What Are the Most Popular Gelato Flavors?
Having a gelato maker opens up all sorts of options for flavors that you can offer your customers. Are you wondering what possibilities you have available to you when you’re serving gelato? Check out the list below for some ideas to inspire you.
What Are the Most Popular Flavors to Serve with a Gelato Maker?
Lemon
The sweet, citrusy flavor of lemon gelato makes it the perfect refreshing treat for any occasion. With a sharp tart flavor that cuts through the creamy sweetness, this type of gelato has a dynamic flavor that is sure to become an instant favorite.
Dark Chocolate
Just about everyone loves chocolate, so it’s no surprise that dark chocolate gelato is such a wildly popular option. The rich and decadent flavor that every bite of this flavor packs will give anyone who tastes it a luxurious experience.
Strawberry
Fruity freshness makes strawberry gelato another classic choice that people love. The taste of berries has a vibe that immediately puts anyone in a summer state of mind, but this flavor is delicious enough to be worth sampling year-round. Try combining strawberry with other fruit flavors to create a unique mash-up that your customers are sure to love.
Pistachio
We’re nuts for the delicious flavor that pistachio gelato gives you. The subtle nuttiness that gives this flavor its unique characteristic sets it apart from any other options. This type of gelato is one of the mainstays of traditional gelato, giving you a taste of gelato history with every bite you take.
Tiramisu
When you combine coffee flavors with the cool, refreshing taste of gelato, the result is something that you’ll want to enjoy again and again. The combination of sweet and bitter flavors that this variety of gelato creates is sure to make it a popular choice, especially among all the coffee lovers out there.
Raspberry
Another fresh flavor that will delight your taste buds, raspberry gelato has the perfect mix of tart and sweet flavors to put a smile on your face. Another advantage of this flavor is how well it pairs with other flavors, making the perfect addition to chocolate, vanilla, or other fruit-flavored gelatos.
Hazelnut
Another nutty gelato flavor that is sure to be wildly popular, hazelnut is a classic that any gelato shop should offer. The exceptionally rich flavor that hazelnut gives you makes this flavor the perfect palette cleanser to follow you meal up with.
Pineapple-Coconut
Take your palette on a tropical getaway when you get a taste of pineapple-coconut gelato. While it may not be an old-fashioned, traditional flavor of gelato, this unique flavor can give your gelato menu something special. The sweet combination of flavor notes that pineapple and coconut create will create a delicious symphony with every bite you take.
With so many great possibilities for gelato options out there, the only thing you need is the proper equipment to create these delicious desserts. We can help you out with that side of things. Contact our team at ADI Electro Freeze, and we’ll set you up with high-quality frozen dessert equipment to use!
What’s the Difference Between Soft Serve and Regular Ice Cream?
Ice cream lovers typically have one or more favorite flavors, textures, and products. For many, that favorite ice cream product is soft-serve ice cream. Soft serve and regular ice cream are not the same, not only regarding how they’re served but in how they’re made, frozen, and stored.
What Is the Difference Between Soft-Serve Ice Cream and Regular Ice Cream?
Soft serve is a special type of frozen dessert that’s lighter, airier, and lacks the same density of regular ice cream. It requires a unique freezing process to give it its soft, smooth texture.
A specialty machine designed to produce soft serve works by adding more air to the product during the freezing process to prevent the final product from having the density and hardness of regular ice cream. The machine provides constant cooling and allows for the immediate dispensing of soft serve in different colors and flavors.
A Difference in Texture, Taste, and Ingredients
Regular ice cream is typically made with 20% cream and 10% milk. While this ratio may vary slightly between products, regular ice cream always has a higher percentage of milk fat than soft serve and is produced at a lower temperature. Ice cream is served directly from a container, while soft serve requires a machine for automatic and smooth delivery.
Serving ice cream requires some elbow, grease, and the right tools, especially if it is stored in extremely low temperatures, making it more difficult to scoop onto cones or in bowls.
