How Do You Make Ice Cream?

Whether you are at a local ice cream making shop with a solo ice cream maker or at home with a hand crank, ice cream making remains the same. The only difference is in the scale of production and operation.

There are numerous ice cream recipes. Recipes range from the traditional recipes that do not require ice cream makers to modern recipes that require sophisticated machines. All these recipes have some common steps. Let’s discuss some of the common steps taken in making ice cream.

· Select And Mix The Ingredients

Basically, you need to have an ice cream mix. Ice cream mix is readily available. You can set a specific milk fat content. The mix is made by mixing milk, sugar and cream. In most cases, the proportions will be controlled by a computer program but that doesn’t mean that you cannot mix manually at home. After mixing comes pasteurization.

· Pasteurize The Mixture

Pasteurization kills the harmful bacteria. This can be achieved by cooking the mix in a double boiler. An egg substitute or pasteurized egg product may play the trick. This is a crucial step in ice cream making as it ensures that people eating the ice cream do not suffer from salmonella contamination.

· Add Flavors

The next step is adding of flavors. Ice cream gives you the opportunity to customize in terms of the flavor and colors. There are thousands of flavors you can choose from. The most popular flavors include vanilla, chocolate, cinnamon, strawberry, pineapple and coffee.

These flavors can be added using a food mixer. A hand-held blender may be all that you need. A wooden spoon will also do the job but you may miss out on consistency.

· Whipping The Cream

Having mixed the flavors, the next step would be whipping the cream. This is the stage that gives ice cream its iconic structure. Most of the ice cream in the market is whipped using huge machines. A small hand mixer or blender will come in handy at home.

· Freezing The Ice Cream

Freezing comes in as the last but very crucial step. Transfer the ice cream mixture into a pan and place it in a freezer for 20 or 30 minutes. This is enough time to make the cream start to freeze. The easiest way to tell that freezing has commenced is checking the edges.

Remove the mixture once freezing has commenced and beat with a hand blender or hand mixer. This step is necessary in giving your ice cream a smooth and creamy texture. Be careful not to overdo the beating.

Return the ice cream to the freezer. It should sit here for 30 minutes. Remove and beat again. This process will continue until the ice cream is firmly frozen. On average, four to five beating sessions should be enough. The ready to eat ice cream can then be set in a covered freezer container and served as a dessert.

Conclusion

Ice cream making is more of an art than a skill. It is something that has been evolving over the years. The introduction of ice cream makers has had a huge impact on the art and some people are slowly forgetting how to make tasty homemade ice cream.

This is an art that should be passed from one generation to the other and we hope that this post will go a long way in reminding you of the crucial ice cream making steps. Follow the guide and enjoy the freedom of making your ice cream at home. Ice cream had never been sweeter.

Different Types Of Ice Cream: Gelato, Mocha, Frozen Ice Cream And Sorbet

Ice cream has been around for centuries. It has inspired musicians, novel writers and poets. It is a popular dessert in family gatherings, birthday parties and fun days. Back in the days, the flavors were limited until some decades ago when the flavor frenzy hit the market. Today, you can literally find all types of ice cream flavors to suit your taste.

The many forms and flavors will leave you scratching your head trying to figure out the difference. There’s sorbet, gelato, mocha and frozen yogurt among others. Walk with us as we shed some light on the ice cream differences.

1. Gelato

What’s Gelato?

Gelato, the popular Italian frozen dessert, is basically a mixture of cream, custard and milk. It’s made with a sugar and milk base in absence of eggs. Most gelato lovers praise it for its low fat content, less air and multiple flavorings.

History

The rich dessert dates back in renaissance period when it was invented by Bernardo Buontalenti. The modern gelato ice cream was invented by Francesco Procopio in the 1600s. Back then, the ice cream wasn’t very popular. Gelato gained popularity in the 1920s and 1930s. It particularly gained popularity in the city of Varese which is the origin of the first gelato cart.

Gelato Varieties

Gelato ice cream is mainly found in chocolate, pistachio, stracciatella, cream and hazelnut flavors. Some ice cream vendors are becoming creative and flavors such as raspberry, strawberry, mango, pineapple and orange have also emerged. This opens up the opportunity to try out unique flavors with your homemade gelato ice cream. You will be surprised at how sweet it can get.

How Is Gelato Made?

The gelato ice cream recipe starts with the pasteurization of ingredients. This is followed by churning which is done at a lower temperature (410F). The ice cream can then be left in the freezer in batches.

The unique texture of gelato ice cream is facilitated by the sugar. The sugar binds to the water avoiding solid freezing. This interference with the normal crystal formation ensures that smaller crystals that give gelato the smooth texture are formed.

The gelato can be sweetened with inverted sugar, sucrose or dextrose. This is common with American commercial ice cream vendors who also include stabilizers such as guar gum to balance the ingredients.

Unique Characteristics Of Gelato Ice Cream

The structure is creamy and spreadable. It should neither be too hard nor too soft.

Gelato maintains the natural taste. the taste should be clean, lasting and intense. It should only leave sweetness in your mouth.

The texture should be consistent throughout the serving. It should be fine and smooth.

2. Sorbet

Defining Sorbet

Sorbet is a fruit flavored palate refresher served between meals or as a dessert. It is made distinctly from wine, sweetened juice or water. It’s normally dairy free but some recipes have hacked a trick of incorporating milk. The mixture of unsweetened fruit juices provides a very tangy and tart flavor.

History

Sorbet, as a name originated in Italy as Italian sorbetto. Sorbet powders were imported from Ottoman Empire in the 17th century. They were made from dried flowers and fruits mixed with sugar. In 1662, sherbets made in Lemon, violets and rose turkies was first sold in a London coffeehouse.

In Paris, sorbet was first sold at café Procope in 1670. Europeans went a step ahead by freezing Sherbet. They added juice and flavor to frozen syrups. Sherbet in the U.S was popularly known as ice milk. Sherbet recipes included beaten eggs whites, milk, cream and gelatin.

What Comprises Sorbet?

