Main page >  Ice Cream Recipes  >  The Tropical Collection > with xanthan gum

An ice cream maker paddle just pulled out of the ice maker bowl with freshly churned dark muscovado ice cream still attached to it; a hand is holding the paddle.

THE LIKE-A-PRO ICE CREAM

Dark Muscovado Ice Cream
• with xanthan gum •

Dark Muscovado
Ice Cream
• with xanthan gum

With Dark Muscovado sugar, milk, heavy cream, and xanthan gum.

This flavour is a true game changer, with a special ingredient that sets it apart from all the rest. What’s the secret you ask? It’s made with dark muscovado raw cane sugar, a deep and complex sugar that brings an unparalleled flavour to every scoop. The tropical notes of vanilla, molasses, and coffee woven throughout will leave your taste buds begging for more. 

Ice Creams made with xanthan gum are our Like-A-Pro ice creams, because which just one extra ingredient -xanthan gum-, you can make an eggless ice cream with a perfect, full-bodied mouthfeel, which churns beautifully, melts uniformly during serving, and keeps well in the freezer for a long time. Just like professionals do!

THE EASY! Crowd-pleasing and easy to make. Eat now and thank us later. With cocoa powder, milk, cream, sugar.

THE ITALIAN WAY. This is your hot weather ice cream: easy to make and resistant to melting. Perfect for popsicle moulds, too. With cocoa powder, milk, cream, sugar, corn starch.

THE FRENCH-STYLE ICE CREAM. Rich and velvety, this is a custard-based ice cream; a tad bit tricky to make, but so much worth it. With cocoa powder, milk, cream, sugar, egg yolks.

THE EASY! Crowd-pleasing and easy to make. Eat now and thank us later. With cocoa powder, milk, cream, sugar.

THE ITALIAN WAY. This is your hot weather ice cream: easy to make and resistant to melting. Perfect for popsicle moulds, too. With cocoa powder, milk, cream, sugar, corn starch.

THE FRENCH-STYLE ICE CREAM. Rich and velvety, this is a custard-based ice cream; a tad bit tricky to make, but so much worth it. With cocoa powder, milk, cream, sugar, egg yolks.

or see:

The ingredients

Do not reduce or replace anything; everything is there for a reason.

• Xanthan gum can be found in speciality shops, health food stores and online. Read more about it here.

• Milk: choose whole milk with approximately 3.5% fat. Skimmed milk, lactose-free, and non-dairy milk should not be used as they lack the necessary fat, milk proteins, and lactose that are crucial for making ice cream.

• Dark Muscovado sugar: for exceptional flavour, use Dark Muscovado sugar from Mauritius as it has a unique taste profile from the island’s volcanic soil and tropical climate. Similar products labeled as “Dark Brown Sugar,” awon’t yield the same results as Dark Muscovado sugar. If you want to experiment with different sugars, conduct a taste test first to ensure the desired quality and flavour by tasting a spoonful of the sugar; if it tastes divine, so will your ice cream. 

• Heavy cream (for double cream read below): for this recipe, you can use heavy cream with 35% to 36% fat content. It is okay to use cream suitable for whipping or ultra-pasteurised cream with 35-36% fat content. Do not use low-fat cream or non-dairy cream.

Overview

This is a quick overview of the recipe. If you are new to ice cream making, do read the recipe before proceeding. 

Watch us making it
The recipe

Dark Muscovado Ice Cream
• with xanthan gum •

Dark Muscovado
Ice Cream
• with xanthan gum •

Ingredients:
Notes:

It is recommended to weigh all ingredients, even the liquid ones, to achieve the best results.

To avoid any unwanted loss of quantity, weigh the liquid ingredients directly into the bowl/pan in which you will mix the ingredients, rather than transferring them from one bowl to another.

If a kitchen scale is unavailable, these guidelines may help:

1 cup (US) = 237 ml | 1 tablespoon = 15 ml

Note that the quantities indicated in grams, ounces, and cups in our recipes may not always be exact conversions, but any deviations will not affect the outcome.