The Benefit of a Quality Soft Serve Machine
A soft serve machine allows you to create and serve a quality soft serve product. At ADI Electro Freeze, we provide quality equipment that allows you to create and deliver exceptional soft serve to your customers. Our Gen-5400 Pressurized Freezer with VQM and our SLX-500 Gravity Twist Freezer with VQM are both slimline soft-serve machines that create a smooth, quality-tasting product every time.
Our machines are versatile, and depending on your choice, you can also use your machine to produce other frozen desserts, like yogurt and sorbet. You’ll be able to choose from a machine that produces pressurized, multiple-twist soft-serve flavors. Once you have a quality, soft-serve machine, you can easily produce a product that your customers will enjoy year-round.
Why Choose a Soft-Serve Machine?
If you are interested in adding a soft serve machine to your restaurant, college cafeteria, retirement village, hospital cafeteria, buffet, ice cream shop, or even your home, our soft serve freezers can make creating and serving this staple frozen dessert a simple and enjoyable process. These machines also allow for versatility, so you can offer more than just soft serve to your guests or patrons.
A soft-serve cone can make children and adults happier, even for a few minutes. If you want to add soft serve to your menu or facility, we can help. Contact us today at ADI Electro Freeze to learn more about our services, and specifically, our soft serve freezers that can create a smooth, consistent, and creamy product that everyone will love.
4 of the Best Frozen Desserts for Large Gatherings
Are you planning a big event and want just the right delicious way to cap it off? If so, invest in these best frozen desserts options.
4 of the Best Frozen Desserts for Large Gatherings
1. Soft Serve
Ice cream is a fixture of America’s love affair with desserts, but when soft serve was invented in the early 20th century, that love reached unprecedented heights. The secret to this smooth and ultra-creamy concoction is air, which is introduced during the freezing process. With a pre-mix of ingredients and air, restaurants, fairs, and other popular gathering places have successfully delivered soft serve in large quantities to a very receptive public.
Soft serve creation requires very specific temperature settings and air-introducing processes, though, which is why it’s not sold in stores and why it can only be made with specialized soft serve machines. Modern machines can definitely serve up the goods, however, in tasty and versatile versions. You can offer ice cream, yogurt, custard, and more in this form. Plus, twist and swirl technology enables an incredible infusion of different flavors.
2. Gelato
For an Italian flair, you cannot go wrong with classic gelato. This frozen dessert contains many of the same ingredients as ice cream. Yet the quantities of ingredients and methods used to combine them make this dessert a dense, rich, and very flavorful culinary experience. Flavors range from fruity to more traditional options like vanilla, chocolate, and nut varieties.
Batch freezers available in various sizes will help you keep any sized crowd coming back for seconds of these diverse desserts that can satisfy any palate.
3. Frozen Drinks
You can’t have a real party without beverages to quench that thirst. If they also happen to satisfy a few sweet tooths, all the better. Who doesn’t have fond memories, for example, of a mundane trip turning into an unexpected treat when an enticing mixture of ice, water, and sweet goodness is placed in your hands? When the slush drink was born, children and adults alike cheered, and profits soared.
With slush freezers, groups can gather and enjoy their favorite fruit, coffee, and more in enticing drinkable form. And with a shake freezer, you can whip up a ready batch of another childhood favorite that easily carries over into adulthood: the milkshake…or its cousin, the smoothie. For those adult-only gatherings, frozen cocktails (delivered via a countertop or high-capacity cocktail freezer) can be a surefire hit. With alcoholic beverages, just remember the golden rules: drink responsibly and in moderation.
4. Ice Cream and Water Ice
We all scream for ice cream, and with the aid of a dedicated design team, you can create an ice cream station for the masses. All you need is milk, cream, sweeteners, the right equipment and team, and a whole lot of imagination. For another sure crowd-pleaser, sweeten that pot with water, fruits, and an emerging favorite known as water ice.
You have the options, and now the choice is yours. Contact ADI Electro Freeze Ohio and consult with pros that will provide the help and tools you need to make any gathering a smashingly sweet success.
6 Tips for Making Non-Dairy Cold Desserts
Everybody loves a little something sweet now and then, which is why cold desserts are such a great offering for businesses to have for their customers. Non-dairy desserts from a frozen treat maker are one popular type to offer, available to anyone regardless of dietary restrictions. Here are some tips to keep in mind if you intend to offer this kind of dessert.
