History

The exact origins of ice cream are unknown. Ice cream has been known to exist since second century B.C., with no known inventor being credited for its invention. Ice cream was known to be eaten only by royalty and nobles. It wasn't until 1660 that ice cream was made available to the general public in Europe. The first documented account of ice cream in the US was from a letter written in 1744.

US Introduction

Ice cream remained rare in the United States until 1800, most commonly being consumed by the wealthy and powerful. Many US presidents, such as George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, who enjoyed his own personal recipie. It wasn't until 1851 that ice cream manufacturing became an industry. A Baltimore milk dealer named Jacob Fussell pioneered the production of ice cream. US ice cream production increased because of technological innovations, such as steam power, and mechanical refrigeration. Today, frozen dairy annual production in the United States is more than 1.6 billion gallons.

How Its Made

Ice cream today is made from a blend of dairy products (condensed milk, cream, butterfat), sugar, and flavorings, and additives. Federal regualtions demand that each package of ice cream must contain at least 10% butterfat. Most ice cream is made from a vanilla base. Vanilla is a great base because of its natural rich flavor, and because it can adapt to other flavors. Chocolate, for example, can be added to vanilla ice cream to create a richer flavor. Additives include emulsifiers and stabilizers. These are used to prevent heat shock and the formation of ice crystals during the production process.

How to Make Ice Cream

It is easy (and a great science experiment) to make ice cream at home. Milk, sugar, and your favourite syrups, ice, and undustrial salt is all you need. Mix in milk, sugar, and flavouring syrups(ex. chocolate, straberry syrup) into a air tight bag. Fill a larger bag with chunks of ice and salt, and place the mixing bag into the ice bag, and seal. Now, SHAKE IT. Shake the bag, pass it around, throw it. Keep shaking the bag for around 10 minutes. The salt causes the ice to drop more in temperature, allowing for the thickening of your mixture. Once the mixture has solidified, open the ice bag, remove the mixing bag, and enjoy!!!