This recipe makes a 1.2 litre/quart ice cream mixture (before churning), perfect for ice cream makers with a capacity of 1.5 and up to 2 litres/quarts (like Cuisinart ice cream makers).

If you need to scale the ice cream mixture up or down, use this ratio of the ingredients (in weight only):

dark muscovado sugar 17.17% / heavy cream 39.4% / milk 43.3% / xanthan gum 0.13%

in the desired total weight of the ice cream mixture.

For example, if you want to make 1000 g (approx. 1 litre before churning) of ice cream mixture, you need:

• 1000 g x 17.17% = 172 g dark muscovado sugar

• 1000 g x 39.4% = 394 g heavy cream

• 1000 g x 43.3% = 433 g milk

• 1000 g x 0.13% = 1.3 g xanthan gum

A flexible rubber spatula is good for:
-wiping the bottom of the saucepan when you cook dairy on the stovetop.
-scraping residues from bowls, saucepans etc.

If you do not have one, we strongly encourage you to buy one, preferably a flexible one. 

Instructions

Plan ahead:

The ice cream mixture needs to cool completely before churning, so prepare it in advance (approx. 8 hours before) to give it time to chill in the refrigerator.

If your ice cream maker has a removable freezer bowl, put it in the freezer for the whole time indicated by the manufacturer before churning, usually 24 hours.

Step 1: Make the ice cream mixture

This step is a foolproof way to bring the ingredients to the right temperature before sprinkling the xanthan gum, without using a thermometer. To sum it up, all we do is combine that much fridge-cold liquid with that much boiling-hot liquid. And that’s it. The blend instantly reaches our target temperature for the xanthan gum to dissolve efficiently.

You can read more about this no-thermometer method here.

Prepare the dark muscovado sugar: put the dark muscovado sugar (200 g; 7.1 oz) into a medium saucepan. With your fingers, break up any lumps in the sugar until it is smooth. The lumps are bits of sugar with molasses in them, which is a natural part of this type of sugar. Any undissolved lumps will be difficult to dissolve in the next steps, so do your best now and enjoy the procedure.

Pour the heavy cream (455 g; 16 oz) over the sugar and stir to moisten the sugar. Set aside while you prepare the blender.

Pour the cold milk (500 g; 17.6 oz) into the blender jug and have it ready to blend (or into a large bowl, if using an immersion blender).

Bring the sugar and the heavy cream to a boil: bring the saucepan with the sugar and heavy cream over medium heat. Warm while stirring with a rubber spatula, until the sugar fully dissolves. Increase the heat to high, stirring continuously, and as soon as the heavy cream comes to a rolling boil (when large bubbles that pop vigorously appear on the surface / approx. 90°C / 195°F / if it starts to overflow), immediately remove it from the heat and pour it into the blender jug with the cold milk.

Turn the blender on (medium speed). Note: by blending that much boiling hot cream with that much fridge-cold milk, the blend instantly reaches approx. 48°C; 118°F; This temperature is ideal for dissolving xanthan gum efficiently.

Sprinkle in the xanthan gum: with the blender on, carefully open the cap and slowly sprinkle the xanthan gum (½ teaspoon) over the surface. Blend for 2 minutes to fully hydrate the xanthan gum; do not estimate the time, set a timer. Do not expect the blend to thicken; it will thicken as it cools.

Step 2: Chill the ice cream mixture

Strain the ice cream mixture over a fine-mesh sieve and into a bowl. Pro tip: prefer stainless steel or heatproof-glass bowls as they chill faster. Avoid using plastic or regular glass bowls, as plastic may not chill the mixture well, while glass may break from sudden temperature changes.