6 Tips for Making Non-Dairy Cold Desserts
1. Keep Your Menu Diverse
With practically any business venture, overspecialization hinders your ability to cater to the broadest possible audience. Instead of just focusing on one type of dessert, keep your options open so that you can draw in customers with all different tastes. Ices, slushes, and dairy-free smoothies are just some of the options you can offer.
2. Consider Dairy Substitutes
Non-dairy desserts have plenty of variety all on their own, but you can also replicate the flavors and qualities of dairy desserts using other substitutes. Almond milk, coconut milk, and other dairy substitutes can be great ingredients to add to your dessert selections. These can all replicate what dairy brings to a dish while remaining accessible to people with certain dietary restrictions.
3. Offer a Variety of Flavors
Everyone who you serve dessert to will have their own individual tastes and preferences. It’s important that you keep that in mind when deciding on the selection of desserts that you offer. One person’s favorite might be grape while another might like cherry, for example, so having options to cater to both tastes will ensure you don’t miss out on a sale due to flavor preferences.
4. Presentation Is Key
While flavor might be the first consideration in mind when making desserts, it’s important to make your food appeal to all the senses. They say that people eat with their eyes, so you want to make sure your food looks as good as it tastes. Little details like making the container your treats come in attractive can make a big difference in your customer satisfaction.
5. Don’t Be Afraid to Get Experimental
Breaking the mold and doing something unique is a great way to set the desserts you offer apart from what the competition has. Rather than offering the same old options for your customers, think outside the box to create something that is truly one-of-a-kind. Whether you take inspiration from existing desserts and put your own spin on things or come up with something completely off-the-wall, having unique offerings will take you far.
6. Use the Right Frozen Treat Maker
As with so many things, having the right tools and equipment on your side can make all the difference in making your desserts a success. Having a reliable treat maker for your frozen goods will give you the foundation for success. Investing in quality equipment will always be a better option than cutting corners that you’ll later need to make up for.
The equipment we offer will let you amaze your customers with the desserts you offer. Contact ADI Electro Freeze to learn more!
What Is the Difference Between an Ice Cream Maker and a Gelato Maker?
A great ice cream maker or gelato maker can make all the difference to your company. A quality frozen dessert starts with good ingredients, but it ends with a quality machine that produces a consistent, high-quality product at the speed you need to keep up with customer volume. If you’re looking for the best in ice cream or gelato machines, your first step should be to decide what you want to serve.
What Is the Difference Between an Ice Cream Maker and a Gelato Maker?
Ice Cream vs. Gelato
The first thing to know is the difference between these two creamy desserts. Gelato is of Italian origin, so when you’re speaking of Italian ice cream, that’s gelato. For Italians, the two terms are interchangeable.
However, if you’re talking about gelato vs American ice cream, which most people in America are, then you’re talking about two completely different products. American ice cream is lighter and has more air incorporated into it. Gelato is thicker, creamier, richer, and denser.
Different Ingredients
The first thing that makes a difference between these two products is the ingredients. Ice cream typically uses eggs, while gelato typically does not (though there are exceptions on both sides, depending on your recipe).
Another difference is the main base ingredient. Quality American ice cream uses a lot of cream while Italian recipes invariably call for just whole milk. This makes a big difference in texture, fat content, and calories.
The Real Difference: Mixing
Where gelato and ice cream really differ is in the way they are mixed up. In fact, if you use an ice cream recipe in a gelato machine, you’ll get a product that has a more gelato-like texture, though anyone with a discerning palate will be able to tell the difference. Be aware that it doesn’t work in the opposite direction, though. If you try to churn a gelato recipe the same way you churn ice cream, you’ll just get a mess.
Ice Cream Mixing
Regular American ice cream can be up to 50% air, and it’s the machine and the mixing that does this. This isn’t a mistake: the air is purposefully forced in during the process. This accomplishes two things. First, the extra air “fluffs” the liquid base and produces more quantity. Second, it gives the ice cream a light texture, which, for many people, is exactly what you want in a frozen dessert. Ice cream machines are pretty simple, really. They allow air into the ice cream simply by not keeping it out.