Sorbet is simply comprised of sugar, air and fruits. Almost every fruit can be used to make sorbet. This makes it possible to make different sorbet flavors. The absence of fats in its ingredients makes it a very healthy treat.

Why Incorporate Sugar And Air In Making Sorbet?

Sugar is considered to be the magical ingredient in the sorbet making process. Sugar delivers the perfect sorbet texture. This is achieved by ay adjusting the freezing point. As sugar content increases, the freezing point drops.

Sorbet is primarily comprised of sugar and water. This means that you need to be careful with the ratios. Failing to strike a balance can either leave you with a sloppy mess or a block of ice.

As the ice cream maker spins, it not only lowers the temperatures but also incorporates lots of air in the sorbet. The air trapped in the sorbet decreases ice crystal sizes. If the ice crystals are too big, the ice cream will not melt smoothly in the mouth. It also increases ice cream volume.

Turning Fruits Into Puree

Fruits are different and it’s not every fruit that will be easy to turn into puree. There are two methods that will make it easy for you to turn any fruit into a puree.

The first method is blending the fruits with simple syrup. The syrup is made by mixing equal parts of sugar and water. The high water volume makes it quite easy for icy crystallization. This can hurt the sorbet texture.

The second involves less water. All you need to do is macerate the fruits in sugar. Sugar breaks the fruit in an hour or two. The crushed fruit produces its own liquid. This eliminates the need to add water. This tends to give the best results.

Perfect Sorbet Sugar Ratio

The ideal sorbet sugar percentage ought to range between 20 and 30 percent. Measuring the exact ratio may be a little tricky. The best way to go about it is starting with a 5 fruits part to 1 sugar part ratio.

This would mean 5 cups for every 2 cups of the simple syrup. When using the maceration method, 5 cups of fruit would go to 1 cup of sugar.

An emersion blender will make it very easy for you to blend the base. A basic blender or an ice cream maker will also deliver desirable results. If you are looking for an immersion blender or the latest ice cream maker, check out our latest reviews.

Alternative Sorbet Sweeteners

Processed sugar tends to have some adverse health effects. If you do not intend to use sugar in your sorbet recipe, you can use agave, maple syrup or honey. It is however advisable that you do not replace all the sugar. At least, have a quarter of the sugar in your recipe.

It is important to note that artificial sweeteners may not give you the desired results. This is because they do not contain any sugar. They thus do not impart the essential chemical properties.

What Fruits Can Be Used To Make Sorbet?

Berries and stone fruits make the best sorbet. Fleshy mangoes and tart green apples make perfect treats. The presence of fruit fiber creates a thick puree resulting in smooth sorbets. The presence of fiber eliminates the need to use stabilizers.

Some of the excellent sorbet fruits include; kiwi, pears, cherries, pineapples, strawberries, plums, nectarines and peaches.

Citrus fruits such as lemon and oranges may also be used. You however need to be careful with these fruits. Citrus fruits have little fiber and huge water content. You therefor need to adjust the sugar ratio.

Sorbet Stabilizers

Over time, the trapped air tends to escape. The escape results in stiff desserts. The hard sorbet may be left to melt in the fridge. Re-churn the ice cream. Alternatively, you can add a stabilizer. The commonly used stabilizers are pectin, alcohol and gelatin.

The stabilizers lower the freezing point and inhibit the sorbet from turning into ice. You need to be very careful when using the stabilizers. Too much of the stabilizer may see you ending up with slush.

How Is Sorbet Made?

Most people find it easy making sorbet with juice than fruits. Put your juice in a container. Add half of your syrup and stir thoroughly. Add the other half of the sorbet and continue stirring.

Place an egg to gauge the viscosity. If the egg floats, your sorbet is ready. You can now add your stabilizer. Freeze your sorbet.

3. Frozen Yogurt

Popularly known as frogurt, frozen yogurt is a dessert made with yogurt. It’s a tangy refreshing treat that combines the texture and flavors of sherbet and ice cream.

History

Yogurt is estimated to have entered the U.S market in the 1900s. Pre-packaged yogurt was first sold in the 1930s by Danon. Its demand surged in the 1970s and necessity being the mother of invention, freezing commenced. This was the birth of frozen yogurt.

Consumers were a bit unhappy with the taste of frozen yogurt. Their demand was inclined towards a heavier version of the sweet ice cream. This prompted stores to introduce sweet tasting frozen yogurt treats. The first store was opened in 1981.

The demand for frozen yogurt increased significantly in the 1980s. This trend wasn’t long lasting as the demand declined drastically in the 90s. This was at a time when Americans had turned their attention to high-fat diets and high end proteins. Frozen yogurt and other low-fat foods fell out of favor.

Trends changed in mid-2000. John Wudei invented live probiotic powder-based mixes. These served as alternative frozen dessert sweeteners. With the availability of dry base mix, frozen yogurt became very popular across The U.S. The demand for frozen yogurt grew year after the other and still grows to date.

What Is Used To Make Frozen Yogurt?

Frozen yogurt has a unique flavor that makes it stand out among other desserts. It gains its unique flavors from Streptococcus thermophilous and Lactobacillus burglaricus. These are bacteria strains that make 1% of the ingredients.

Frozen yogurt has many similarities with ice cream. They share the same ingredients except yogurt culture. Air and water are the most important ingredients. Air increases the yogurt volume. Water on the other hand forms the primary element of the mix and can be said to be the continuous phase. It changes from liquid to partially solid state.

Milk and milk products are the primary frozen yogurt ingredients. Milk fat ranges from 0.5 to 6 %of the ingredients. The percentage will be determined by the type of frozen yogurt. Low-fat yogurt will have lower percentage of milk fat than high-fat yogurt. The milk fat is the synergist for other flavorings and lends richness to the frozen yogurt.

Milk solids other than milk fat make up 8 to 14% of the yogurt. The solids consist of about 55% lactose (milk sugar), 8% minerals and 37% protein. The proteins increase yogurt smoothness, compactness and viscosity. Proteins make the frozen yogurt resistant to melting.

