24 MINUTE READ
The Breville BCI600XL Smart Scoop Ice Cream Maker, available from amazon*, is a domestic ice cream machine with an in-built freezing system. After a month of testing, I’ve found that it produces excellent ice cream that is smooth and creamy. It has an optimum capacity of 700 ml (0.74 quart) of mix, producing about 900 ml (0.95 quart) of ice cream with about 29% air in 34 minutes. In a taste test, however, I did find that it produced ice cream that wasn’t quite on a par with that produced by either the Cuisinart ICE-100* or the Whynter ICM-200LS*, with these two machines scoring higher for creaminess perception. My only complaint is that the dasher motor isn’t powerful enough to produce sufficient torque to continue mixing the ice cream until it has sufficiently hardened.
You can view the top selling ice cream machines on amazon by clicking here*.
You might also like to read:
Cuisinart ICE-100 Ice Cream and Gelato Maker – A Comprehensive Review
Lello 4080 Musso Lussino – A Comprehensive Review
Vanilla Ice Cream – Recipe
Why is corn syrup used in ice cream?
The role of fat in ice cream
Table of Contents
- 1. My Review Method
- 2. Ice Crystals in Ice Cream
- 3. Factors Affecting Nucleation, Growth, and Recrystallisation
- 4. Does the Breville BCI600XL Make Good Ice Cream?
- 5. General Questions
- 6. My only complaint
- 7. Summary
- 8. What The * Means
- 9. References
1. My Review Method
I’ve used a slightly unconventional method of review. Let me explain. The best ice creams in the world have a smooth and creamy texture. This texture, primarily associated with a high milk fat content, is also determined by the average size of the ice crystals: smooth and creamy ice cream requires the majority of ice crystals to be small. If many crystals are large, the ice cream will be perceived as being coarse or icy. Because ice crystal size is a critical factor in the development of smooth texture, I’ve discussed the key principles that underpin ice crystal formation and growth, and how these principles are affected by the features of the Breville BCI600XL Smart Scoop (known as the Sage by Heston Blumenthal BCI600UK here in the UK). By having an understanding of these key principles, I hope that you’ll be in a better position to evaluate this machine.
If you’re short on time, you can skip to the Summary of this review. If you’d like a nice long read, then sit back, grab yourself a hot cup of cocoa, and the enjoy this comprehensive review; it will take 24 minutes to read. 🙂
2. Ice Crystals in Ice Cream
Ice crystals range in size from about 1 to over 150 μm in diameter, with an average size of about 25 μm in commercial ice cream (1 2 3 4 5 6). Small ice crystals, around 10 to 20 µm in size, give ice cream its smooth and creamy texture, whereas larger ice crystals, greater than 50 μm, impart a grainy texture (5 7 8). To produce ice cream with the smallest possible ice crystals, it’s important to develop an understanding of ice formation (known as crystallisation) during the freezing of ice cream.
Ice cream is frozen in two stages, the first being a dynamic process where the mix is frozen in a scraped-surface freezer (SSF) (an ice cream machine) whilst being agitated by the rotating dasher, a mixing device with sharp scraper blades attached, to incorporate air, destabilise the fat, and form ice crystals. Upon exiting the SSF, the ice cream, at about -5°C to -6°C (23°F to 21.2°F) and with a consistency similar to soft-serve ice cream, undergoes static freezing where it is hardened in a freezer without agitation until the core reaches a specified temperature, usually -18°C (-0.4°F). Cook & Hartel9 argue that the dynamic freezing stage is arguably the most important step in creating ice cream because this is the only stage in which ice crystals are formed.
2.1 Nucleation
During dynamic freezing, the ice cream mix is added to the SSF at between 0°C and 4°C (32°F and 39.2°F). As the refrigerant absorbs the heat in the mix, a layer of water freezes to the cold barrel (the bowl in the case of the Breville BCI600XL) wall causing rapid nucleation (the birth of small ice crystals) (10). For smooth and creamy ice cream, it’s important to have a high rate of nucleation so as to form as many small ice crystals as possible (3). The more ice crystals that are formed during dynamic freezing, the more will be preserved during static freezing, resulting in a smaller average crystal size and smoother texture (9).
2.2 Growth and Recrystallisation
The crystals that form at the cold barrel wall are then scraped off by the rotating scraper blades and dispersed into the centre of the barrel, where warmer mix temperatures cause some crystals to melt and others to grow and undergo recrystallisation. Recrystallisation is defined as “any change in number, size, shape… of crystals” (11) and basically involves small crystals disappearing, large crystals growing, and crystals fusing together. The greater the extent of growth and recrystallisation in the centre of the barrel, the larger the ice crystals will be. Russell et al.12 found that crystallisation during the freezing of ice cream is dominated by recrystallisation and growth and that these mechanisms appear to be more important than nucleation in determining the final crystal population.
3. Factors Affecting Nucleation, Growth, and Recrystallisation
3.1 The Scraper Blades
Nucleation is affected by the rate of heat transfer from the mix to the cold freezer barrel, with a high rate of heat transfer promoting a high rate of nucleation (3 13). Because heat travels more slowly through ice than stainless steel, ice build up on the freezer barrel wall acts as an insulator and lowers the rate of heat transfer.
Keeping the scraper blades sharp and close to the barrel wall helps promote a high rate of heat transfer by scraping off any ice that forms at the barrel wall (13). Ben Lakhdar et al.14 found that a large gap between the scraper blades and the barrel wall slowed heat transfer. This was attributed to a permanent ice layer, which forms between the blades and the wall only when the gap is high enough (3mm). When the gap is 1mm, the ice layer is not strong enough and is periodically removed from the wall.
