet. Guelph's sorbet is its sherbet mix without the dairy.
Source: Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), 21 CFR 135.160, Water ices
Gelato
The Italian word for ice cream. U.S. rules have no separate standard for gelato, and the Guelph e-Book does not define it, so what a gelato label means depends on the maker.
Source: Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), 21 CFR part 135, Frozen desserts
Super-premium
An industry label, not a legal term, for the richest, densest ice cream. Guelph puts it at over 40% total solids, with less whipped-in air than premium or standard ice cream.
Source: H. Douglas Goff, University of Guelph, Formulation Considerations
Dipping cabinet
The lidded, chest-style freezer a scoop shop serves from, holding ice cream at scooping temperature. One maker's specification sheet rates its cabinets for 10 to -10 F.
Source: Master-Bilt, DC Series dipping cabinets spec sheet
Disher
A portion scoop that serves a level measure. Its number tells how many level scoops fill a quart, so a #8 disher takes eight level scoops to fill a quart.
Source: Institute of Child Nutrition, The University of Mississippi, Basics at a Glance (disher sizes)
Half gallon unit
The Bureau of Labor Statistics states its average ice cream price per half gallon, whatever the package size, after turning each shelf price into a price per ounce. Most store tubs now hold 48 ounces.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, CPI: Average Price Data (how BLS works out average prices)

We keep each definition short on purpose. The calculators and the Make and Serve guides on this site show these ideas at work.

Sources

  1. Ice Cream Technology e-Book: Overrun calculations H. Douglas Goff, University of Guelph
  2. Ice Cream Technology e-Book: Ice Cream Mix General Composition H. Douglas Goff, University of Guelph
  3. Ice Cream Technology e-Book: Ageing of Mix H. Douglas Goff, University of Guelph
  4. Ice Cream Technology e-Book: Freezing/Whipping of Ice Cream H. Douglas Goff, University of Guelph
  5. Ice Cream Technology e-Book: Hardening H. Douglas Goff, University of Guelph
  6. Ice Cream Technology e-Book: Stabilizers H. Douglas Goff, University of Guelph
  7. Ice Cream Technology e-Book: Emulsifiers H. Douglas Goff, University of Guelph
  8. Ice Cream Technology e-Book: Milk Solids-not-fat H. Douglas Goff, University of Guelph
  9. Ice Cream Technology e-Book: Water H. Douglas Goff, University of Guelph
  10. Ice Cream Technology e-Book: Sweeteners H. Douglas Goff, University of Guelph
  11. Ice Cream Technology e-Book: Structure from the Ice Crystals H. Douglas Goff, University of Guelph
  12. Ice Cream Technology e-Book: Theoretical Aspects of the Freezing Process H. Douglas Goff, University of Guelph
  13. Ice Cream Technology e-Book: Ice Cream Shelf-Life H. Douglas Goff, University of Guelph
  14. Ice Cream Technology e-Book: Formulation Considerations H. Douglas Goff, University of Guelph
  15. 21 CFR 135.3, Definitions (pasteurized mix) Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR)
  16. 21 CFR 135.110, Ice cream and frozen custard Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR)
  17. 21 CFR 135.140, Sherbet Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR)
  18. 21 CFR 135.160, Water ices Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR)
  19. 21 CFR part 135, Frozen desserts Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR)
  20. DC Series dipping cabinets spec sheet Master-Bilt
  21. Basics at a Glance (disher sizes) Institute of Child Nutrition, The University of Mississippi
  22. CPI: Average Price Data (how BLS works out average prices) U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Every data source the site uses is on the Sources page.

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