Sugar accounts for 15-17% of frozen yogurt. Sucrose is the primary sweetener and is used in the form of beet or cane sugar. The lactose sweetens the frozen yogurt and also improves the yogurt body and viscosity. It also increases total solids (TS) concentration.

Total solids add to the food value, texture and body. Egg solids are sometimes used. Eggs have an additional benefit as thy decrease the time needed to freeze the yogurt mixture.

Vegetable and animal gelatins are used as stabilizers. These stabilizers play a major role in maintaining smooth frozen yogurt consistency. They reduce crystallization, improve handling properties and hinder melting.

Emulsifiers may be used in frozen yogurt to aid in blending the immiscible liquids. This is achieved by creating smaller air cells in the mixture.  Emulsifiers are generally in the form of fatty acids. They reduce the firming time and add to the yogurt firmness.

Emulsifies and stabilizers should make up 0.5 to 0.6% of the mixture. In most cases, they will occur naturally in milk and milk products.

Other small quantity ingredients include mineral salts, color, caseinate derivative (phosphates and citrates) and egg solids. Fruit, fruit extracts, vanilla, spices (cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg), sugar, cocoa, nuts may serve as flavors.

How Is Frozen Yogurt Made?

· Process The Mix

Select fresh ingredients. These should be measured in precise quantities.

Pour liquid ingredients into a vat. Mix and heat the mixture. Add the dry ingredient into the mixture. Stiff the mixture and gradually increase the temperature. Ensure that you have incorporated most of the ingredients before heating the mixture to 49oC (120oF). This ensures that the mixture doesn’t turn lumpy.

· Pasteurize The Mixture

This stage is very important in the destruction of pathogenic bacteria. Pasteurization involves heating the mixture to very high temperatures for a specific period and reducing the temperatures drastically to 4oC (40oF).

Normally, the mixture is heated to 79oC (175oF) for 25 to 40 seconds. For the best results, heat the mixture to 99oC (210oF) or 104oC (220oF). The high temperature will also improve the flavors and ingredients blending.

· Homogenization

Homogenization decreases the size of fat globules thus smoothening the frozen yogurt. In absence of homogenization, fat forms a cream on top of the mixture. Homogenization is basically the process of pumping the yogurt mix through against an impact ring through a small valve.

The mixture passes at a velocity of 30,000 feet per minute. The force exerted breaks the fat particles. The impact ring finishes the job by breaking the fat further. Finally comes cavitation where the bubbles are formed from the sudden pressure discharge.

The fat droplets within the bubbles crash against vapor walls and disintegrate. This means that the homogenization required will be directly proportional to the amount of fat.

· Yogurt Culture Inoculation

Inoculation is normally done when the mixture temperature is 32oC (90oF). 1% of yogurt culture is used to make frozen yogurt. The mixture is maintained at this temperature until when it sets awaiting cooling.

· Aging And Cooling

The yogurt mixture is cooled gradually to 4oC (40oF). This allows it to be viscous. The mixture is then stored in aging tanks where the temperatures are maintained between 0oC(32oF) and 4oC (40oC). Normally, the mixture is aged for four hours.

· Coloring, Flavoring And Freezing

This is the final mixing stage. The remaining ingredients are mixed in a flavor vat. These ingredients include flavorings, coloring and sweeteners. The mix is then set in a freezer at temperatures between -6oC (20oF) and -2oC (28oF).

As the mixture hardens, it’s agitated to incorporate air. This creates over-run. The air also boosts frozen yogurt consistency. This aids in creating a more palatable product. The mixture starts to freeze after 3-4 minutes. The desired overrun (50%) is easily achieved.

· Hardening And Packaging

The mixture is packaged after the desired overrun is achieved. It is then placed in freezers where the temperature drops to at least -17oC (0oF). The ideal temperature is -26oC (-15oF). The freezing should be rapid to ensure that the mixture doesn’t form huge coarse crystals.

The yogurt may be stored in batch or continuous freezers. Continuous freezers allow constant product flow while batch freezers require batches to be prepared individually.

4. Mocha Ice Cream

Mocha ice cream is basically Vietnamese iced coffee. It originated during the war time when desserts were rare. The first recipe was published in June 1944 in The New York Times. This was at a time when cream was hard to find. Economists experimented with rennet and gelatin  to get that ice cream texture.

What Flavor Is Mocha Ice Cream?

Mocha tends to adopt different forms depending on its usage. Mocha may be referred to as mocha latte or mochaccino. Mocha bean is also an option. Mocha basically refers to coffee with chocolate flavor. It can either be dark or milk.

Caffe mocha is identified as a hot chocolate beverage. The hot chocolate may also contain shots of espresso. They have milk froth topping and whipped cream may be used as topping. For the finishing, one may use cinnamon, marshmallows or cocoa.

How To Make Mocha Ice Cream

Mix sugar, heavy cream, espresso, chocolate syrup and whole milk in a bowl. Whisk until when all the sugar is dissolved. Refrigerate the mixture until chilled.

Transfer the chilled mocha ice cream into an ice cream maker. Freeze the mixture until when it gets to soft-serve consistency. You can stir in dark chocolate or almonds to bring in the desired flavor.

The ice cream can now be served as soft serve or frozen further to be used later. The best results are achieved if the mocha ice cream is left to ripen in the freezer for a period of two hours.

Conclusion

Ice cream comes in different forms, shapes and flavors. Major improvements have been introduced to the traditional ice cream recipe that included milk fat, cream, sugar, eggs, sweeteners and stabilizers. These improvements make it possible to make dozens of different types of ice cream recipes.

Some of the common ice cream recipes include French ice cream, light ice cream, reduced fat ice cream, lactose free ice cream, no sugar added ice cream, soft ice cream, gluten ice cream, cones, organic ice cream, cakes, sticks (bars), sundae, buckets, frozen custard, floats, frozen yogurt, gelato, dondurma, sherbet and frozen soufflé.

