Improved ice cream stabilizer

I discussed the importance of stabilizers in my Tools and Techniques of Making Ice Cream series of posts. Xanthan gum is a common choice by home ice cream makers, but it’s not an ideal one. It’s a very effective ingredient, but gives the ice cream an unnatural gummy texture. In fact, it’s such a strong thickener that it’s very easy to add too little or too much.

There are many different kinds of additives that can be used as an ice cream stabilizer. I found a product from Dixie Diner’s Club called Thick-It-Up Low Carb Food Thickener that contains a mix of common thickeners: locust bean, (and/or tara), guar, acacia, and xanthan gums. I tried it out in a couple batches of ice cream and it works well. I’ve found that ½ teaspoon per quart provides stability without affecting the texture.