May 11, 2016
Ice cream that is sold in grocery stores falls into several categories. Premium and super-premium ice cream is more expensive, but many people enjoy the rich and creamy taste it offers. The process used to make this ice cream is different than the process used to make lesser quality ice cream.
Ice cream is made using varying amounts of overrun, which is the amount of air pushed into the ice cream while it is being churned. If ice cream has a 50 percent overrun, that means that it is made with one part air for every two parts cream. Some ice cream manufacturers use a quart of ice cream base and make it into a quart and a half of ice cream, while others add more air to produce a gallon of ice cream.
The amount of overrun used is important because ice cream made with a lower overrun is richer, smoother, and creamier. Ice cream with less air has fewer ice crystals, which means the ice cream will melt in your mouth and not have a crunchy texture. Ice cream with less air also contains a higher proportion of cream, which makes it taste better.
Premium ice cream usually has 11 to 15 percent butterfat and 60 to 90 percent overrun. Super-premium ice cream has more butterfat and calories than ice cream with more air. In order for ice cream to be labeled super-premium, it must have an overrun of less than 50 percent and also needs to contain 14 to 18 percent butterfat. This gives it a creamy texture and full-bodied taste. Super-premium ice cream can also be made richer by incorporating an egg custard base.
Regular ice cream is less dense than premium. It has 10 to 11 percent butterfat and 90 to 100 percent overrun. Regular ice cream is usually sold in standard flavors. Premium and super-premium ice creams come in basic and more complex flavors. Super-premium ice cream is usually sold in smaller containers and costs more than economy ice cream.
