Woman's Institute Library of Cookery. Volume 4: Salads and Sandwiches; Cold and Frozen Desserts; Cakes, Cookies and Puddings; Pastries and Pies

by Woman's Institute of Domestic Arts and Sciences

PRINCIPLES OF FROZEN-DESSERT MAKING

55. NATURE OF FROZEN DESSERTS.--Frozen desserts were formerly confined almost entirely to warm weather, but they are now used during the entire year and served on almost any occasion. They are without doubt the daintiest dessert that can be served and are popular with almost every one. A very ordinary meal becomes much more attractive when a frozen dessert is served with it, and a dainty luncheon or an elaborate dinner seems incomplete without a dessert of this nature. In reality, it is quite impossible to serve, in either hot or cold weather, any dessert that is as pleasing as an ice or an ice cream of some kind.

56. In addition to being delicious and finding favor with most persons, frozen desserts occur in unlimited variety. They include ice creams of various kinds, frozen custards and punches, sherbets, ices, frappés, mousses, parfaits, and biscuits. Recipes for several varieties of each of these kinds are given in this Section, and it will therefore not be a difficult matter to select a frozen dessert that will be suitable for any meal in which it may be served. The preparation of frozen desserts, however, need not be confined to a certain limited number of recipes, as a recipe may be devised to suit almost any occasion or condition. For instance, if there are certain fruits or fruit juices in supply that should be used, an excellent way in which to utilize them is in a frozen dessert of some kind. After a little experience, the housewife will find that she can produce excellent results by merely combining the ingredients she has on hand or those corresponding with the meal in which the frozen dessert is to be served.

57. The food value of frozen desserts varies with the ingredients used in their preparation, it being extremely high in some and very low in others. Therefore, the particular one to select depends somewhat on the other dishes in the meal. On the whole, they contain very healthful ingredients, so that, if they are properly made, they may have a place in the diets of both children and grown ups, sick persons and well ones. Whether or not certain individuals should eat frozen desserts is sometimes a troublesome question. There may be conditions under which desserts of this kind should not be included in the diet, but these need not give the housewife any particular concern.

58. Frozen desserts may be purchased ready made, but those made in the home cost less, are usually more delicious, and can be prepared in greater variety. As they are not difficult to make and are not necessarily an expensive dessert, the housewife should often include them in her meals. Therefore, an ice-cream freezer of a size that will accommodate the requirements of the members of the family is a good thing to add to the cookery equipment. Ices and ice creams can be made in a pail that has a cover and a bail, such as a lard pail, but this is not a very convenient equipment and does not produce such satisfactory results as those obtained with a good freezer. Some desserts of this kind may be frozen without the use of a freezer, but, as a rule, they contain materials that make them rather expensive.

59. THEORY OF FREEZING.--So that the best results may be secured in the making of frozen desserts, it is well that the theory of freezing be thoroughly understood. The two things necessary for the freezing of such desserts are ice and salt. When these are brought together and the ice melts, a salt solution is formed, since salt has a tendency to combine with moisture whenever they come in contact with each other. In order to obtain this result in the freezing of desserts, it is necessary, of course, that the ice be melted. The warmth required to make this melting possible comes from the contents of the can inside the ice-cream freezer. When this warmth is absorbed by the ice, the cold temperature released by the melting of the ice passes into the ice-cream mixture. The result is that the ice tends to become liquid and the contents of the can solid by the exchange of temperatures. To make the mixture of uniform consistency, it is usually agitated by means of a dasher during the freezing process. This incorporates air into the mixture and consequently makes it light and increases its volume.

60. PROPORTION OF ICE TO SALT.--The ingredients used in the mixture have much to do with the texture of the ice cream when it is frozen. For instance, a mixture that is thin and composed largely of water will not have so smooth a consistency when frozen as a heavier mixture in which cream or eggs or both are present and a smaller proportion of water is used. Another important factor in the texture of the finished product is the proportion of ice to salt, for this has much to do with the length of time required for freezing the mixture. The smaller the proportion of salt, the slower will be the freezing process, for the melting of the ice takes place more slowly; but the result of this slow freezing is a finer, smoother texture. Granular, coarse-grained frozen desserts, such as some sherbets and frappés, are frozen with a large proportion of salt, which permits the freezing to take place more quickly.

61. On this rapidity in freezing also depends to a large extent the increase in quantity that takes place in the frozen mixture. Any one who has had experience in making ice cream knows that the can of the freezer cannot be filled before the freezing is begun or it will overflow during the freezing process. Even if it is only two-thirds or three-fourths full, it will be entirely full when the freezing is completed. This increase depends somewhat on the kind of mixture, as has been stated, as well as on the way in which the crank of the freezer is turned, but it is more largely determined by the proportion of ice and salt and consequently by the length of time required for the freezing. As can be readily understood, the more turning that is done, the greater will be the quantity of air incorporated into the mixture and naturally the more increase in volume.

62. TABLE SHOWING DETAILS OF FREEZING.--As an aid to the housewife in the making of frozen desserts, Table I is presented. In it are given the names of the various kinds of frozen desserts, together with the usual texture of each, the proportion of ice and salt required to freeze each, the way in which it freezes, and the increase in volume that can be expected in each. In trying out the recipes that follow, it will be well for the housewife to refer to this table for the particular dessert that she is making, for then she will be able to carry out the freezing more successfully and will understand what to expect in the finished product.