Does the Breville BCI600XL leave a gap between the scraper blades and the bowl wall?
The Breville BCI600XL comes with a plastic dasher that has 2 protruding plastic arms, one longer than the other. These two arms act as scraper blades by scraping off the ice that forms at the bowl wall and dispersing it into the centre. I’ve found that when fitted onto the central pin inside the bowl, the longer arm leaves a gap of 2mm at its closest point to the wall, increasing to 3mm as it curves away from the wall, and the smaller arm a 3mm gap. This results in a 2mm-3mm layer of ice freezing to the bowl wall, which lowers the rate of heat transfer.
3.2 Air In Ice Cream
The amount of air incorporated into a mix during dynamic freezing (referred to as the overrun) affects the size of the ice crystals, with slightly larger ice crystals observed at a lower overrun (15 16). Flores and Goff17 suggested that overrun below 50% does not influence ice crystal size, but the amount of air cells at 70% overrun is just enough to prevent collisions among ice crystals, which can result in an increase in crystal size. Sofjan & Hartel6 found that increasing the overrun in ice cream (from 80% to 100% or 120%) led to the formation of smaller ice crystals, although the effect was relatively small.
How much air does the Breville BCI600XL whip into ice cream?
Goff & Hartel13 note that standard ice cream has between 100 and 120% air (yes, 120% air!), premium between 60 and 90%, and superpremium 25 to 50%. The dasher in the BCI600XL rotates at a relatively low 55 revolutions per minute (rpm), compared to typical speeds of 100-200 rpm in commercial machines, producing ‘superpremium’ ice cream with about 29% air. The BCI600XL incorporates more air than the Cuisinart ICE-100 (25%) and the Whynter ICM-200LS (10%), resulting in ice cream that is slightly lighter and airier.
Does the Breville BCI600XL make gelato?
Yes, the Breville BCI600XL does make gelato. All domestic ice cream machines are capable of making gelato. Let me explain. Italian-style ice cream is referred to as gelato, the Italian word for ice cream. There are, however, significant differences between traditional gelato and regular ice cream: gelato is typically lower in milk fat (4-8% in gelato, 10-18% in ice cream), total solids (36-43% in gelato, 36->40% in ice cream), and air (20-40% in gelato, 25-120% in ice cream) but higher in sugar (up to 25% in gelato, 14-22% in ice cream) (13). Gelato also tends to be softer, more pliable and stickier than ice cream, and is served at warmer temperatures. Because the Breville BCI600XL incorporates about 29% air into the mix, well within the typical 20-40% range for gelato, as long as you use a good gelato recipe, it will happily produce gelato.
I’ve tried the Pistachio Gelato recipe in the instruction manual, which you can read here, but sadly haven’t been able to get positive results. The recipe yielded 600 ml (0.63 quart) of gelato mix, producing 700 ml (0.74) of extremely coarse and icey gelato with about 17% air in 50 minutes.
3.3 The Freezer Barrel Wall Temperature
Decreasing the temperature at the freezer barrel wall causes higher ice crystal nucleation rates and reduces recrystallisation in the centre of the barrel, which helps ice crystals remain small. (8 12). Cook & Hartel18 simulated ice cream freezing in an ice cream machine by freezing ice cream mix in a thin layer on a microscope cold stage. The temperature at which the ice cream mix was frozen on the cold stage varied from -7°C, -10°C, -15°C, and -20°C (19°F, 14°F, 5°F, and -4°F). The researchers found that warmer freezing temperatures gave more elongated and slightly larger crystals with a wider size distribution.
To promote the formation of smaller ice crystals, the temperature of the refrigerant should fall within the range of -23°C to -29°C (-10°F to -20°F) (13), with the freezer barrel wall temperature estimated to be a few degrees warmer.
How cold does the bowl get?
I’ve found that the R134A refrigerant in the BCI600XL is able to get the bowl wall temperature down to around -28°C (-18.4°F) when empty. This I achieved by leaving the machine running for 15 minutes before I added the ice cream mix.
How much ice cream does the Breville BCI600XL make?
The Breville BCI600XL has a removable 1.5 quart anodised aluminium freezer bowl. The instruction manual, available by clicking here, states ‘due to aeration of ingredients do not exceed 3½ cups (828 ml or 0.87 quarts) of liquid ingredients.’ I’ve found that although it’s able to freeze 800 ml (0.85 quarts) of ice cream mix, producing about 950 ml (1 quart) of ice cream with about 20% air in 30 minutes, the increased load puts more stress on the dasher motor, causing the dasher to stop rotating before before the mix has hardened sufficiently. This results in runny ice cream that isn’t as smooth and creamy as when 700 ml (0.85 quart) of mix is frozen. my advice would therefore be to freeze no more than 700 ml (0.85 quart) of ice cream mix for optimum results.
3.4 Draw Temperature
The draw temperature is the temperature at which ice cream is removed from the barrel once dynamic freezing is complete. In commercial machines, this is usually -5°C to -6°C (23°F to 21.2°F) (13). Draw temperature significantly influences mean ice crystal size because it determines how much water is frozen during dynamic freezing and, consequently, how many ice crystals are formed. Decreasing the draw temperature results in more water being frozen and increased ice crystal content (19). The more ice crystals that are formed during dynamic freezing, the more will be preserved during static freezing, resulting in a smaller average crystal size and smoother texture (9).