Gelato Mixing
Gelato, meanwhile, is churned in a way designed to keep the air from getting in. That’s what keeps it dense and rich. If you’ve ever mixed anything, you’re probably wondering how that can work. After all, the very act of mixing always involves air getting in, but gelato machines are specifically designed to avoid allowing much air in, and they also come with air-tight lids.
Which one is right for you? It depends on what you want to serve. For the best in quality gelato and ice cream machines, visit ADI Electro Freeze Ohio and check out our great options.
3 Risks of Using Low-Quality Frozen Dessert Machines
Producing top-quality soft-serve ice cream, gelato, sorbet, smoothies, and slushes is crucial if you want to run a successful frozen dessert shop. Avoiding low-quality frozen dessert machines and choosing only the best machine options is a great way to help you on the profitable path to sweet success.
3 Risks of Using Low-Quality Frozen Dessert Machines
1. Lost Profitability Due to Machine Limitations
Although it can be tempting to purchase a commercial frozen treat machine solely based on price, it’s a huge mistake. Cheaply made machines for frozen desserts aren’t a bargain because they typically have low-quality motors that are not powered to create products efficiently. The proper power output required is 208 – 230 volts, yet poor-quality machines may have a voltage of only 110 – 115, which isn’t productive enough to profit in the fast food industry.
Flavors Are Limited in Inferior Frozen Treat Machines
Another problem with low-quality frozen dessert equipment affecting profitability is that these low-powered machines can only provide one flavor. A few of these low-voltage options are designed to hold two flavors, and that’s a strong warning sign that they are significantly lacking in acceptable quality.
2. Lost Sales Because the Machine Can’t Handle Peak Service
Cheaply-manufactured frozen goody machines are usually made of too-thin metal, meaning faster breakage of refrigeration lines and other vital components. While even the highest quality frozen product machines will require replacement parts periodically, the low-quality versions will need much more frequent parts and repairs. This extra disruption in machine use may affect your availability in servicing customers.
Larger-Capacity Machines Create Better Profit
Another way in which low-quality frozen dessert equipment can’t handle peak service times – such as long line-ups on hot summer days – is that they can’t hold nearly as much product as high-quality machines. This means you won’t be able to keep up with customers in times of high demand since so much less product can be produced per hour with a low-quality machine than with a high-quality model.
3. Lost Repeat Customers Due to Inferior Products
Inferior Machines Require More Ingredients
Since low-quality frozen dessert equipment can’t provide the desirable airy product structure that the high-quality machines create, the difference in volume has to be made up by using more ingredients. The extra ingredient amounts will affect your profit margin, and you may even have to charge more for a less desirable product that will likely not warrant returning customers. This isn’t a formula likely to help your frozen dessert shop succeed!
For top-quality, dependable frozen dessert equipment designed to help you build customer satisfaction and loyalty, contact ADI Electro Freeze. We support your success skillfully with only the best machines for ice cream, frozen yogurt, gelato, specialty products, slushes, milkshakes, and more!
6 Frozen Fruit Desserts That Are Summertime Favorites
What’s the best way to cool off during the hot summer months? Frozen desserts made with fruit have got to be one of the best options. Combining icy cold refreshment with fruity flavors that people of all ages love, these desserts are a surefire summertime hit. Here are some possibilities for what you can make with a fruit soft serve ice cream maker and other supplies on your side.
6 Frozen Fruit Desserts That Are Summertime Favorites
1. Frozen Yogurt
Smooth and delicious frozen yogurt is one of the best ways to beat the heat in summer. The soft texture makes it a relaxing dessert to eat, while the versatility of this summertime favorite allows you to use all kinds of different flavors. Whether you serve it in a cone or in a cup, frozen yogurt is a guaranteed hit.
2. Gelato
Gelato is the Italian form of ice cream, and it comes with a different texture that people everywhere love. Like frozen yogurt, gelato can be made in just about any fruit flavor you can imagine. This colorful dessert is almost as pleasing to look at as it is to eat.