This post only focuses on most popular types of ice cream flavors.  We hope that the information detailed here will help you get a better understanding of ice cream and help you get better value for your milk and milk products.

Spare a few minutes and learn how to make some of the best ice cream and increase your dairy farm profitability. With these tips and secrets, no milk go to waste as you can make some ice cream and sell for a better price. The ice cream has longer shelf life and should fetch you money even when the dairy farm isn’t producing lots of milk.

You will bear me witness investing in one of the best ice cream makers is the magical block in the puzzle. We have reviewed some of the best ice cream makers and our reviews will help you make informed decisions. We hope that your dairy farm will now be profitable throughout the year. This might be the break you needed in dairy farming.

Give the ice cream a shot and if it doesn’t seem to pay out you can always try other milk products. We have discussed the different types of milk products in a different post. You can check out this post for more insight.

What’s Cheese? Nutritional Facts, Types And Benefits

Cheese is basically a dairy product made from milk. It is available in numerous textures, flavors and forms. Cheese is comprised of fat and milk proteins. These are mainly sourced from cows, goats, sheep and buffalo.

Cheese has been surrounded by controversies for decades. While some researchers think it healthy, others think it’s not. It’s true that cheese has high calcium content thus a recommended diet. However, it is high in fat. So, is it healthy or not?

Let’s explore some of the nutritional facts, types and benefits associated with cheese and probably make a final verdict.

The History Behind Cheese

Cheese dates back 7200 years. Its origin is fuzzy but it is said to have been discovered by a herdsman. The herdsman had carried milk for his consumption is a pouch made from sheep stomach and the milk happened to have separated into curd and whey.

The exposure of the milk to sun and other environmental factors introduced us to the world of cheese. Cheese has no specific origin but it is believed to have originated in the Middle East, Europe, Central Asia and the Sahara.

The cheese business sprouted in the ancient rome era. This is at a time when the cheese was vended to satisfy social elites’tastes.

Cheese Nutritional Facts

Cheese may be added to sandwiches, salads or even eaten plain. Either way, it will deliver the coveted creamy flavor. But do you know what cheese adds to your body? Well, here are the cheese nutritional facts as provided by the USDA.

  • Sugars: 0.4 g
  • Calories: 106
  • Sodium: 54 mg
  • Fats: 7.8 g
  • Protein: 7.5 g
  • Fiber: 0 g

The nutritional facts may vary depending on the type of cheese served. Mozerella cheese is known to have the lowest calories level. A single serving o mozzarella cheese delivers 7 g protein, 86 calories and 6 grams fat.

Parmesan cheese is yet another healthy cheese option. A single table spoon of parmesan cheese delivers 2 g protein and 20 calories. Parmesan cheese has an intense flavor. You will thus need to use just a little of it in your recipe.

Other popular healthy cheese options include;

  • Swiss cheese. This provides 8 g fat and 100 calories per serving.
  • Cheddar cheese. This delivers 7 g proteins, 9 g fat and 114 calories.
  • American cheese. This is pasteurized and processed cheese that delivers 5 g protein, 94 calories and 7 g fat.
  • Blue cheese. A single serving delivers 6 g protein, 8 g fat and 100 calories.

While a number of cheese types will be healthy, there’s a good percentage that will be unhealthy. These unhealthy cheese options have high calorie levels and contain oils and fillers meant to boost taste and texture.

Cheese Type

(1 ounce)

Calories Carb

(g)

Protein

(g)

Fat

(g)

Sodium (mg) Calcium (mg)
Mozzarella 85 1 6 6 138 143
Brie 100 1 5 9 170 150
Cheddar 120 1 7 10 190 200
Feta 60 1 5 4 360 60
Gouda 110 1 7 9 200 200
Swiss 100 1 5 9 170 150

 

Some Of The Unhealthy Cheese Options Include;

  • Cheese dips.These are jarred cheese types. In most cases, these cheese types will be mixed with artificial flavors and oil. Manufacturers have realized that junk lovers are inclined towards creamy and spicy products thus the artificial ingredients.
  • Cheese spray.This type of cheese normally comes in a can. It is part cheese and part artificial flavors and spices. It contains lots of oils and additives.
  • Cheese singles.Not every cheese single will actually be cheese. Some will be cheese-like products coated in oil and spices.

Different Types Of Cheese

Cheese comes in different forms. Every European country is known to have a specific type of cheese. Some of the popular types include;

1. Fresh Cheese (19% To 24% Fat)

This is a type of cheese that has no rind. The inside is thus similar to the outside. Some of the classic examples of fresh cheese are cottage cheese, ricotta and mozzarella cheese.

The fresh cheese has a mousse like texture owing to its high moisture content. It’s lemony, mild and white in color. It may be covered in herbs, rolled in ash or wrapped in chestnut leaves.

2. Aged Fresh Cheese (19% To 24% Fat)

This is fresh cheese that has already developed a thin rind. Goat milk is known to make excellent aged fresh cheese. The rid is usually transparent and may be grey-blue in color.

When left to dry, the aged fresh cheese shrinks and the wrinkles may become crevasses. The crevasses expose the delicate blue mould making it darken. The cheese flavor intensifies and the texture is almost brittle.

3. Soft Cheese (24% To 26% Fat)

The soft cheese develops a soft white rind. This rind aids in cheese ripening and prevents drying out. This gives the soft cheese its signature sweet buttery taste. You can easily mistake the favor for mushroom and beef consommé soup.

An addition of cream to the soft cheese gives it a creamy touch. This cream ensures that the cheese doesn’t run and may be eaten mature or fresh.

4. Semi-Soft Cheese (26% To 28% Fat)

The semi-soft cheese is made by pressing the curd softly to remove the whey. This leaves you with a rubbery elastic cheese. Some of the common types of semi-soft cheese are Edam, Port Salut, St Nectaire, Raclette and Reblochon cheese.

The semi-soft cheese may have slightly formed rind. They are sweet, buttery and have a mild flavor. Normally, the color will be thick grey-brown. When washed in brine and finished with alcohol, the color may change to brown. The washing encourages development of bacteria giving it the orange color, strong aroma and a pungent flavor.

