Introduction
Most of my recipes use some kind of stabilizers. I get a lot of questions what I use and what can be used instead.
When a recipe just includes the ingredient Stabilizer I have usually used a commercial stabilizer blend.
Sometimes I have noted the exact stabilizers or blend I have used.
If you don’t have the stabilizers I use don’t worry. There are plenty of alternatives.
First you can simply skip adding stabilizers at all. This might affect the quality of the ice cream a little but if you don’t intend to store the ice cream or take it in and out of the freezer multiple times you will be fine.
The second option is to replace it with what you have available or can easily source.
I always give the weight of the stabilizer I used. If you replace it you might have to use some other weight. If you use a commercial blend check the instructions on the package. Also one tip is to start at the low end of the recommended dosage.
Anyway here are some stabilizer options. You will find more info for each stabilizer below.
All recommendations are for a 1000g mix.
When using gums you need to get a high precision scale. They are quite cheap and can be found on Amazon for example.
You want to look for something like a jewelry pocket scale 0-500g with a 0.01g accuracy.
Tip! When adding individual stabilizers aim for 0.25% of the water weight as a good start (approx 0.12% of total weight)
Tip! When adding stabilizers you must always mix them with the sugar and/or other dry ingredients before adding them to the liquid. When adding you must also whisk vigorously or even better use a blender or a stick blender.
Gelatin
This is a great stabilizer and it is readily available. Use one sheet or 2g.
Gelatin + Xanthan gum
Xanthan gum is also available in most stores. Use 1g gelatin and 0.3g Xanthan. Be careful when measuring Xanthan, too much and the ice cream will get a slimy texture.
Locust Bean Gum (LBG)
This is one of the best stabilizers to reduce ice crystal size and protect against the heat-thaw cycle. If you only want to use one stabilizer this is a good candidate. Use approx 1g.
Tara gum
It’s like a mix between LBG and Guar. Can replace a LBG+Guar mix 1 to 1. Use at 1-3g.
Guar Gum
Another good stabilizer that gives the ice cream body. Not as good as LBG to suppress ice crystals. Use 0.5g-1g if used alone. Too much and the ice cream will become chewy.
LBG+Guar
This is a good blend use 0.8g LBG + 0.4g Guar.
LBG+Guar+Lambda Carrageenan
This is a very good general blend. LBG for ice crystals, Guar for body and L-Carrageenan for a smooth melt.
Use 0.8g LBG + 0.4g Guar + 0.2g L-Carrageenan. L-Carrageenan helps with what is called wheying off. This is when water separates from the ice cream when it melts. So, L-Carrageenan gives a smoother melt.
For mixes that is not heated
If the mix is not heated you need to use stabilizers that hydrates cold. If you blend your own stabilizers you can use Guar and Xanthan and L-Carrageenan but not LBG. Another stabilizer is Carboxymethyl Cellulose or CMC.
CMC+Guar+L-Carrageenan
Try 0.8g CMC + 0.65g Guar + 0.3g L-Carrageenan
Neutro
This post is about stabilizers but in some texts when you read stabilizers what it actually means is a mix of stabilizers and emulsifiers. Usually you will see recipes asking for 5g stabilizer and then they usually mean a blend. The industry name is Neutro. Normally the Emulsifier to Stabilizer ratio is 60:40, so 60% emulsifier and 40% stabilizer.
For all the stabilizers and stabilizer blends above you can just add an emulsifier to make a Neutro and you usually do this for egg-less ice cream and gelato. You can use Lecithin or Mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids for example
Here is an example of a cold process Neutro.
0.80g Carboxymethyl Cellulose
0.65g Guar gum
0.30g Lambda Carrageenan
3.25g Mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids E471
Stabilizers in Ice Cream
Stabilizers are hydrocolloids, which means that when they disperse into a liquid they bind to the water molecules, thereby reducing their movement. The primary purposes for using stabilizers in ice cream are.
