GMS and CMC ratios in Ice Cream

Question

I was exploring a variety of online sources and I stumbled into the emulsifier Glycerol Monostearate (GMS). According to Wikipedia it is commonly used in ice cream to make its texture creamier.  I also noticed that it's commonly used with Carboxylmethyl Cellulose (CMC).

I have a Kitchen Aid ice cream maker accessory and one of common problems I have is that I feel like the overrun is very high and the ice cream is crunchy.  I wanted to try to address these issues with these additives.  Unfortunately, they're not mentioned in the Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream book. ;)  Information on the internet is relatively sparse as well.

Does anyone know the appropriate proportions for these ingredients in a French-style ice cream (with eggs)?

Corez · Accepted Answer

After some more research, I stumbled onto this post. The "standard ice cream" recipe linked from there uses 0.4% of a "stabilizer blend" (8g out of 1950g of ingredients).
GMS and CMC would fall into the stabilizers and emulsifiers category.  I used 7g of GMS and 1g of CMC, which seems to be a fairly common ratio in recipes using these ingredients.
The post itself says "standard" ice cream has 0 to 1% stabilizers and emulsifiers, which at least provides an upper bound:

One can very generally place ice cream formulas and their constituent components within the following ranges:
Milk Fat: 10–16%
Egg Yolk Solids: 0–2%
Nonfat Milk Solids: 9–12%
Sweeteners: 12–16%
Stabilizers and Emulsifiers: 0–1%
Water: 55–64%

The challenge is calculating the amounts of various components in the ingredients that are added.  I can say that I made delicious French Vanilla Ice Cream (with GMS and CMC) using that basic recipe  and the Kitchen Aid Ice Cream accessory.

Max · Answer

You do not need those additive for home-made ice cream; just practice some more or use a different recipe.

To answer your question: 
Those two additives are (mostly) used by commercial ice-cream makers either as a emulsifier (GMS) and thickener (CMC), i.e. instead of properly churning the custard at the proper temperature; and that will also help the ice-cream survive less than ideal storage conditions (will not melt at higher temperature).

There are recipes that can be google with GMS and CMC, and both additives are easily available for home-use.

Edit:

For example, one recipe (http://www.khanakhazana.com/recipes/view.aspx?id=589):

1 liter Milk
1 cup Sugar
3 tbsp Cornflour
2 tbsp GMS powder
1/4 tsp CMC Powder
vanilla essence 1/2 tsp, 
1 cup fresh cream
1/2 cup powdered sugar

After looking at the above recipe, it looks like the CMC and GMS more or less replaces the eggs (and custard)

Good luck with that.

Matt R. F · Answer

Use 0.3% of Glycerol Monostearate, it is plenty to stabilise the emulsion.
CMC is generaly used in quantity ranging from 0.05 to 0.15% in the ice cream industry.

Kenny · Answer

In general stabilizer would be used at .1-.5% (total mix 3000 grams x .005= 15 grams) and generally are used in a combination for reasons like: cost, availability, synergistic effect, and other.

pretty · Answer

I have used http://www.khanakhazana.com/recipes/view.aspx?id=589. It uses 2 tbsp GMC and 1 tsp CMC for a liter of milk. This is a gelato style recipe though it has cornstarch but no egg yolk. I got excellent results with it.

It turns out better if while cooling the base you keep stirring it, do not cool under cold air or cold water.

paulraphael · Answer

GMS will increase overrun, not decrease it. And there's really no point to using it unless you're making eggless ice cream. CMC is an effective stabilizer, but it's not the answer to your problem.

You'd have to post your recipe and procedure to give me a clue. I use the Kitchenaid machine, and can assure you that it can get as much or as little overrun as you want. It's the only consumer machine that's variable speed (this is huge). Between this, and your ability to adjust the formula, you should be able to go from very dense to very airy.

Ella · Answer

How high is the overrun? Then, GMS wouldn't help reduce it. But if your ice cream is icy 
it is because your ice crystal are too large, then CMC would help stabilise your ice cream.
Use maybe about 0.1-0.15% of your total weight for CMC then, 0.4-0.5% for the GMS.

If the ice cream is still icy, reduce your CMC as it also functions as a water retention agent .It would help also help if you add sweet whey powder as milk protein is known to help promote smaller ice crystals.

GMS and CMC ratios in Ice Cream

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