3. Milkshakes
While chocolate and vanilla milkshakes are tasty, incorporating fruit flavors brings this classic dessert to the next level. A strawberry milkshake, for one, is an all-time favorite dessert. You can also try out different fruit flavors to end up with more experimental and unique drink options.
4. Slushes
Want the refreshment of a frozen dessert in sippable form? A slush has what you’re looking for. Made from crushed up ice and served by the cup, these desserts can incorporate all kinds of different fruity flavors. You can even combine different flavors in the same drink to allow for practically unlimited flavor customization options.
5. Pie a la Mode
How can you make a delicious slice of pie even better? By adding some soft serve on top to make the flavor combination of all your sweetest dreams. While traditionally ‘a la mode’ style pies come with vanilla ice cream, you can get creative and use all kinds of different flavors in your dessert creation. You can even use a fruit ice cream to create whatever combination of flavors your imagination can come up with.
6. Fruit Sundae
If you want a dessert with a true ‘wow’ factor, try out a fruit sundae. You can combine different kinds of fruit ice cream all in the same bowl to create a premium dessert that is sure to impress anybody. Add some toppings like whipped cream or chocolate sauce to really take things up a notch. You can also add fresh fruit to compliment the fruity flavors of ice cream you’re using.
Make Frozen Desserts with a Fruit Soft Serve Ice Cream Maker
Offering these fun fruit desserts and more is possible when you have the right equipment on your side. We can help your dessert sales thrive by providing you with the best frozen fruit and gelato equipment that money can buy and so much more.
Interested in creating some of these frozen dessert favorites? Check out ADI Electro Freeze to get the right equipment to set you up for success!
How Do You Keep an Ice Cream Maker Working Smoothly?
Purchasing an ice cream maker is an investment, and therefore you want this equipment to function at its best capacity and work smoothly. To maintain any ice cream equipment, you need to follow a few basic steps. The five tips below will help you easily manage your ice cream equipment and it last longer.
Clean the Ice Cream Maker
Clean your equipment properly to keep it working at its best. You should clean the entire ice cream machine after every use, including the parts that move or touch the frozen ingredients. Some models come with removable parts, which make cleaning easier, but some require a bit more elbow grease. For a better result, always follow the manufacturer’s cleaning instructions.
Check If It Is Overheating
A jammed paddle, strained motor, or a damaged power cord can all lead to overheating equipment. If you suspect that your equipment is overheating, you can fix it yourself by changing your operating and cleaning habits. If your equipment continues to overheat, it may be a blown fuse. An overheated ice cream machine is a telltale sign of interrupted service, so be aware of your equipment’s temperature.
Avoid Pausing
You don’t want to accidentally pause your ice cream equipment. This can cause it to stop churning and start melting the ice cream. The compressor needs to be run for a certain amount of time before it can begin freezing again, so it’s best to avoid pausing it until you’ve finished churning your ice cream. Additionally, your machine might pause if there is a jammed paddle or dasher. Always double-check for equipment issues to avoid pausing.
Pre-Cooling
You must first pre-cool before you start using the equipment. This will help prevent bacteria from growing in dairy products, and it will keep your mix fresh during the production. This is also important when your equipment has a long inactive period between uses. Additionally, to keep your machine running efficiently, the mixing cylinder should have a high-quality seal. Make sure that the beaters are able to scrape the mix off the walls of the cylinder after it freezes.
Routinely Check if It Is Working Properly
In order to determine whether your equipment is functioning, look for the following symptoms. If the product has a different texture than the other products in your freezer, the mixing paddle may not churn out the ice cream properly. If this happens, you may want to replace the paddle or contact a technician to fix it. In some cases, your machine might be overloaded or the ice cream may not have the desired consistency.
We are sure these tips will help you preserve your ice cream equipment. However, with all these actionable tips, the best way to have your machines run smoothly is by using quality products. Stop by ADI Electro Freeze to see our quality ice cream and frozen dessert equipment. As the primary distributor of Electro Freeze equipment, we stand firm that our products produce the best soft-serve ice cream, water ice, gelato, smoothies, slushes, and homemade ice cream.