Cool it down: prepare an ice bath by putting the bowl with the ice cream mixture into a larger bowl and filling the empty sides with ice cubes and cold water. How many ice cubes? A tray of ice cubes (200 g; 7 oz of ice) is enough to cool down the ice cream mixture: we just need to cool it down until it is no longer warm to the touch so that you can safely put it in the refrigerator. This will take approx. 30 minutes; do stir occasionally.

Chill until completely cold: cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 8 hours and up to 3 days. Xanthan gum needs 6-8 hours in the refrigerator to fully develop, so do not rush the cooling process.

Step 3: Churn

Check if the ice cream mixture is cold before churning it: below 12ºC / 54ºF / it feels fridge-cold when you place your index finger into it.

Prepare the ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. 

Stir: give a vigorous and thorough stirring to the ice cream mixture. If it is too thick, give it a quick blitz with the immersion blender; this will allow it to churn for longer and fluff up. 

Churn: with the machine running, pour the ice cream mixture through the canister and into the ice cream makerLeave to churn until fluffed up and creamy; depending on your ice cream maker, this can take anywhere from 30-60 minutes.

Step 4: Put the ice cream in the freezer to set

Put in the freezer to set: before serving the ice cream or moving it to a container for storing, you have to put it in the freezer to set. To do so, turn off the ice cream maker and: 

· remove the removable freezer bowl (still filled with the ice cream) from the ice cream machine

· remove the paddle, scraping any ice cream attached to it back into the ice cream bowl 

· place it in the freezer, uncovered 

Setting time depends on many factors; see notes below for indicative times.

Serve or store: when it sets, you can serve it directly from the removable freezer bowl or transfer it to an airtight container for longer storage.

The setting time for the ice cream largely depends on the type of ice cream maker you use.

It can take :

  • 1-5 hours for removable freezer bowls (these are the ice cream maker bowls which you should pre-freeze before churning)
  • 1-2 hours for aluminium bowls (these are the bowls from compressor ice cream makers)

Note: the times given are indicative. Setting time depends on many factors.

Check it occasionally (approx. every 2 hours; or as needed) while it is in the freezer. The ice cream is ready when it has an internal temperature of -10ºC / 14ºF. If you do not have a thermometer, to evaluate if the ice cream has set, insert a round tip knife into it, all the way to the bottom: 

  • when the ice cream is ready, it feels firm as you go down, but at the same time it is soft enough to insert the knife into it; it should have this same firm consistency from top to bottom.
  • not ready yet: it will feel hard on the top and softer as you go down
  • if left in the freezer for too long: it will be too hard for the knife to insert into it and too hard to scoop out of the ice cream bowl. Do not worry, though! Read right below how to soften it.

If the ice cream stays in the removable freezer bowl for too long, it will harden and be difficult to remove or serve.

To make it scoopable again, leave it in the refrigerator to soften. That can take:

  • anywhere from 4 to 10 hours for removable freezer bowls (the ones which need pre-freezing before churning)
  • 1-2 hours for aluminium bowls (these are the bowls from compressor ice cream makers)

(Note: the time given is indicative, time may vary depending on many factors, so do check it occasionally as it sits in the refrigerator.)

When the ice cream is easy to scoop (or it has an internal temperature of approx. -11°C / 12°F if you have a thermometer), you can transfer it to another container and store it in the freezer or serve it directly from the removable freezer bowl.

Straight after churning, the ice cream has a soft-serve consistency and melts immediately upon contact with anything. This makes it impossible to serve or transfer to another container.

Putting it in the freezer after churning sets it and brings it to the right consistency, similar to that of an ice cream parlour’s.

Storing and serving

Storing: in the freezer for one month, covered well to protect it from absorbing the freezer’s smells. 

Scooping: this ice cream, like all artisanal ice cream, freezes hard in the long term. You can make it perfectly scoopable again by putting it in the refrigerator for 45-60 minuter until soft; or until its internal temperature reads -10°C / 14°F.

Instructions

The ice cream mixture needs to cool completely before churning, so prepare it in advance (approx. 8 hours before) to give it time to chill in the refrigerator.