Drewett & Hartel8 showed that ice crystals were larger at draw temperatures from -3°C to -6°C (26.6°F to 21.2°F). When the draw temperatures were colder than -6°C (21.2°F), the mean ice crystal size decreased.
Low Temperature Extrusion
Bolliger20 and Windhab et al.21 investigated the influence of Low Temperature Extrusion (LTE) freezing of ice cream, where ice cream exiting the SSF at -5°C to -6°C (23°F to 21.2°F) is frozen further to about -13°C to -15°C (8.6°F to 5°F) in an extruder with slowly rotating screws, on the ice crystal size in comparison to conventional draw temperatures. It was shown that the mean ice crystal size was reduced by a factor of 2 by means of the LTE process compared to conventional freezing. Sensorial properties like consistency, melting behaviour, coldness, and scoopability also showed clearly improved values (21).
Besides the ice crystal size, the size and distribution of air cells and fat globules are of primary importance, especially on the sensorial aspect of creaminess. To obtain creamier ice cream, it’s important to generate ice crystals, air cells, and fat globule aggregates as small as possible (22). LTE helps to prevent air bubbles from coming together, thereby retaining the smallest size distribution (7). Air Bubbles in the 10-15 μm range have been reported in LTE frozen ice cream, compared to conventionally frozen ice cream samples with bubbles in the 40-70 μm range (23). LTE also helps to reduce the size of agglomerated fat globules compared to conventionally frozen ice cream (24 25).
LTE generally promotes enhanced fat destabilisation, which is partially responsible for slow melting and good shape retention (23). Fat destabilisation in LTE treated ice cream can be twice that achieved during the conventional freezing process (26). Because of smaller air bubbles and fat globule aggregates, as well as a higher degree of fat destabilisation, LTE ice cream is evaluated creamier than conventionally produced ice cream (22).
How do you know when the ice cream is done?
In line with the beneficial effects of LTE freezing on ice cream texture reported above, I’ve found that ice cream extracted from domestic ice cream machines at draw temperatures of -10°C (14°F) or lower is perceived smoother and creamier than that extracted at conventional draw temperatures of around -6°C (21.2°F). To measure draw temperature, I use a cheap infra-red thermometer*.
The one complaint I have about the Breville BCI600XL is that the dasher motor isn’t able to produce sufficient torque to continue agitating the mix to a draw temperature of -10°C (14°F). When the ice cream reaches -9°C (15.8°F), the hardened ice cream causes the dasher to stop rotating, resulting in a decreased ice crystal content and, ultimately, larger ice crystals.
12 hardness settings
The Breville BCI600XL has both a manual and an auto mode. The auto mode has 4 different settings – sorbet, frozen yogurt, gelato, and ice cream – each having 3 hardness options designed to switch the compressor and dasher off once a set consistency has been achieved. I’ve tried both the ice cream and the gelato setting, both on the hardest of the three options, and have to say that I’ve found both redundant. Both settings just keep the compressor and dasher running until the very end of the freezing cycle (a few seconds after the ice cream or gelato hardens and prevents the dasher from rotating), at which point the compressor and dasher motor are switched off. I don’t see much value in a feature that switches the machine off when I can quite clearly see, by virtue of the dasher stopping, when to do this myself, especially if this feature increases the cost of the machine.
3.5 Residence Time
Residence time, which refers to the length of time ice cream spends in the barrel and takes to reach its draw temperature, has a significant effect on the final ice crystal size distribution, with shorter residence times producing ice creams with smaller ice crystals due to a decline in recrystallisation (4 8 9 12 13). Longer residence times mean that ice cream spends more time in the bulk zone of the barrel where warmer temperatures cause rapid recrystallisation. Donhowe & Hartel1 measured a recrystallisation rate at -5°C (23°F) of 42 μm/day. At this rate, a size increase of around 8 μm would be expected over a 10 minute period. This matches almost exactly the increase in crystal size observed by Russell et al.12 at a slightly different temperature of -4°C (24.8°F).
A high rate of heat transfer and colder barrel wall temperatures contribute significantly to shorter residence times. Lower barrel wall temperatures lower the bulk temperature of the ice cream faster, reducing residence time and improving the ice crystal size distribution (8 12). Investigating the effect of draw temperature, dasher speed, and residence time on ice crystal size, Drewett & Hartel8 concluded that residence time had the greatest impact on final crystal size distribution, followed by drawing temperature and dasher speed.
How long does it take to freeze a batch of ice cream?
I’ve found that it takes 34 minutes to freeze 700 ml (0.74 quart) of ice cream mix to a draw temperature of -9°C (15.8°F). This compares to 25 minutes for 800 ml (0.85 quart) of ice cream mix to be frozen to a draw temperature of -10°C (14°F) in the Cuisinart ICE-100, and 27 minutes for 1000 ml (1.06 quart) of ice cream mix to be frozen to a draw temperature of -10°C (14°F) in the Whynter ICM-200LS.
TIP #1
Switch the compressor on and leave it running for 15-20 minutes before you add your mix. This will ensure that the barrel is as cold as possible when the mix is added, which will promote higher rates of nucleation, reduce recrystallisation, and reduce the residence time. I’ve found that the residence time increases by 1 minute and 45 seconds when I don’t pre-freeze the barrel for 20 minutes before adding my mix. You can use the ‘Pre Cool’ setting on the BCI600XL for this.