5. Hard Cheese (28% To 34% Fat)

Just as the name suggests, this is hard cheese that undergoes many hours of pressing to remove all the whey. This is compact curd cheese and may be wrapped in a cheese cloth and dipped in brine.

The aim of dipping the hard cheese in brine is sealing it thus protecting it from drying out. The cheese can then be placed in cellars for years. Some of the renowned types include Manchego, cheddar, Beaufort, Pecorino, Parmean and gruyere.

Hard cheese may be blue, white, pink or grey in color. Once brushed, the rind will be smooth and polished due to the low moisture content.

Cheese Health Benefits

Some people think that cheese is unhealthy. Well, though it may have its drawbacks, cheese is a healthy option. Here are some of the health benefits you stand to gain from cheese.

1) Bone Health

Cheese is a dairy product. It is thus packed with calcium that is crucial in healthy bones development. Cheese is known to contain calcium, zinc, proteins, magnesium and vitamins A, K and D that boost bone growth and development.

2) Dental Health

The calcium content in cheese will not only strengthen your bones but also your teeth. Calcium plays a vital role in tooth formation. A high pH level is known to offer protection against dental cavities. Eating cheese raises plague pH thus protecting the teeth from defects.

3) Development Of Healthy Blood Vessels

Blood vessels channel blood to vital organs in the body. It is this important that one maintains healthy blood vessels. Antioxidants are known to help maintain healthy vessels.

Dairy products such as cheese contain high levels of antioxidants. The antioxidants will not only boost vessel health but will also prevent vessel aging and neuro-degeneration.

4) Healthy Weight Gain

Not everyone is trying to lose weight. A good number is trying every means possible to gain weight. Eating cheese is one of the healthiest ways to gain weight.

Eating cheese will help you gain weight gradually. It however needs to be eaten in moderation. To achieve the desired healthy weight without negative health effects, balance off the cheese with fruits and vegetables.

5) Cells Building And Repair

Cells die every other day. Your body thus needs to make new cells and repair those that need repair. Cheese offers the protein needed to build and repair cells. A single once of cheddar cheese can deliver up to 7 grams of protein.

6) Maintaining Low Blood Pressure

High blood pressure is associated with numerous health challenges and may even result in death. In a bid to maintain low blood pressure, doctors recommend a touch of cheese in desserts.

Cheese is rich in fat and sodium. It also contains significant amounts of calcium. Some cheese types such as Swiss cheese that has moderate amounts of these minerals will be best suited to control blood pressure.

Cheese Risks

Cheese has its benefits and drawbacks. If not eaten in moderation, one stands to sufferer the following risks.

Lactose tolerance

Individuals suffering from lactose tolerance lack crucial enzymes needed to digest milk sugar. This means that consumption of milk and milk products such as cheese may result in flatulence, bloating or diarrhea.

Fresh, soft and semi soft cheese such as mozzarella are common lactose tolerance triggers. Hard cheese such as parmesan and cheddar may have mild effects. They therefore need to be consumed in small amounts.

Allergies

Allergies are known to be abnormal reactions to harmless triggers. Milk and milk products may be triggers resulting to the release of immunoglobulin E antibodies. This results in wheezing, vomiting, post nasal drip and diarrhea. In extreme cases, one may suffer anaphylaxis, asthma, pneumonia, bleeding, eczema or shock.

Conclusion

Cheese is a valuable source of essential vitamins and mineral salts. It is one of the dairy products that will not only help you preserve your milk but will also boost your dairy productivity.

Cheese comes in different forms and the demand for these types of cheese will vary from one region to the other. When making your cheese for domestic consumption, it’s important that you understand the nutritional facts of the different types of cheese.

Learn how to make the different types of cheese just to be sure that you are snacking on healthy dairy option. You may also need to check out our post on the different types of cheese. Cheese comes in different forms and we have only covered a few forms. Walk with us as we build your knowledge base.

 

Yogurt Maker: The Ultimate Yogurt Machine Review

The demand for yogurt has been rising over the years with the many variances making it a favorite desert. You can always have it as a desert or even a snack and knowing how to make it at home makes it possible to have all the flavors that you desire with the guarantee of quality and availability. You will enjoy your yogurt even more knowing that you have walked through every step of its processing and tweaking the ingredients to suit your desires.

There’s a common trend of an avalanche of yogurt machines following the popularity of foods and this is no different with yogurt. The market is now awash with tons of yogurt related machines. One of the devices that will make it easy for you to make your yogurt at home is a yogurt maker. Its operation is as simple as the name sounds but the results are splendid. Let’s walk together in this yogurt machine buying guide and find out what these machines have to offer while reviewing some of the best yogurt machines.

Top 5 yogurt makers

1. Cuisinart CYM 100 Electronic Yogurt Maker

Cuisinart is renowned for its outstanding yogurt machine models and the Cuisinart CYM is yet another ingenious product. It features an in-built cooling system making it a favorite for frozen yogurt lovers. The high-end maker allows the user to over 8 servings as it is equipped with a 50 ounce container.

The simple and friendly Cuisinart yogurt machine is considered to be on the higher end when it comes to pricing but that shouldn’t stop you from exploring what that price tag hides. The machine is not only beautiful but is exceptionally flexible. It will automatically set the fermenting time, detects when the process is done and keeps the yogurt cool until when you power it off.

For Greek yogurt lovers, this maker may not make this yogurt on its own and you will need to manually heat your milk and strain your yogurt once it’s ready. You can alternatively get a machine that is specifically designed to make Greek yogurt.

Features of the Cuisinart CYM 100

  • Size: 9.8x7x9.9 inches
  • Weight: 3.17kg (7 pounds)
  • Capacity: 1 ½ quarts
  • Material: stainless steel & plastic
  • In-built cooling system
  • Warranty: 3yrs, limited
  • Fitted with automatic timer
  • BPA free

Check out best priced Cuisinart CYM-100 on Amazon

2. Instant Pot DUO60

Yogurt making should be interesting and exciting and the Instant pot DUO60 guarantees that. This yogurt maker that makes more than your average yogurt offers so many functionalities acting as a pressure cooker, sauté pot, warmer, rice cooker, steamer and ultimately as a yogurt maker. It is a multi-use machine that comes with a huge programming interface. A click of the button will simply change its functioning and deliver the desired results.