If your ice cream maker has a removable freezer bowl, put it in the freezer for the whole time indicated by the manufacturer before churning, usually 24 hours.

Prepare the dark muscovado sugar: put the dark muscovado sugar (200 g; 7.1 oz) into a medium saucepan. With your fingers, break up any lumps in the sugar until it is smooth. The lumps are bits of sugar with molasses in them, which is a natural part of this type of sugar. Any undissolved lumps will be difficult to dissolve in the next steps, so do your best now and enjoy the procedure.

Pour the heavy cream (455 g; 16 oz) over the sugar and stir to moisten the sugar. Set aside while you prepare the blender.

Pour the cold milk (500 g; 17.6 oz) into the blender jug and have it ready to blend (or into a large bowl, if using an immersion blender).

Bring the sugar and the heavy cream to a boil: bring the saucepan with the sugar and heavy cream over medium heat. Warm while stirring with a rubber spatula, until the sugar fully dissolves. Increase the heat to high, stirring continuously, and as soon as the heavy cream comes to a rolling boil (when large bubbles that pop vigorously appear on the surface / approx. 90°C / 195°F / if it starts to overflow), immediately remove it from the heat and pour it into the blender jug with the cold milk.

Turn the blender on (medium speed). Note: by blending that much boiling hot cream with that much fridge-cold milk, the blend instantly reaches approx. 48°C; 118°F; This temperature is ideal for dissolving xanthan gum efficiently.

Sprinkle in the xanthan gum: with the blender on, carefully open the cap and slowly sprinkle the xanthan gum (½ teaspoon) over the surface. Blend for 2 minutes to fully hydrate the xanthan gum; do not estimate the time, set a timer. Do not expect the blend to thicken; it will thicken as it cools.

Strain the ice cream mixture over a fine-mesh sieve and into a bowl. Pro tip: prefer stainless steel or heatproof-glass bowls as they chill faster. Avoid using plastic or regular glass bowls, as plastic may not chill the mixture well, while glass may break from sudden temperature changes.

Cool it down: prepare an ice bath by putting the bowl with the ice cream mixture into a larger bowl and filling the empty sides with ice cubes and cold water. How many ice cubes? A tray of ice cubes (200 g; 7 oz of ice) is enough to cool down the ice cream mixture: we just need to cool it down until it is no longer warm to the touch so that you can safely put it in the refrigerator. This will take approx. 30 minutes; do stir occasionally.

Chill until completely cold: cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 8 hours and up to 3 days. Xanthan gum needs 6-8 hours in the refrigerator to fully develop, so do not rush the cooling process.

Check if the ice cream mixture is cold before churning it: below 12ºC / 54ºF / it feels fridge-cold when you place your index finger into it.

Prepare the ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. 

Stir: give a vigorous and thorough stirring to the ice cream mixture. If it is too thick, give it quick blitz with the immersion blender; this will allow it to churn for longer and fluff up. 

Churn: with the machine running, pour the ice cream mixture through the canister and into the ice cream makerLeave to churn until fluffed up and creamy; depending on your ice cream maker, this can take anywhere from 30-60 minutes.

Put in the freezer to set: before serving the ice cream or moving it to a container for storing, you have to put it in the freezer to set. To do so, turn off the ice cream maker and: 

· remove the removable freezer bowl (still filled with the ice cream) from the ice cream machine

· remove the paddle, scraping any ice cream attached to it back into the ice cream bowl 

· place it in the freezer, uncovered 

Setting time depends on many factors; see notes below for indicative times.

Serve or store: when it sets, you can serve it directly from the removable freezer bowl or transfer it to an airtight container for longer storage.

Storing: in the freezer for one month, covered well to protect it from absorbing the freezer’s smells. 

Scooping: this ice cream, like all artisanal ice cream, freezes hard in the long term. You can make it perfectly scoopable again by putting it in the refrigerator for 45-60 minuter until soft; or until its internal temperature reads -10°C / 14°F.