4. Does the Breville BCI600XL Make Good Ice Cream?
Yes I’ve found that the BCI600XL does make smooth and creamy ice cream that is comparable to gelato or ‘superpremium’ ice cream. I get consistently smooth and creamy results with my own recipe, an example of which you can see in my Vanilla Ice Cream Recipe, and have also gotten good results with the basic vanilla ice cream recipe in the instruction manual, which you can read here.
How does the Breville BCI600XL compare to the Cuisinart ICE-100 and the Whynter ICM-200LS?
In a taste test to compare the texture of ice cream produced by the BCI600XL to that produced by the Cuisinart ICE-100* and the Whynter ICM-200LS*, I found that although the BCI600XL produced smooth and creamy ice cream, it wasn’t quite on a par with that produced by the other two machines: both the ICE-100 and the ICM-200LS produced ice cream that was denser and perceived to be creamier, with the ICE-100 scoring the highest for creaminess perception.
5. General Questions
What are the dimensions, Weight, and Voltage?
The BCI600XL comes in an impressive stainless steel finish. It’s a relatively small machine, weighing 14.5 kg (32 pounds) and measuring 41 cm (16.2″) in length, 26.7 cm (10.5″) in width, and 26 cm (10.2″) in height. I’ve found it very easy to move from the bottom shelf of my stainless steel table, where it’s stored, and onto the table top for use. Here in the UK, it runs on 230v 50Hz and operates at 148 watts (+/- 10 watts) when empty and up to 288 watts when full. In the US, it’s 110/120v 60Hz.
Is it Noisy?
No not at all. I’ve found it very quiet during freezing and haven’t had any problems sitting in the same room with it on. It produces about 73 dB of noise during freezing, measured from about 15 cm (5.9″) from the front of the machine. I haven’t had any problems with the dasher squeaking as it rotates, or the drive mechanism making grinding noises.
Is it easy to clean?
Yes the removable 1.5 quart anodised aluminium freezer bowl is very easy to clean with some warm soapy water; it’s not dishwasher safe. Cleaning the bowl and dasher takes me no more than a few minutes.
What is the Warranty?
Here in the UK, the BCI600XL has a 2-year manufacturers’ warranty, whilst you guys in the US only seem to get a 1-year warranty. This is shorter than the 5-year manufacturers’ warranty we get here in the UK, 3-year warranty in the US, with the Cuisinart ICE-100.
6. My only complaint
As I’ve previously mentioned, my only complaint is that the dasher motor isn’t able to produce sufficient torque to continue agitating the mix to a draw temperature of -10°C (14°F), the optimum draw temperature I’ve found for homemade ice cream. When the ice cream reaches -9°C (15.8°F), the hardened ice cream causes the dasher to stop rotating, resulting in less water being frozen, a decreased ice crystal content, and, ultimately, larger ice crystals. Both the Cuisinart ICE-100 and the Whynter ICM-200LS are able to continue agitating ice cream to a draw temperature of -10°C (14°F).
Some reviewers on amazon have noted a loud grinding noise, similar to gears grinding in a car’s transmission, and a plastic/electrical smell coming from the machine. I haven’t experienced either of these problems with my BCI600XL but my guess is that both are a result of too much stress being placed on the relatively weak dasher motor.
7. Summary
In the one month that I’ve been testing this machine, I’ve found that the the Breville BCI600XL, available from amazon*, produces excellent ice cream that is smooth and creamy. It has an optimum capacity of 700 ml (0.74 quart) of ice cream mix, producing about 900 ml (0.95 quart) of ice cream with about 29% air in 34 minutes, is quiet, easy to move, and easy to clean. My only complaint is that the dasher motor isn’t powerful enough to produce sufficient torque to continue agitating the mix to an optimum draw temperature of -10°C (14°F). Instead, the dasher stops rotating when the ice cream reaches -9°C (15.8°F), resulting in less water being froze, fewer ice crystals, and, ultimately, the formation of larger ice crystals. I also found the gelato and ice cream auto settings redundant.
Although the BCI600XL does produce smooth and creamy ice cream, I did find that it wasn’t quite on a par with the ice cream produced by the Cuisinart ICE-100* and the Whynter ICM-200LS* when compared in a taste test: these two machines produced ice cream that was denser, chewier, and perceived to be creamier. If I had to recommend one of the three, it would be the Cuisinart ICE-100 simply because it was rated the highest in my taste test.
8. What The * Means
Transparency is key. On that note, I haven’t been paid to write this review, nor was I given this machine for free. I paid for this bad boy with my own money and have written this review in my own time. If there is a * after a link, it means that I will earn a payment if you go through it and make a purchase on amazon. This doesn’t increase the cost of what you purchase, nor do these links influence what I write, ever.
9. References
1. Donhowe, D. P., and Hartel, R. W., 1996. Recrystallization of ice during bulk storage of ice cream. Int Dairy J. 6(11–12):1209–21.
2. Hagiwara, T., and Hartel, R. W. 1996. Effect of sweetener, stabilizer, and storage temperature on ice recrystallization in ice cream. J Dairy Sci. 79(5):735–44.
3. Hartel, R. W., 1996. Ice crystallisation during the manufacture of ice cream. Trends in Food Science & Technology. 7(10).
4. Koxholt, M., Eisenmann, B., and Hinrichs, J., 2000. Effect of process parameters on the structure of ice cream. Bur Dairy Mag. 1:27-30.
5. Marshall, R. T., Goff, H. D., and Hartel R. W., 2003. Ice cream (6th ed). New York: Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers.
