When an ice cream is very frozen it's hard to serve, and also hard to enjoy. You have surely come across ice creams in the freezer that look like rocks! To recover its creaminess and make it edible there are several methods that will be very useful to you.
The question to choose is "How much time do you have?" You can use several ways to soften it without compromising its texture and flavor, but when it comes to ice cream we recommend using those that take more time, so as not to abruptly break the cold cycle.
Here are great options, ordered from most to least recommended, but all effective:
- Move the ice cream to the fridge: if your ice cream is ultra-frozen and you want to have it after the meal, move the ice cream from the freezer to the fridge 1 hour or 30 minutes before dessert time. The temperature change will help so that, when you go to have it, it is softer and easier to serve.
- Let it sit at room temperature: take the ice cream out of the freezer and let it sit on the counter for about 10-15 minutes before serving. You will see that this gesture will allow it to soften enough to be easily served.
- Dip the stainless steel ice cream scoop in hot water for a few seconds before using it: you will see that the steel retains heat for those seconds to be able to penetrate the ice cream and serve it. Some people first use a knife: run a knife under the tap with hot water and make a few cuts in the ice cream container to help soften it, then use an ice cream scoop also passed under hot water to prepare the scoops. The heat will help cut the frozen ice cream more easily.
- Microwave use: Place the ice cream in the microwave and heat it at low power (about 30% power) in intervals of 10-15 seconds. Check it after each interval until it is soft enough. Do not use high power, as it could melt it too much. This method seems effective, but in reality it effectively melts the edges and surface, while the center will remain very hard. Nevertheless, it will help you soften it for serving.
- Use a hot water bath: Fill a large bowl with hot (not boiling) water. Place the ice cream container (make sure it is well sealed) in the bowl for 1-2 minutes. This will help soften the edges and make it easier to serve. The drawback of this method is the same as the previous one: the center will remain very hard, but it can help the ice cream gain some temperature and soften for serving.
I hope among these methods you find the solution to enjoy those very hard ice creams we have in the freezer. Undoubtedly, thawing them with time is best (options 1-2) but the quicker ones, combined with using a hot ice cream scoop, will let you recover those ice creams and enjoy them immediately.
Happy summer, happy ice cream!