This step is a foolproof way to bring the ingredients to the right temperature before sprinkling the xanthan gum, without using a thermometer. To sum it up, all we do is combine that much fridge-cold liquid with that much voiling-hot liquid. And that’s it. The blend instantly reaches our target temperature for the xanthan gum to dissolve efficiently.

You can read more about this no-thermometer method here.

When churning with a domestic ice cream maker, the ice cream mixture must be fridge-cold (below 12ºC / 54ºF / it feels fridge-cold when you place your finger into it).

If the ice cream mixture is not cold enough, the ice cream maker may not be able to churn it to its fullest potential, resulting in a sloppy liquid vs. fluffy ice cream.

This ice cream will expand and fluff up during churning. It is ready when it looks wavy and fluffy, with the consistency of soft-serve ice cream. The total churning time depends on your ice cream maker and could be anywhere from 30-70 minutes.

To evaluate if it is ready, lift a spoonful; it should be thick enough to stand on the spoon, but it will still be soft like soft-serve ice cream. If it looks watery or starts to melt the moment you spoon it, leave it to churn for longer.

In any case, if you feel doubts about the consistency, leave it to churn for ten minutes more. But beware: at this stage, do not expect it to be like store-bought carton ice cream; for now, it should be more like soft-serve ice cream.

It will firm up and become like store-bought ice cream only after it sets in the freezer.

So, stop the ice cream maker when thick and creamy, as described above. If you leave to churn it for much longer, it will start turning grainy.

Warning: some ice cream makers are programmed to stop after a specific time, which doesn’t make sense because the ice cream may need to churn for more to reach its fullest potential. So, if you notice that your ice cream maker stops on its own and upon checking the ice cream, you find that it is sloppy instead of fluffy, try to turn the machine on again and leave it to churn until it reaches the desired texture.

The setting time for the ice cream largely depends on the type of ice cream maker you use.

It can take :

  • 3-5 hours for removable freezer bowls (these are the ice cream maker bowls which you should pre-freeze before churning)
  • 1-2 hours for aluminium bowls (these are the bowls from compressor ice cream makers)

Note: the times given are indicative. Setting time depends on many factors.

Check it occasionally (approx. every 2 hours; or as needed) while it is in the freezer. The ice cream is ready when it has an internal temperature of -11ºC / 12ºF. If you do not have a thermometer, to evaluate if the ice cream has set, insert a round tip knife into it, all the way to the bottom: 

  • when the ice cream is ready, it feels firm as you go down, but at the same time it is soft enough to insert the knife into it; it should have this same firm consistency from top to bottom.
  • not ready yet: it will feel hard on the top and softer as you go down
  • if left in the freezer for too long: it will be too hard for the knife to insert into it and too hard to scoop out of the ice cream bowl. Do not worry, though! Read right below how to soften it.

Straight after churning, the ice cream has a soft-serve ice cream consistency and melts immediately upon contact with anything. This makes it impossible to serve or transfer to another container.

Putting it in the freezer after churning sets it and brings it to the right consistency, similar to that of an ice cream parlour’s.

If the ice cream stays in the removable freezer bowl for too long, it will harden and be difficult to remove or serve.

To make it scoopable again, leave it in the refrigerator to soften. That can take:

  • anywhere from 4 to 10 hours for removable freezer bowls (the ones which need pre-freezing before churning)
  • 1-2 hours for aluminium bowls (these are the bowls from compressor ice cream makers)

(Note: the time given is indicative, time may vary depending on many factors, so do check it occasionally as it sits in the refrigerator.)

When the ice cream is easy to scoop (or it has an internal temperature of approx. -10°C / 14°F if you have a thermometer), you can transfer it to another container and store it in the freezer or serve it directly from the removable freezer bowl.

2 Responses

  1. In the freezing phase, why is the bowl put in the freezer uncovered rather than covered?

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.