Though considered to be among the expensive yogurt makers, it gives you the versatility that you may not get from other brands. The whole yogurt making process will be done in the machine making your work quite easy. Heat the milk in the pot, add your starter, set the fermenting time and wait for delicious results.

Features of the Instant Pot DUO60

  • Size: 12.5×13.4×12.2 inches
  • Weight: 5.35 kg (11.8 pounds)
  • Capacity: 6 quarts
  • Material: stainless steel & plastic
  • Warranty: 1yr, limited
  • Safety: steam release, automatic temp control, electric fuse, anti-block shield, overheat protection, safety lid lock and leaky lid detection
  • Fully programmable
  • BPA free

Check out best Instant pot DUO60 price on Amazon

3. Euro Cuisine YM80 Yogurt maker

Creativity makes all the difference in yogurt making. You may use the same ingredients but get totally different results. If you want to explore and try out different twists, the Euro Cuisine may be the yogurt maker of your choice. The inexpensive appliance has a capacity of 42 ounces and will make yogurt within 6 to 10 hours. It allows you to customize your yogurt with extra ingredients such as honey, coffee and fruits thus gives you unique tastes and flavors.

The seven glass yogurt making machine is designed to deliver fuss free delicious yogurt with the sever glass jars making it possible to prepare different flavors at the same time. It may not have many advanced features but it does most basic functions just fine.

Most reviewers have lamented about the difficulty in washing the glass containers manually but you shouldn’t have a problem cleaning with a dish washer. You may also need to inspect the lid for leaks as this yogurt maker doesn’t include leak detection technology.

Features of the Euro Cuisine YM 80 Yogurt maker

  • Size: 9.5×9.5×6 inches
  • Weight: 1.81 kg (4 pounds)
  • Warranty: 3yrs
  • Seven 6oz glass jars
  • BPA free
  • Inbuilt timer

Check out Best Euro Cuisine YM80 yogurt maker price on Amazon

4. Yogourmet 104 electric yogurt maker

The yogourmet electric yogurt machine stands out as one of the most affordable easy to use yogurt making appliances. This is a machine that quickly mixes and blends your ingredients to give you that fine finish. Its water-bath system creates an even heating wall that guarantees even yogurt incubation. The yogurt will thus be smooth and consistent. This is quite important as uneven cooking exposes you to the risk of having harmful bacteria in your yogurt.

The appliance is dishwasher safe thus easy to clean and maintain. Its plastic is made of PVC and is BPA free thus will be safe for you and your environment. You however need to have a keen eye on the machine while in operation as it doesn’t have temperature control functionality and the room temperature may affect the quality of your yogurt.

Features of the Yugourmet 104 electric yogurt maker

  • Size: 7.75×7.75×10 inches
  • Weight: 1.50 kg (3.3 pounds)
  • Capacity: 2 quarts
  • Material: Plastic
  • Warranty: 1yr
  • Innovative water bath and a cheese bag

Check out the best Yogourmet 104 electric yogurt maker prices on Amazon

5. Amazonbasics Automatic Frozen Yogurt Maker

This is a yogurt maker that was essentially designed to make ice cream, gelato, sherbet and frozen yogurt. It is equipped with an easy lock lid that guarantees safety and you can sit back as it smoothly mixes your ingredients to give out a smooth and tasty finish. It’s fully automatic and will automatically stop when the process is complete.

This is a yogurt machine that can easily prepare 1.5 quarts of sorbet or frozen yogurt regardless of the recipe in use. Just play around with the ingredients and wait for the machine to deliver. You may however have to preserver with the noise as it is considerably loud.

Features of the Amazonbasics Ice Cream Maker

  • Size: 8.78 x 7.51 x 10.59 inches
  • Weight: 2.30 kg (5.08 pounds)
  • Material: Plastic
  • Warranty: 1 yr
  • Fully automated
  • Easy lock lid

The Buying Guide: What To Look For In A Yogurt Maker

· Functionality

The ultimate goal of buying a yogurt machine is getting the desired yogurt with ease. This can only be achieved with a yogurt maker that offers the functionalities that match your needs. While some appliances will let you make traditional yogurt varieties, others will let you make both traditional and Greek varieties. Additionally, some will serve as slow cookers while others will double as slow cookers and pressure cookers.

In the current era where time is limited, you might want to get a ‘set and forget’ maker. This is a machine that practically takes care of the whole process. You only need to set the timer, temperature and power on and the yogurt making process kicks in.

· Design And Flexibility

Most makers are ergonomic and will serve you just fine. However, you need to get one designed for flexibility. This is a machine that would let you customize ingredients. This makes it possible to prepare small servings with varying tastes and flavors. Such yogurt making machine challenge you to explore and widen your culinary skills. It would be an added advantage to have one that can make small and bulk servings at the same time.

· Automation

Though we are in an era where automation is the order of the day, there are still loads of yogurt makers that aren’t fully automated. In fact most of the brands have models which aren’t fully automated. This thus should be a point of consideration when shopping for your machine. While some people will prefer the semi-automated machines that allow them to adjust different stages to suit their preference, a fully automated machine may make the work easier and save on time.

· Bowl Type And Capacity

The bowl type will determine the servings that you can prepare with the specific machine. It is the bowl type that will definitely determine the machine’s capacity. While some will have large bowls others will have serving-sized ones and others will have versatile bowls. A good decision would be going for the bowl size that meets your daily needs. The large sized bowls will be best suited for complex standard yogurt production.

· Timer

Timing is quite crucial in yogurt making and almost every high end yogurt maker will come with a timer. The fermentation process varies and may take five to eight hours. Having a timer helps you keep track of the fermentation process and allows you to prepare the next batch in time. In addition to the in-built timer, some machines will have an auto shut off feature that automatically turns off the machine once the process is complete.