What Gives Soft-Serve Ice Cream Its Unique Texture?
What Gives Soft-Serve Ice Cream Its Unique Texture?
A High-Quality Soft-Serve Ice Cream Maker
Carefully Chosen Ingredients
An ingredient such as tetrasodium phosphate gives soft serve its smooth and even texture. Ingredients such as maltodextrin and carrageenan thicken the ice cream, while potassium phosphate helps prevent the ice cream from changing its texture and form in undesired ways over time. Also, while soft serve typically has less fat than its hard-packed counterpart, it still requires glycerides, such as monoglycerides and diglycerides, to bind its fatty and water-based ingredients together and maintain its structure.
The Right Amount of Air
There are many things that ice cream enthusiasts must consider when attempting to craft the perfect soft serve for their ice cream indulging pleasure. From finding the ideal ice cream maker to creating an effective combination of ingredients and introducing the right amount of air, ice cream must be made with care and precision. Reach out to ADI Electro Freeze to learn more about how an ice cream maker can help you make the perfect soft serve for your needs!
5 Tips for Maintaining a Soft Serve Ice Cream Machine
Soft serve ice cream is the ultimate summer dessert that’s always sure to draw a crowd. But few things disappoint a person like making the trip for a delicious cone of creamy soft serve only to discover that the machine is down. If your business uses soft serve machines, periods of downtime hurt your profits and your reputation, so you want to do everything you can to minimize them.
5 Tips for Maintaining a Soft Serve Ice Cream Machine
1. Start With the Best Equipment
Purchasing the highest quality equipment makes maintenance easier, and Electro Freeze equipment is unmatched. The father-son duo, H.C. Duke, created the first pressurized soft-serve freezer for Dairy Queen in 1946 before purchasing Electro Freeze in 1969 and expanding their market to other shops. For over 50 years, our equipment has made the best frozen desserts in the world!
2. Clean Regularly and Thoroughly
Your soft serve machine should be disassembled, cleaned, reassembled, and sanitized daily for the highest quality product and the longevity of the machine. Always consult your operating manual for the specifics of your machine, but the process is generally similar between devices.
Deactivate the machine and drain excess product before using cool water to rinse until the water runs clear. Detach and clean any moving parts, wipe all surfaces, and sanitize the machine. If your machine has a wash mode, be sure to activate it to prevent freezing water from causing damage.
3. Don’t Neglect the Condenser
The condenser carries heat away from the unit, and neglecting the condenser can result in a broken-down machine, especially on hot days, which tend to be some of the best days for ice cream sales. If your machine uses a water-cooled condenser, make sure it has cool, clean water. If its condenser is air-cooled, ensure the machine has proper clearance for good airflow.
Air-cooled condensers also have a condenser filter that needs to stay clean to properly disperse hot air. Check the filter periodically, and if it’s dirty, gently clean it with a brush, towel, or vacuum. Rinse it with warm water and let it dry before returning it to the machine.
4. Lubricate the Right Parts
Your operator’s manual will identify important moving parts that need to be lubricated. As part of your daily cleaning routine, make sure to use a food-grade lubricant on these parts before reassembly. This will keep your machine running smoothly and extend the life of its moving parts.
5. Keep a Stock of Important Replacement Parts
Frequently inspect the machine and replace any worn or damaged parts, keeping a stock of key components. Parts like O-rings, belts, gaskets, and scraper blades can wear out and put your machine out of commission temporarily. Neglecting gaskets and o-rings can lead to ice cream reaching the internal components of a machine and result in a permanent breakdown.
ADI Electro Freeze carries only top-quality brands and parts and our service can ensure minimal downtime for your machines. We have the greatest expertise in the midwest region.
Whether you’ve been in the soft serve business for years or you are looking to add a machine to your business, we have everything you need. We service and distribute electro freeze equipment, help set up stores and menus, and provide staff training. Contact ADI Electro Freeze today if you’re ready to sell the best-tasting soft serve product on the market.