6. Sofjan, R., P., and Hartel, R. W., 2004. Effects of overrun on structural and physical characteristics of ice cream. International Dairy Journal. 14, 255-262.
7. Eisner, M. D., Wildmoser, H., and Windhab, E. J., 2005. Air cell microstructuring in a high-viscous ice cream matrix. Colloids Surf A. 263(1–3). 390–9.
8. Drewett, E. M., and Hartel, R. W., 2007. Ice crystallisation in a scraped surface freezer. Journal of Food Engineering. 78(3).
9. Cook, K. L. K., and Hartel, R. W., 2010. Mechanisms of Ice Crystallisation in Ice Cream Production. Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety. 9(2).
10. Hartel, R. W., 2001. Crystallisation in foods. Gaithersburg, MD: Aspen Publishers.
11. Fennema, O. R., Powrie, W. D., Marth, E. H., 1973. Low Temperature Preservation of Foods and living Matter. USA: Marcel Dekker, Inc.
12. Russell, A. B., Cheney, P. E., and Wantling, S. D., 1999. Influence of freezing conditions on ice crystallisation in ice cream. Journal of Food Engineering. 29.
13. Goff, H. D., and Hartel R. W., 2013. Ice Cream. Seventh Edition. New York Springer.
14. Ben Lakhdar, M., Cerecero, R., Alvarez, G., Guilpart, J., Flick, D., and Lallemand, A., 2005. Heat transfer with freezing in a scraped surface heat exchanger. Applied Thermal Engineering. 25(1), 45–60.
15. Arbuckle, W. S., 1977. Ice cream (3rd ed.). Connecticut: Avi Publisher Company.
16. Flores, A. A., and Goff, H. D., 1999. Recrystallization in ice cream after constant and cycling temperature storage conditions as affected by stabilizers. Journal of Dairy Science. 82, 1408–1415.
17. Flores, A. A., and Goff, H. D., 1999. Ice crystal size distributions in dynamically frozen model solutions and ice cream as affected by stabilizers. Journal of Dairy Science. 82. 1399–1407.
18. Cook, K. L. K., and Hartel, R. W., 2011. Effect of freezing temperature and warming rate on dendrite break-up when freezing ice cream mix. International Dairy Journal. 21(6).
19. Caillet, A., Cogne, C., Andrieu, J., Laurent, P., and Rivoire, A., 2003. Characterization of ice cream structure by direct optical microscopy. Influence of freezing parameters. Lebensm Wiss U Technol. 36:743–749.
20. Bolliger, S., 1996. Freeze structuring in food systems under mechanical energy input. Dissertation no. 11914, Department of Food Science, ETH, ZuK rich, Switzerland.
21. Windhab, E. J., Wildmoser, H. et al., 2001. Production en continu de crème glacée, Revue Genèrale Du FROID, 1011. 49-54.
22. Wildmoser, H., Scheiwiller, J., and Windhab, E. J., 2004. Impact of disperse microstructure on rheology and quality aspects of ice cream. Food Sci. Technol. 37:881–891.
23. Bolliger, S., Kornbrust, B., Goff, H. D., Tharp, B. W., and Windhab, E. J., 2000. Influence of emulsifiers on ice cream produced by conventional freezing and low-temperature extrusion processing. Int. Dairy J. 10:497–504.
24. Windhab, E., and Bolliger, S., 1998. Low temperature ice-cream extrusion technology and related ice cream properties. European Dairy Magazine, 10, p.24-28.
25. Windhab, E. J., and Bolliger, S., 1998. New developments in ice-cream freezing technology and related on-line measuring techniques. In W. Buchheim, Ice cream (p. 112-130). Special Issue 9803, Brussels, Belgium: International Dairy Federation.
26. Soukoulis, C., and Fisk, I., 2016. Innovative Ingredients and Emerging Technologies for Controlling Ice Recrystallization, Texture, and Structure Stability in Frozen Dairy Desserts: A Review, Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, 56:15, 2543-2559.
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Thank you for the serious review! I just picked up a used Breville as a gift from relatives Who used it a few times then put it in storage. It gets cold, but only down to around 15 degrees F. I suspect it has hasn’t always been stored upright and lost some refrigerant. Do you know how I can check & refill if necessary ?
Thanks!
Chad
Hey Chad,
Thanks for getting in touch and apologies for the late reply. Good to hear you went with the Breville. The Breville has a closed refrigerant system so you shouldn’t need to refill it. My advice would be to store it upright for 24 hours to let the refrigerant settle. If the bowl then still doesn’t get colder than 15°F, I’d recommend getting in a refrigeration engineer to have a look at whether any of the refrigerant has leaked out. I don’t know how to do this myself, sorry.
I hope that helps. Let me know if you have any other questions.
All the best,
Ruben
I have the Breville and frankly I think I’d make better ice cream by screaming at my starter than running it through this device. The dasher sits too far from the edge of the container which means it isn’t doing a good job scraping the sides. When the inevitable buildup happens on the walls of the container, the weak motor is incapable of pushing through it and the machine stops much too early, long before enough it gets cold enough or the air is incorporated. Horribly disappointing at that price point with a brand that tends to perform so well.
Hi there Steven!
Thanks for reaching out. Your comment made me chuckle so thanks for that 🙂 Yes I completely agree with you that the motor is too weak. Saying that, I did find that the Breville still made ok ice cream, although it is no way worth the price. Space in the market for someone to bring out a decent domestic ice cream machine I say.
