What's the best way to defrost ice-cream/sorbet quickly?
I made some sorbet at the weekend, and realised just when we were due to serve that I had forgot to take it out of the freezer to soften, and so it was rock hard.
What is the best way to bring it to a usable temperature quickly? We chucked it in the microwave and then hacked it with a spatula, but ended up with a lumpy texture as many parts were still very frozen. Any ideas to avoid a repeat in the future would be appreciated.
Best Answer
Don't. Ice cream is hard. It melts slowly. Instead, focus on scooping.
Get the largest spoon you have, or ideally, an ice cream scoop. Fill up a cup with boiling water, or as hot as your faucet will get it. Dip spoon/scoop in the water. Scoop. Dip. Scoop. Shake off excess water as you go.
Like a hot spoon through ice cream.
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How do you make ice cream thaw faster?
Another way to heat your ice cream and make it thaw faster is to put it in the microwave. Put the ice cream in the microwave on the defrost setting and heat it for 5 to 10 seconds. Then check to see how much it has softened and figure out if you need to heat it more.Can you microwave ice cream to thaw?
Softening your ice cream in the microwave is another quick way to thaw your favorite dessert: Transfer ice cream from the freezer to the microwave. Turn on the microwave at 30% power for about 30 seconds.Is it OK to microwave ice cream?
Microwaving ice cream will make it easy to scoop, but it will permanently damage the texture of the dessert. Avoid wetting a scooper with warm or hot water, as it can easily melt the ice cream and contribute to that unwelcome layer of ice crystals on top.How do you soften hard ice cream?
To soften in the refrigerator, transfer ice cream from the freezer to the refrigerator 20-30 minutes before using. Or let it stand at room temperature for 10-15 minutes. Hard ice cream can also be softened in the microwave at 30% power for about 30 seconds.Rnbstylerz \u0026 AREES - WHAT
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Answer 2
The best way? Plan better. :)
The microwave is rarely a good plan for quick defrosting, as you found out. I would suggest putting the container in warm to hot running tap water.
The warmer the water is the faster it will melt, but it will also melt more unevenly - though nothing like the microwave. The important part is that the water is running, and is at least room temperature.
It's not going to be quick like a microwave, but it'll be faster than just letting it sit.
Edit
I've never tried this, but I imagine a hair dryer might work well too. It'll just be noisier :) The concept is the same, just moving air instead of water.
Answer 3
Huh. I actually have always used the microwave, and never really had any problems. The secret is to stick it in for 20-30 seconds, and then to just walk away, and leave it for a minute or two. The interior will thaw slightly, while firming up the edges.
Mind you, we're talking about quarts and pints here. God knows how you'd defrost a gallon.
Answer 4
Unless you can get heat into the centre of the tub all that's going to happen is that your sorbet (or ice-cream) is just going to melt around the outside.
Why not just have another drink, enjoy the pleasant company and stimulating conversation and let the sorbet soften in its own time :)
Answer 5
Kev hinted at the answer -- warm the middle of the tub:
Take a few metal table knives (fully metal, not with plastic or wooden handles), warm them slightly (eg, dip in hot water, then dry them off), and then push them into the block. This allows for conduction through the knives into the middle of the frozen mass.
(although, I admit, I've never done this ... I just use Ocassi's method, as I don't want to re-freeze it each time I take a serving from it)
Answer 6
When you go to the kitchen to get your ice cream, don't tell the guests what you're doing. After you take it out, announce dinner. That way, you can eat dinner while the ice cream defrosts. Check on it when everyone has finished, then tell them you have dessert. Now you can give them ice cream.
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