The importance of fat in ice cream

The fats in ice cream mainly come from:

• milk
• cream
• cocoa
• egg yolk

But it is important to know that your couverture also contains fats (cocoa butter/milk fats in whole milk powder). 

The 3 main features of fats in ice cream:

1. Creating a firm body
2. Producing a creamy texture
3. Realising a velvety mouthfeel

Too much fat will make your ice cream too greasy, too consistent and warm to the palate. Too little fat will result in non-creamy ice cream that is cold to the palate. 

The main functions of fats:

• Create structure: fats cr ystallise at cold temperature and therefore affect the texture of your ice cream, making it soft, creamy, delicate and shiny. Note: fats play an impor tant roll during the churning phase at – 5°C, because they prevent ice cr ystals from expanding.
• Act as a stabiliser: fats have the ability to form air bubbles and infuse the ice cream mixture with them by reducing the sur face tension between air and water.
• Convey flavour: fats absorb and retain the aromas in your ice cream mixture.