All the best,
Ruben
Hi, Ruben
Is there any better ice-cream maker than this one? What could you recommend for the best quality of ice-cream possible?
Thank you.
Alex
Hi there Alex!
Thanks for getting in touch! I’d recommend having a look at the Cuisinart ICE-100 for a better machine in the same price range; this would be my preference out of the Breville BCI600 and the Whynter ICM-200LS. You could also have a look at the Lello 5030 if you have a bit more to invest.
I hope that helps. Let me know if you need a hand.
All the best,
Ruben
Hi,
This machine is also good for Gelato?
I’m not sure between this machine to Cuisinart ICE-100..
Thank you.
Hi there Tom!
Yes, all domestic machines are able to make gelato because of their relatively low dasher speeds, which result in low overrun. My preference would be for the ICE-100 because of the price and because it makes a better quality product. It also incorporates less air into the mix than the Breville (about 15%, depending on mix composition, compared to about 30% overrun in the Breville), which may be more important to you if you’re making gelato (gelato tends to have far less air incorporated than ice cream).
I hope that helps. Let me know if you have any other questions.
All the best,
Ruben 🙂
Thank you very much 🙂
🙂
Hi Ruben! I’m trying to decide between getting the Breville Smart Scoop and the Whynter ICM-200LS. I was wondering if you could give me some advice on which one I should purchase? Thank you!
-Daniella
Hi there Daniella!
Thanks for getting in touch! Is the amount of ice cream you freeze per batch important to you? The Whynter ICM-200LS has an optimum capacity of between 900 ml (0.95 quarts) and 1000 ml (1.06 quarts), producing about 950 ml (1.00 quarts) and 1100 ml (1.16 quarts) of ice cream respectively. The Breville has a smaller optimum capacity of about 700 ml (0.74 quarts), producing about 900 ml (0.95 quarts) of ice cream. The Breville incorporates a little bit more air into the mix, about 30% compared to about 10% with the Whynter, which makes the ice cream just a little more airy and lighter. My preference would probably be for the Whynter because of the slightly larger capacity, the shorter freezing time, the larger freezer bowl that makes extracting the ice cream easier, and because it’s nearly $100 cheaper; I think the Breville is really overpriced. Have you looked at the Cuisinart ICE-100? That would probably be my preference out of the three.
Hope that helps. Let me know if you have any other questions and good luck with whichever machine you go with!
All the best,
Ruben
Hello,
my name and Silvio ,
I live in Brazil , I bought an ice cream machine Breville smart scoop ,
but so far could not use , I am struggling to make
the temperature drops to -10C or less.
could let me use this beginning of the machine.
hug.
Hi there Silvio!
Ola to you in sunny Brazil! Is your Breville working now? Have you tried switching it on and leaving it running for 15 minutes before you add the mix?
Let me know if you have any problems.
All the best,
Ruben
Hello Ruben,
I have a strange question, under your prep tips you mention:
5.1. PASTEURIZATION, If you’re running a business and making ice cream to sell, you need to ensure that you are in compliance with food safety legislation…. is this processed required when using already pasteurized milk or just when using fresh milk?? Thanks, Veronica
Hi again Veronica!
Yes when selling ice cream pasteurisation is also required where the milk or cream have previously been pasteurised. This is because the dry ingredients, sugar and skimmed milk powder, and the egg yolks will also need to be pasteurised.
Hope that helps.
All the best,
Ruben
Hi Ruben,
Like yourself I am OBSESSED with making great Gelato.
I am purchasing the smart scoop ice cream maker and I am extremely excited
I noticed you saying the ‘automatic gelato’ setting wasn’t great. However, you did say that the manual settings worked brilliantly. So, if i am going to make a delicious dense gelato product. How do I do this with the machine manually. Please list the manual settings for temperature, the time it takes and any buttons I need to click in order to produce great gelato.
Keep up the Fantastic Work!!
Hi there Guy!
Thanks for getting in touch! Good to hear you went with the Breville. By the manual settings I mean leaving the machine churning until you are confident that the gelato or ice cream is at a nice stiff, dry, and gummy consistency. The automatic setting switches the machine off too soon I find, which leaves you with a product that is still quite wet and icy.
The time it will take for you to freeze a batch will depend on the recipe you use. If you try my vanilla bean recipe – http://icecreamscience.com/vanilla-bean-ice-cream-recipe/ – it should take around 42 minutes. You need to keep the machine churning until you get a stiff, dry looking gelato that sticks firmly to the dasher.
I’ll hopefully be putting up some new videos on the blog in the new year to help people judge when their ice cream is ready.
I hope that helps. Let me know if you have any other questions and good luck with your Breville.
All the best,
Ruben
Hi Ruben,
Thank you for the in-depth response,
After working with the machine 3 tries now.
I found out that the texture you were talking about can be a bit “runny”, so I used your advice and left it in longer. I found the “pre cool” function works great too. However, I have 2 concerns with this machine.
1 – It took SO long, for the machine to reach the consistency. I made my own recipe of “mint chip gelato”
Simply had fresh mint, whole milk, cream, sugar, skim milk powder, dextrose and dark chocolate (for the chocolate chips. I made it like usual and kept in fridge for a few hours. I put it in the machine at 4 degrees, after pre cool was working and the machine reached -30 degrees. It took so long, everything was in place.
e.g – compresser was attached correctly. Everything was done correctly.
It took 1hr and 26 mins to make a 700g batch.