• Make the ice cream smoother by reducing the size of the ice crystals.
• Increase mix viscosity.
• Resist temperature fluctuations.
• Control shape retention during melting.
• Control shrinkage.
• Control wheying off.
• Help suspend flavouring particles.
• Prolong storage time.
Guar gum (E412)
The guar or cluster bean, with the botanical name Cyamopsis tetragonoloba, is an annual legume. It is also known as gavar, gawar, or guvar bean. It has been grown in India and Pakistan for centuries.
• Hydrates cold.
• Adds body and viscosity.
• Provides heat-shock resistance.
Locust bean gum (LBG, Carob bean gum) (E410)
Locust bean gum is obtained from the beans of the tree Ceratonia siliqua, grown mostly in the Mediterranean area.
• Must be heated to 85C/185F for full hydration.
• One of the best to reduces ice crystal size.
• Adds medium viscosity.
• Adds superior heat-shock resistance.
• Does not produce any taste or flavor-masking properties.
Tara gum (E417)
Tara gum is obtained from the seeds of the Caesalpinia Spinosum pod.
• Partly cold soluble but needs to be heated to 80C/176F for full hydration.
• Like a mix between LBG and Guar.
• Does not create any wheying off like LBG so can be used without adding carrageenan.
• Does not produce any taste or flavor-masking properties.
Carrageenan (E407)
This stabilizer was originally derived from red algae called Chondus crispus. The major sources of this gum are now the two tropical red seaweeds, Eucheuma cottonii and E. spinosum.
• Mainly used to control wheying off.
• Hydrates cold.
Xanthan gum (E415)
This bacterial exopolysaccharide is obtained by the growth of Xanthomonas campestris in culture. Its blend with guar gum and/or locust bean gum makes an effective stabilizer for ice cream, ice milk, sherbet, and water ices.
• Hydrates cold.
• PH resistant.
• Easy to get hold of.
• Not the best at ice crystal suppression.
Gelatin (E441)
A common stabilizer before the introduction of gums. Made from animal collagen.
• Hydrates at 50C/122F.
• Very good ice crystal suppression.
• Requires long aging time to fully hydrate.
• Easy to get hold of.
Sodium Carboxymethyl Cellulose CMC (E466)
This chemically modified natural gum is a linear, long-chain, water-soluble, and anionic polysaccharide. CMC forms weak gels by itself but gels well in combination with carrageenan, locust bean gum, or guar gum.
• Hydrates cold.
• Adds body and chewiness.
• Very good ice crystal suppression.
Corn starch
Info needed…(I never use starches)
Tapioca starch
Info needed…(I never use starches)
How many tea spoons of stabiliser goes into a 2 litre mix of ice cream.
When you work with gums you need to get a precision scale and weigh the stabilizers.
And how much you need depends on the recipe, I usually use 0.25% of the water weight.
If you have a commercial stabilizer look at the recommendations on the package.
Hi. Im currently have GMS ,CMC and carrageenan in my kitchen. How much in your opinion, should i use if i want to make popsicle type icecream?
What do you think of agar agar and pectin as stabilizers? In Türkiye, we use grinded orchid seeds-salep- which gives the best textrure to an ice cream but it hydrates in hot and changes the aroma a bit.
Have not used them, checkout this link for some more info.
https://www.dreamscoops.com/ice-cream-science/using-stabilizers-ice-cream/
Thank you so much for the great information!
where can I purchase Cremodan 500 Cold?
I have been scouring the internet, with no luck 🙁
Thank you in advance,
Vicki
Hmmm…I don’t really know. Don’t use it so much anymore as I make my own blends.
But, you don’t need that exact brand. Google for any stabilizer for cold process.
Hello, which stabilizer would you recommend for popsicle milk base and water base and measurements. Thank you
I’m not sure really. You could try with the normal recommendations and adjust up/down if needed.
For water based here is a link you can checkout.
https://www.palsgaard.com/en/solutions/ice-cream/ice-lollies