What happens if you freeze a soft serve of ice cream?
If I buy a soft serve of ice cream (a single serving in a cone or tub) and put it in my home freezer, will it retain its shape and texture? What will happen to it?
Best Answer
Soft serve ice cream is soft because:
- It's warmer than hard ice cream. According to Wikipedia, it's generally made at about -4 C, rather than -15 C for hard ice cream. It's also served at a higher temperature -- 14 to 25 degrees F, compared to 5 to 7 degrees F for hard ice cream.
- It contains more air. The technical term for air introduced during freezing is overrun, and it's calculated based on the percent increase in volume of the ice cream. The more air, the fluffier and softer the mouth-feel.
- It usually contains less fat than hard ice cream, which is mitigated by the soft creamy mouth-feel resulting from the warmer temperature.
If you were to freeze soft ice cream, you'd lose the advantage of item 1. In addition, your freezer takes longer to freeze ice cream than an ice cream maker, which may result in ice crystals in the ice cream. Furthermore, once the soft ice cream chills to the freezer temperature (usually around 0F), the lower fat content may decrease the perceived creaminess, because of the information in item 3.
Of course, having said all of that, I haven't tried the experiment, so I'd be interested in hearing first hand stories.
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Quick Answer about "What happens if you freeze a soft serve of ice cream?"
Soft-serve ice cream is not actually frozen. It's dispensed from a machine that chills it to a custard-like consistency. If you put it in a freezer, it will freeze solid. Dairy Queen sells it this way in cartons for you to take home.Can soft serve ice cream be frozen?
Regular ice cream keeps best at -5\xb0F to 0\xb0F. However, the proper storage temperature for soft serve ice cream is 18\xb0F (-7\u2103). While you could raise the temperature of your freezer to accommodate this, it really wouldn't be recommended for the rest of your frozen foods.What happens if you put soft serve in the freezer?
If you were to freeze soft ice cream, you'd lose the advantage of item 1. In addition, your freezer takes longer to freeze ice cream than an ice cream maker, which may result in ice crystals in the ice cream.Can softened ice cream be refrozen?
In simple terms, no, ice cream cannot be refrozen after it has melted. The reasons for this are two-fold: first, the issue of food safety and second, the melting and refreezing process will have undesirable and unavoidable consequences on the texture of the ice cream.How do you make frozen soft serve soft again?
By simply using your refrigerator, mixer, or microwave, you can soften your frozen treat in no time at all.You've Been Storing Ice Cream Wrong Your Entire Life
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Answer 2
There's a possibility that it develops ice crystals on its surface after some time.
Otherwise, it will still retain its texture (don't expect it to get better!), and its shape.
Answer 3
It won't have the same texture or taste, it'll lose everything that you love about it. Just don't do it and expect to eat it after.
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