· Freezing

The freezing aspect of the yogurt is of major interest not only to the user but also to the manufacture and most brands have invested in high end freezing technology. While some machines focus on frozen desserts, some require the user to freeze the bowl too. Again only go for the machine that will be convenient. Efficient freezing is not easy coming and some research will be necessary before investing in a frozen yogurt maker.

· Cleaning And Maintenance

Just like any other appliance the yogurt machine will need cleaning after every use and regular maintenance. It would be a great idea going for a machine whose parts can be removed and probably dish washed. Such a machine would make your work easy and guarantee top notch hygiene. Dish washing safety may almost be guaranteed by the high end machines but this may not be available in some brands.

· Cost

Every purchase you make is an investment and the price factor will always come into play. Most people actually make their decision entirely based on the price. This sometimes limits them when it comes to functionality but sees them stick to their budget. It is always advisable that you go that extra mile and invest in a high quality yogurt maker. This machines are considerably affordable and stretching your budget by a few dollars may see you land on the best brand.

Conclusion

Every purchase needs to be made from a point of information and clear understanding of what you are getting into. The debate about the best yogurt makers isn’t coming to an end any soon considering that new brands and models are coming into the market every day.

We have however reviewed five of the best yogurt makers and we hope this yogurt machine buying guide will help you make up your mind. You can also check out other milk preservation techniques and probably settle on a machine that will help you make your yogurt, cheese and ice cream among other milk products. Have fun experimenting with these top of the range appliances.

Dairy Milk Preservation: Tasty Healthy Milk Shake

Boost your dairy revenues by adding value to your milk. One of the best dairy milk preservation strategies is making milk shakes. But how do you make milk shakes? Let’s walk through the easy and interesting milk shake making process.

What Is Milk Shake?

Before we can make a milkshake why not discuss what it entails! A milk shake is a delicious ice cream treat. It can be made from iced milk, ice cream or natural milk. In most cases, it will have sweeteners such as caramel sauce, fruit syrup, butterscotch or chocolate syrup.

Types Of Milk Shakes

Milkshakes come in a wide range of selections. These are milkshakes that were traditionally made from all ice cream flavors. The popular flavors include malt powder, malt syrup and chocolate syrup. The flavorings are added before mixing and they give one a wider variety of flavors than handmade shakes.

Milkshakes will come in different varieties and flavors. There are milkshake recipes that will include fruits and no ice cream. Such milkshakes are known as smoothies. These smoothies may use frozen yogurt or sherbet. For malt lovers, a maltshake(malt shake), malted milkshake or simply a malt will do.

Milk Shake Machines

These are machines used to make large scale milkshakes. They are made of metallic cylinders with beaters. They have the capacity to refrigerate and freeze pre-made milkshake mixtures. Normally, the machine will have several tanks. These tanks will determine the flavors that can be made.

The milkshake machines come in different models and sizes. The smallest machines are counter-mounted. These can make one flavor milk shake. They have a 5 L capacity tank. On the other hand, large machines come with multiple 5 L tanks. The many tanks enable the user to make different shake flavors. They are normally floor-mounted.

There are carbon-dioxide based large scale machines that dispense different flavors. The mixing is done during dispensing. Some restaurants also have thick milkshake machines. These are 12 L capacity machines.

How To Make Milk Shake

Making a milkshake is easy. There may be variances in the ingredients when making different flavors but the process is pretty the same. Here’s how to make these delicious treats.

Making your milkshake in a blender

Blenders are commonly used to make thick milk shakes. For such treats, you will need to have ultra-thick ice cream, milk and flavorings. The secret to a creamier shake is using low butterfat ice cream. Light ice cream will make better emulsion with milk.

Run the blender on its lowest speed. Add the ice cream as well as the flavors. Slowly add the milk. This process is similar to that followed when making vinaigrette. The slow action of adding milk gives the two milk products time to blend in seamlessly. Stir while checking the thickness for a velvety texture.

Remember to taste before serving. This helps you make sure that the flavors are right and shine brightly. You wouldn’t want to have a chocolate hake that tastes like vanilla. The adjustments can be made by adding fruit or syrups.

Making Milk Shakes Without A Blender

Having a blender makes your work easy but worry not if you do not have the machine. You can simply shake the ingredients by hand.  The secret here is having a spoon inside the jar. The spoon acts as your ad-hoc mixer.

The shaking can take toll on you. Consider stirring instead and channel in your bartender. A cocktail shaker will work just fine. Remember to let your ice cream sit for 20 minutes out of the freezer before adding it to the mixing vessel.

Stir constantly but slowly while adding small amounts of milk. The principle here doesn’t change, slow but consistent.

You can always make your work easy by using an immersion blender. Have a long jar just to be sure that the contents won’t pour out. Use it on its lowest speed.

Spicing Up Your Milkshake

The fun behind milkshake making is the tweaking of flavors. This is where your creativity kicks in. Do not let anything bar you from making your desired shaker flavors. Grab some frozen fruits such as strawberries and bring them in the mix. There’s no need to thaw them. Just like in frozen yogurt options, the frozen fruits will help blend the milkshake.

Double or triple the flavor to get that exquisite taste. Mix chocolate ice cream with chocolate syrup and chocolate milk to satisfy chocolate enthusiasts. You can even top and garnish with the chocolate syrup.

Why not try some flavor combos such as chocolate and mint, chocolate and banana or even chocolate and peanut butter? Its so much fun pairing these flavors. You can try adding tropical fruits such as pineapple, papaya, star fruit and mangoes. Some shakers will even let you add some veggies. You haven’t had the best shake until you tried a creamy avocado milkshake.

Milkshakes Without Ice Cream

Ice cream sounds like the primary ingredient but did you know that you can make tasty treats without it? Well, prove the skeptics wrong by creating satisfying sippers without including ice cream in your recipe. The trick here is dropping a few ice cubes. These are meant to frozen the milk, fruit and syrup. It makes the mixture ultra-creamy. Frozen bananas are also known to play the trick delivering yummy banana shakes.