I once used the Cuisinart 100 ICE and it took 25 mins. I found the texture and consistently great. But the time taken very disappointing. Do you know why this happened?
2 – Secondly, I am unsure on how to use the “keep cool” setting. Once reached my desired consistency. Do I press “start” and then keep cool. Or turn the machine off, and then on, and then just press keep cool. Or something else,
Thanks so much for the great work!
Sorry to disturb you with a large comment but I am just a bit concerned as it was an expensive machine
And I hope it will start to make the gelato a bit “quicker”
All the best,
Guy
Hi again Guy!
Wow, 1hr and 26 minutes is indeed a very long time! Sounds like the water content in your recipe is too high. Try increasing the total solids content by increasing either the fat, skim milk powder, or sugar. I’ve found that for smooth and creamy texture, the total solids content in homemade ice cream should be around 49%. Have you tried any of my recipes? If not, try the vanilla bean ice cream recipe http://icecreamscience.com/vanilla-bean-ice-cream-recipe/ and see if that makes a difference to your freezing time.
I haven’t actually used the keep cool setting myself because the longer ice cream stays in the machine, the larger the ice crystals are likely to grow and the sandier the texture is likely to be. I would recommend removing the ice cream from the machine and getting it into your freezer as quickly as possible to preserve the small ice crystals that are formed when you churn your mix in the machine.
I hope that answers both your questions. Let me know how you get along if you do give one of my recipes a go.
Merry Christmas to you!
Ruben
Hi Ruben,
I will definitely try out your vanilla bean ice cream recipe. I would just like to share you the recipe I used, so you can tell me if there is a problem with something.
This is the recipe I used for fresh mint gelato.
The end product was delicious but as I previously said, it took too long.
INGREDIENTS
1 bunch mint, (15 stems with leaves)
650g milk
120g cream
145g sugar
45g skim milk powder
35g dextrose
METHOD
Infusing
Wash the mint and pick off the leaves. Put the leaves in a food processor with the milk and cream and blitz until the leaves are finely chopped, then transfer to an airtight container and place in the fridge overnight to allow the flavours to infuse.
Strain the milk, cream and blended mint mixture into a bowl, leaving some of the mint in for effect, but not too much. The milk mixture should have taken on a pale green colour.
Mixing
Put the mint-infused milk and cream in a double boiler over a medium heat.
Put all the powders in a bowl and mix until combined. When the milk and cream hit 40°C, whisk in the powders and bring the mixture up to 65°C. Keep the mixture at 65°C for 30 minutes, whisking every 5 minutes.
Transfer the mixture to a stainless steel bowl and place in an ice bath; chill to 40°C. Cover tightly with foil and put in the freezer, stirring every 10 minutes or so until the mixture drops to 4°C, then place in the fridge and let it age for 4 hours.
Churning
Turn on your gelato maker so it begins the freezing process.
Using a stick blender, blend the mixture for 1 minute, then pour into the gelato maker.
Once the mixture reaches –4°C, scoop out the gelato and transfer to a pre-cooled stainless steel bowl, cover tightly and immediately place in the freezer.
Serving
The gelato should be served within 2 to 3 hours after placing it in the freezer, or when it reaches –12°C. If it goes below –15°C or is left in the freezer overnight, the texture will be compromised.
PROFESSIONAL
INGREDIENTS
as above
METHOD
Infusing
Wash the mint and pick off the leaves. Put the leaves in a food processor with the milk and cream and blitz until the leaves are finely chopped, then transfer to an airtight container and place in the fridge overnight to allow the flavours to infuse.
Strain the milk, cream and blended mint mixture into a bowl, leaving some of the mint in for effect, but not too much. The milk mixture should have taken on a pale green colour.
Mixing. Let the mixture age for 4 hours at 4°C.
Put in gelato/ice cream machine
Hi again Guy!
Happy new year to you! I’m probably not the best person to ask about gelato as I haven’t yet tried making any myself. It does look like the fat content is very low, which I’m guessing is causing a sandy texture. Do you know what the percentage of water in your mix is? A water content greater than around 50% is also likely to lead to sandy texture.
65°C sounds a bit low for me and I would recommend going up to around 72°C to try and promote reversible protein unfolding, which contributes significantly to smooth and creamy texture. I’d also recommend leaving your mix to age in your freezer overnight before you churn it instead of 4 hours.
I hope those answers help. Again I’m not the best person to ask about gelato.
Did you end up trying the vanilla ice cream recipe?
All the best,
Ruben
Hi Ruben,
I purchased this machine a month ago and I’m still experimenting with gelato. Thanks for the great tips that I will be using, like pre-cooling for 15 minutes and set on manual. One of the issues I’m having is that my gelato melts too quickly after serving. What’s the reason for that?
Thanks,
Veronica
Hi there Veronica!
Thanks for getting in touch! That’s a great question and I keep meaning to write a post on ice cream melt down. There are quite a few things that affect the rate at which ice cream melts. High total solids, low overrun (incorporated air), low emulsifier, not ageing your mix after you’ve heated it, and I think protein also plays a role but can’t remember what. Which recipes are you using? I’d recommend using more egg yolks, or egg yolks if you aren’t currently using them, in your recipe as these have similar effects to added emulsifiers. I’d also recommend leaving your ice cream in your Breville for an extra 5-10 minutes to incorporate more air. I wouldn’t recommend reducing your total solids content as this will more than likely result in coarse or icy texture.
I should hopefully have something up on the blog on ice cream melt down within the next few weeks, which I hope will help!
