# How to fix crumbly ice cream texture? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 19, 2009, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-fix-crumbly-ice-cream-texture/481920 "2009-01-19T01:45:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BrandonR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@BrandonR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrandonR)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2009, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-fix-crumbly-ice-cream-texture/481920/1 "2009-01-19T01:45:12Z")
I made French-style pumpkin spice ice cream (the recipe is in the new version (and possibly older) of _Joy of Cooking_) last night in my [ice cream maker](http://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-ICE-20-Automatic-2-Quart-Ice-Cream/dp/B00000JGRT/) (letting it churn for ~23 minutes). After freezing overnight, I tried it and while it tastes good, the texture is extremely crumbly and it falls apart easily. It even refuses to stick to itself which led to some accidents when trying to eat it with a cone. I then remembered that my previous ice creams had a similar, crumbly defect, even though they weren’t French style. What’s going wrong and how can I prevent it? ---
**Author:** ![tr0psn4j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@tr0psn4j](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tr0psn4j)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2009, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-fix-crumbly-ice-cream-texture/481920/2 "2009-01-19T01:55:58Z")
I’ve never made ice cream but [this](http://www.foodsci.uoguelph.ca/dairyedu/icdefects.html)might help you out. ---
**Author:** ![kittenblue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ba8739/32.png) [@kittenblue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kittenblue)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2009, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-fix-crumbly-ice-cream-texture/481920/3 "2009-01-19T03:57:25Z")
What kind of cream/milk did you use? Using anything low-fat (skim, 1%, 2%) might be the problem. Like making ice-milk instead of ice cream. Since you said French-style, I’m assuming you cooked the mixture. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2009, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-fix-crumbly-ice-cream-texture/481920/4 "2009-01-19T04:05:48Z")
What was the texture like 1 hour after you put it in the freezer? My experience is that homemade ice cream frozen overnight in a home freezer is usually very hard. Try letting it sit out a bit before scooping. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2009, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-fix-crumbly-ice-cream-texture/481920/5 "2009-01-19T05:41:32Z")
What are you using as a sweetener? Honey turns crumbly when it freezes. ---
**Author:** ![BrandonR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@BrandonR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrandonR)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2009, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-fix-crumbly-ice-cream-texture/481920/6 "2009-01-19T06:25:03Z")
I used whole milk (from evaporated milk actually) and heavy whipping cream, along with 4 egg yolks (if I’m remembering the recipe correctly). The mixture was cooked to 175 F. I used sugar as my sole sweetener. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2009, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-fix-crumbly-ice-cream-texture/481920/7 "2009-01-19T06:46:45Z")
What about flavoring? Did you use vanilla beans, regular vanilla extract, or maybe some unusual variation? I’m assuming you made vanilla ice cream - if not, what flavorings did you use? ---
**Author:** ![BrandonR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@BrandonR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrandonR)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2009, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-fix-crumbly-ice-cream-texture/481920/8 "2009-01-20T00:30:25Z")
It was pumpkin spice ice cream, but it did have a tablespoon of vanilla extract in it. It also had ground ginger, ground cinnamon, pumpkin puree, and a pinch of nutmeg. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2009, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-fix-crumbly-ice-cream-texture/481920/9 "2009-01-20T00:35:12Z")
Homemade ice cream usually doesn’t have emulsifiers (like carrageenan) that commercial ice creams do. When you freeze homemade ice cream, it will get rock-hard. I generally out mine in the microwave for a while, to make it easier to scoop, and to restore some of the creamy texture. ---
**Author:** ![DanBlather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f4b2a3/32.png) [@DanBlather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DanBlather)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2009, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-fix-crumbly-ice-cream-texture/481920/10 "2009-01-20T02:15:06Z")
How long did you churn? It’s possible that the mixture was too warm and that as a result it took too long to freeze and you incorporated too much air. ---
**Author:** ![seodoa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4af34b/32.png) [@seodoa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/seodoa)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2009, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-fix-crumbly-ice-cream-texture/481920/11 "2009-01-20T02:51:00Z")
> [@beowulff](#): > > Homemade ice cream usually doesn’t have emulsifiers (like carrageenan) that commercial ice creams do. This is why I always make my ice cream with eggs. The egg acts as a fine, albeit high cholesterol, emulsifier. ---
**Author:** ![fifty-six](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@fifty-six](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fifty-six)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2009, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-fix-crumbly-ice-cream-texture/481920/12 "2009-01-20T02:55:41Z")
> [@BrandonR](#): > > I used whole milk (from evaporated milk actually) and heavy whipping cream, along with 4 egg yolks (if I’m remembering the recipe correctly). The mixture was cooked to 175 F. I used sugar as my sole sweetener. I am not familiar with the recipe. And you did not post it. I however have made quite a bit of ice cream. I feel that the problem is from the water content. I am assuming that you reconstituted the evaporated milk. This can cause the problem. As well as any flavor additions that contain to much water. Couple other possible issues: The recipe is not meant for evaporated milk, Poorly written recipe,( doubt that with Joy) Improperly mixed prior to freezing Over churned. I would try using whole milk. And Make sure you cream the eggs and sugar together **really** good. As for all the others out there that have problems with homemade Ice cream getting to hard try this. Add a few ounces (depending on batch size) of nice rum to the ice cream mixture. Or other alcohol depending on the flavor. This will not really be detectable but will keep it a much smoother consistency when hardened in a home freezer. I like Sailor Jerrys because of its high alcohol content and it smells like vanilla spice. So it is undetectable in most ice cream recipes. Or just add a few van. beans to a favorite rum and add that. Really an ounce to a quart seems to be more than enough YMMV. I am over 11 years sober and this amount is undetectable and poses no problem to me. ---
**Author:** ![Influential\_Panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Influential\_Panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Influential_Panda)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2009, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-fix-crumbly-ice-cream-texture/481920/13 "2009-01-20T02:57:19Z")
Put some liquor in it, just a shot or two per quart. The alcohol will act as a boho emulsifier since it won’t freeze. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2009, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-fix-crumbly-ice-cream-texture/481920/14 "2009-01-20T03:12:22Z")
> [@fifty-six](#): > > I am not familiar with the recipe. And you did not post it. > > I however have made quite a bit of ice cream. > > I feel that the problem is from the water content. I am assuming that you reconstituted the evaporated milk. This can cause the problem. As well as any flavor additions that contain to much water. I think you’re thinking of powdered milk. Evaporated milk is liquid, and does not require the addition of water. Evaporated milk actually has less water by half than regular milk. ---
**Author:** ![BrandonR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@BrandonR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrandonR)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2009, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-fix-crumbly-ice-cream-texture/481920/15 "2009-01-20T04:39:26Z")
> [@Hello\_Again](#): > > I think you’re thinking of powdered milk. Evaporated milk is liquid, and does not require the addition of water. Evaporated milk actually has less water by half than regular milk. Well, I did add water to the evaporated milk to get the whole milk since you can add an equal part water to the evaporated milk to make whole milk. Still, I appreciate all the suggestions and will definitely implement them!