Your ice cream should be hard but soft enough to be easily scooped and enjoyed by the customers. Too hard ice cream means it has lost its taste, which means spoiled inventory. So, if your ice cream is rock hard, you should investigate to learn why this is happening. You may need to check your recipe and ice cream making practices and also the ice cream display freezer. For the latter, consult commercial refrigerators repair services. Below are some causes of this problem.
Causing Of Ice Cream Getting Too Hard
Incorrect Temperature Settings
The temperature of your ice cream display freezer should be optimum to ensure the ice cream is ready to be scooped and served to customers. If the temperature is set too low, the ice cream will get too hard. In other words, the temperature settings of the ice cream freezer should be for serving, not for storing. Storage temperatures are lower so the ice cream gets hard and doesn’t stay scoopable.
Usually, the ideal temperature for a display ice cream freezer is 10°F to 5°F (-12°C to -15°C). And for storage, the temperatures can be set to as low as 0°F or -18°C. Therefore, check the temperature settings first to ensure they are set at the serving temperature.
If the temperature setting is correct, a few ice cream freezer problems can also cause fluctuations in temperatures and other issues that can lead to frozen solid ice cream. They will be discussed later in this guide.
Low Fat Or Low Sugar Contents In The Ice Cream
The recipe of the ice cream also impacts its texture, obviously. Low fat or sugar contents in the ice cream will allow more water, which will ice up and the ice cream will get too hard to be scooped or eaten.
This happens because sugar and fat don’t freeze like water. And when they are in sufficient quantities, the ice cream remains smooth and soft and doesn’t get rock solid.
So, if the ice cream freezer is fine and the temperature settings are ideal, you should check your ice cream recipe. It should have 10% to 16% fat and 14% to 20% sugar. Moreover, to make your ice cream softer, you can also use invert sugar or honey, if they don’t negatively impact the desired taste and texture of your ice cream.
Using A Deep Freezer
A common mistake many small businesses make is using a deep freezer for gelato and dairy ice cream. This will freeze the ice cream because freezers are for storing ice cream. To keep your ice cream at serving temperatures, use a commercial ice cream display freezer and set the correct temperature.
Not Softening Ice Cream
An essential practice in storing and serving ice cream is the process of softening the ice cream. When you take out ice cream from the storage freezer, you have to allow it to soften for a few minutes before putting it in the ice cream display freezer or service freezer. The exact time period depends on the volume of the ice cream. You just have to keep it at room temperature for the instructed amount of time.
If this important step is skipped or not performed properly, the ice cream may stay too hard even in the ice cream freezer and may be difficult to scoop.
Thermostat Problems
The thermostat is the controller and detector of the ice cream freezer temperatures. If it malfunctions, the temperatures won’t stay consistent or the freezer will be too cold or too warm. If it’s too cold, the ice cream will get too firm and if it stays too warm, the ice cream will melt and drip. Usually, mechanical thermostats fail gradually while electronic thermostats suddenly stop working.
Sometimes, ice builds up on the temperature probe or sensor, keeping it from detecting the correct temperature. This can make the freezer think that the set temperature hasn’t been achieved even when it is. So, it keeps running the compressor and cooling the freezer. Due to this, the ice cream goes from soft and creamy to rock hard. So, consult a commercial freezer repair Fairfax Station expert to inspect the ice cream display freezer and replace the thermostat or temperature probe if faulty.
Keep in mind that a thermostat could be fine, and only miscalibrated. This also creates the same problem, however, you don’t need to replace the thermostat, as recalibration can fix it. Make sure it’s performed by an expert.
Defrost Problems
Modern ice cream display freezers have an auto defrost feature that removes ice from the evaporator coils and the interior of the unit. It triggers periodically on its own. But if it fails to work, there will be issues like crystals forming on the ice cream or the ice cream getting rock hard.
If there are uneven temperatures, the compressor runs non-stop, water leakage, unusual noises, or frost buildup on evaporator coils, the defrost feature may not be working. You can manually defrost the ice cream freezer, but for fixing the problem permanently, consult an expert.
Poor Airflow
Ice cream freezers have vents inside that allow sufficient airflow to keep the temperature cool and even throughout the freezer. If they are blocked or the ice cream freezer is overloaded with products, there can be cooling or airflow problems.
Due to this, some areas or ice cream pans will receive more airflow, while others won’t receive enough. The ice cream freezer will struggle to keep the interior cool while some ice creams may get frozen or get too firm.
So, check the vents and make sure the interior is clean and the pans or tubs are not blocking them. Moreover, refer to the manual to learn how much ice cream you can safely keep in the ice cream display freezer at a time. Plus, clean your ice cream freezer regularly to keep it working smoothly.
Refrigerant Issues
Refrigerant is called gas or Freon that plays a part in the cooling process in ice cream freezers. If its levels are low or if the freezer is overcharged with refrigerant, it can create issues, one of them is the ice cream getting hard.
In case of low refrigerant, the compressor works more than normal to push the limited refrigerant in the coils. So, the compressor runs for longer periods. This can cause ice buildup on evaporator coils. They are inside the ice cream freezer. Due to this, some parts of the ice cream freezer may get colder, as there will be uneven cooling. This can make the ice cream rock hard.
Overcharging can also lead to problems. The major difference is that refrigerant levels can take a dip over time due to a leakage, while overcharging is only possible if a freezer technician incorrectly overcharges the unit during maintenance or service.
Regardless of the fact, if the ice cream freezer is overcharged or undercharged, and you think that refrigerant problems are causing the ice cream to get hard, consult an expert.
Conclusion
Various issues can make the ice cream rock hard. There can be incorrect temperature settings, ice cream recipe flaws, or ice cream freezer issues. So, if your ice cream recipe and storage practices are correct, hire an ice cream freezer repair Clifton expert who can inspect the freezer.