Making Milkshakes With No Milk

The idea of skipping milk makes one wonder what kind of a shake that would be but why not give it a try? In absence of milk, coffee ice cream kicks in. Chai latte, vanilla or orange may also be used.

Slowly stir the ingredients to get the right consistency. The frozen ice cream will go a long way in making the milk shake smooth and easy to make.

Conclusion

Milkshakes are easy to make and will brighten your day. You can always have them at home or even take the frozen options to the office. Whichever way you love it, you will definitely enjoy the shakes especially those homemade options. Try out the tricks listed herein and make yummy milk shakes that everyone will want to have a taste.

Learn How To Make Tasty Dairy Yogurt At Home

When we started researching about the best milk preservation techniques, yogurt making stood out and proved to be one of the most reliable techniques. Many people have loved it but the challenge has been making natural homemade yogurt and we found it necessary to shed some light on some of the easy homemade yogurt recipes. Let’s walk through the yogurt making process together and see how we can tweak the ingredients to give different tastes and flavors.

Yogurt making is not difficult and only requires you to have basic skills. It is fun packed and doesn’t have to follow a strict process explaining why different blogs will have different techniques. The secret behind every procedure used is understanding how to use the bacteria that gives yogurt its tangy flavor.

The common bacteria used in yogurt include Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophiles. These are safe bacteria that eat the sugar in milk and produce lactic acid that curdles milk proteins turning the milk into yogurt.

The Yogurt Making Process

Different techniques have been invented in a bid to save time but there are two main procedures that have proven to be very reliable. The first is the cooking of milk on a cook stove and incubating it in a cooler or oven and the other is the use of a modern yogurt maker.

We prefer using a yogurt maker for several reasons. First, incubating the natural homemade yogurt in your oven means that you cannot use the over for the 8 hours. This can be a little inconveniencing considering how valuable time is. Well, you may think of incubating the yogurt overnight and using the oven during the day. This may work perfectly but not if you had a busy day and all that is ringing in your mind is getting some sleep.

Secondly, there are advanced yogurt makers that have a large pot and will automatically make the yogurt for you. These makers will portion out the yogurt into servings and will allow you to prepare different flavors at the same time. Isn’t that interesting?

Lastly, yogurt makers increase your efficiency. It is quite disappointing spending your time making yogurt batches and end up with several batch failures. This is not only frustrating but results in losses. Yogurt makers increase efficiency as they will regulate the temperatures and give the yogurt the mix that it requires. To crown it all, you do not have to keep track of time as the machine will turn off automatically after the yogurt is ready.

The 6 Basic Natural Yogurt Making Steps

Choose Your Milk

High quality yogurt will definitely come from the best milk. Many people will use any milk to make their natural homemade yogurt but it is important to note that only healthy milk will produce healthy yogurt. If possible, use raw milk especially if you are following the GAPS protocol. If you do not have access to raw milk, you can use low pasteurized non-homogenized milk. This is the milk that has the yummy cream layer. Goat milk has proven to have a very thick layer. It is also very nutritious and has numerous health benefits.

Heat The Milk

This is a very crucial step as it is at this step that the harmful bacteria are killed. Milk heating is determined by the yogurt starter culture and milk type in use. If you are making mesophilic yogurt using pasteurized milk you do not need any heat. You however need the heat when making pasteurized thermophilic yogurt.

Heat the milk to a temperature of 160-180 degrees Fahrenheit to kill unsavory microbes larking in the milk. At such temperatures, all the pathogens, mold and spores will be killed. This way, you are sure that the only bacteria that will be present in your yogurt will be the safe bacteria introduced later.

Heating your milk also increases your yogurt thickness by evaporating a significant amount of water content and changing the protein structure.

Cool The Milk

Once the milk has reached 180 degrees Fahrenheit, transfer it into canning jars. Have a pair of tongs and a stainless steel funnel to ease the work. The milk should then be left to cool until when the temperature falls to 110-115 degrees Fahrenheit.

The cooling process can be hastened by putting the milk in a water bath. You can also leave it on the counter to cool naturally. Just ensure that you have a keen eye on the temperature change.

Add Culture

Once the temperatures have dropped to 115 degrees Fahrenheit, it’s time to add some yogurt. This can be ready yogurt from your previous batch or that bought from a store. It’s advisable that you go for plain Greek yogurt. Stir to incorporate the plain yogurt into the milk. Replace the lids to keep off dirt.

Incubate The Yogurt

The active natural homemade yogurt making stages are over and you now need to leave the yogurt to cook on its own. Ensure that the lids are replaced and incubate in an oven. At this stage temperatures should be maintained at 115 degrees Fahrenheit. Temperatures above 1150 can kill the culture but temperatures slightly below this wouldn’t have a huge impact. You can always try replacing the 40 watt bulb with a 60 watt one if you find it hard to achieve the optimum temperature.

Incubate the yogurt for 10 to 12 hours. If you are in no hurry, you can let it sit for 24 hours. GAPS protocol recommends 24 hours as it lets most of the lactose to be consumed by the bacteria introduced by the culture. It also gives your yogurt the desired deep tangy flavor.

Refrigerate The Yogurt

Once the incubation period is over, refrigerate your yogurt. You can always pour out the whey and use it while preparing the next batch. At this stage, you can use a cheese cloth to strain your yogurt. Straining gives you thick and consistent yogurt.

This practically marks the end of the yogurt making process. You can then use it in natural homemade yogurt recipes, desserts or simply drizzle raw honey and enjoy your freshly prepared yogurt.

Conclusion

Yogurt serves so many purposes and comes packed with nutrients. Having some skills to make your homemade yogurt comes in handy in making the best from your dairy products.

It benefits you even more if you have several homemade yogurt recipes to choose from as you can easily make different yogurt flavors. You can always try out homemade frozen yogurt recipes too to boost your culinary skills. Have fun preparing your yogurt from home and save lots of money.