Types of Ice Cream

If you have taken a look around my site, you may have noticed that the majority of my ice cream recipes are made with some form of cow's milk (heavy cream, whole milk, skim milk) and sugar - no eggs.  I have chosen to make ice cream without eggs because I believe that good tasting, creamy ice cream can be made with milk and sugar.  And I think it is called ice cream for a reason.

In the United States, ice cream is divided into two basic categories:  Philadelphia-style (also called "New York" or "American") and French or custard style.  Philadelphia-style ice cream is made with milk, sugar, and flavoring while French-style has added eggs.  Gelato, the Italian word for ice cream, is a denser version of ice cream - this is because less air is churned into the ice cream base.  Gelato is sometimes made with eggs and sometimes without. 

Some people hesitate to make an egg-free ice cream because they are concerned that it will not be "creamy enough" or "it will get too icy."  But with the proper preparation and ratio between sugar, water, and fat, a Philadelphia-style ice cream can be just as decadent and delicious as a custard-style ice cream.

Fun Fact:  9% of all of the milk produced by dairy farmers in the US is used to produce ice cream.  Moo!!