Frozen custard is a cold dessert similar to ice cream, made with eggs in addition to cream and sugar.
In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration requires products marketed as frozen custard to contain at least 10 percent milkfat and 1.4 percent egg yolk solids. If it has fewer egg yolk solids, it is considered ice cream.[1] In the United Kingdom, frozen custard is not differentiated from other frozen desserts. Instead, if given a name other than frozen desserts they may be referred to as ice creams.[2]
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Similar to the longstanding competition between Pat's King of Steaks and Geno's Steaks, leading to the declaration of South Philly as the unofficial cheesesteak capital of the world, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is similarly considered the "Custard Capital of the World" with the equally long-standing competition between Kopp's (pronounced `Cops'), and Gilles (pronounced Gill-Ease)."[3]
Using a process called overrun, air is blended into the mixture of ingredients until its volume increases by approximately 20%. By comparison, ice cream may have an overrun as large as 100%, meaning half of the final product is composed of air. The high percentage of butterfat and egg yolk gives frozen custard a thick, creamy texture and a smoother consistency than ice cream. Frozen custard can be served at –8°C (18°F), warmer than the –12°C (10°F) at which ice cream is served, in order to make a soft serve product.
Another difference between commercially produced frozen custard and commercial ice cream is the way the custard is frozen. The mix enters a refrigerated tube and, as it freezes, blades scrape the product cream off the barrel walls. The now frozen custard is discharged directly into containers from which it can be served. The speed with which the product leaves the barrel minimizes the amount of air in the product but more importantly ensures that the ice crystals formed are very small.
Frozen custard is usually prepared fresh at the place of sale, rather than stored; however, it is occasionally available in supermarkets or by mail order. Generally, modern frozen custard stands provide only three different flavors per day: vanilla, chocolate, and a unique "flavor of the day." The older vintage custard stands tend to have a dozen or so standard flavors.