I hope that reply helps. Let me know if you have any other questions and please do let me know how you get on with your Breville.
All the best,
Ruben
Hi Ruben,
Thank you for your prompt response. Actually, I’m trying to perfect (close to) gelato without eggs, since there’s less air in the gelato, it will have a low overrun, which that’s a good sign. Instead of the eggs, I use cornstarch, about 3 tablespoons, with 3 cups of milk, 3/4 cups of sugar and 1/2 cup of chocolate (or a fruit puree). As soon as you scoop some out to a dish, melt down starts almost immediately. I’m looking for a simple way to make gelato with the Breville but with fresh ingredients to sell at our pizza shop. I didn’t realize all the science behind it until I started to research on line, learned a lot of very interesting stuff. I haven’t tried to pre-cool the unit for 15 minutes though, maybe this might help, but I think it has to do with the ingredients mix base. Can’t wait till your write up on melt down. So happy to have found your blog and hope continues success to you with your ice cream business.
Hi again Veronica!
Have you had a look at the Jeni’s Splendind Ice Creams recipe book? She doesn’t use egg yolks in her recipes, which you might find useful. Also have a look at section 2.6 Homogenisation in my post on partial coalescence. You might find heating your mix in two separate batches and then combining before freeing in your Breville beneficial, although time consuming, if you’re not using emulsifier or egg yolks.
Hope that helps. All the best,
Ruben
I will try all of the above this weekend. Thanks RUBEN. Have a great day
This reply is for Veronica…. You should try the recipes in Gelato Messina, The Recipes, by Nick Palumbo. Gelato Messina is a very popular Gelato chain in Australia (I think they have stores in China and USA NOW)It contains Gelato recipes without egg. The recipes mainly use sugar, maltodextrin, dextrose which are available from health food stores, online, home brew shops etc. they also use stabilisers (5grams per kg, I use 3grams/kg). The book says you can leave the stabilisers out for at home if consuming soon after churning, however they do improve texture, melt resistance, freeze / thaw protection etc. Some stabilisers aren’t as bad as the reputation they have, some are just gums from vegetables.
In the recipe books in gelato Messina. It has a professional and domestic section. Should I heat my mix to 85 degrees or 65 and hold for 35 or other.
I usually just follow the domestic instructions… So it’s mostly heat to 65c then hold for 30mins… Some of the sorbet recipes require heat to 65 then ice bath right away. I guess you could heat to 85 and cool as per the professional instructions but I have got really good results just following the domestic instructions…
The reply regarding heating my mix is to Jason.
Thanks Jason and Guy, excited to take a look at Messina’s recipes and start experimenting!!!
Ignore steps where it says “professional” and downwards
Hi Guy, looks like you are using the mint gelato recipe from the Gelato Messina The Recipes book, it’s a great book. From my experience the instructions for the recipe are fine. Over churning can cause a slightly gritty texture pulling the mixture at -4C (actual mix temp, not what the machine says) and hardening in the freezer helps. I notice you have left the stabiliser out as it says you can earlier in the book. The stabiliser significantly thickens the mixture and may result in less time being needed in the machine.
One thing regarding using stabilisers as per the Gelato Messina Recipes… 5 grams is what the recipes state but I think it really depends on the stabiliser blend you are using, you can use less I found 5 grams resulted in an overly gummy gelato so I think 3.5 grams is right for what I have. It’s not a synthetic product, it’s made up of vegetable gum/s and animal fats.
I usually just follow the domestic instructions… So it’s mostly heat to 65c then hold for 30mins… Some of the sorbet recipes require heat to 65 then ice bath right away. I guess you could heat to 85 and cool as per the professional instructions but I have got really good results just following the domestic instructions…
You have made a very nice analysis of the most important ice cream makers, congratulations for the methodology you developed.
Could you comment on the relative quality of the final product for the in-built compressor machines that you classified as good (Breville BCI600XL vs Lello 5030 vs Cuisinart 100)? Or is it that they are all of the same quality?
Hi Nelson!
Good to hear from you. The Breville BCI600CL and the Cuisinart ICE-100 both make excellent ice cream that is smooth, creamy, and dense and that is identical in quality. If choosing between these two, I would probably go with the ICE-100 simply because it is cheaper and the freezer bowl on the Breville makes emptying the ice cream a bit tricky.
The 5030 makes ice cream that is ever so slightly smoother, a very very small difference, than the Breville and Cuisinart simply because its powerful compressor only takes around 12 minutes to freeze a 1000g batch, compared to the 40 minutes it takes the ICE-100 and 30 minutes it takes the Breville. Again, the difference in quality is a very very small.
I can’t stress enough though that it is the recipe and technique that you use that will determine the quality of the ice cream. You can have the best and most expensive machine in the world but you will still get coarse texture if you don’t use a good recipe and technique. I still use my Cuisinart ICE-30, that is the cheapest machine I have, as it makes excellent ice cream that is comparable to the Breviile, the ICE-100, and even the Lello 5030. It all depends on your recipe and technique.
I hope that helps. Let me know if you have any more questions.
All the best, Ruben
Oh I forgot to say, but that recipe I used in the above post also had 2 ripe bananas in it, which I guess increased the solids a bit as I tried another one today, without the cacao and bananas and replacing the water for macadamia milk I made using a cup of raw macadamias and 4 cups water. I soaked the macadamias overnight and then rinsed and blended with the water the next day it came out to 5.5 cups all up, and I used 400 ml in the mix… this was a bit much I think, and without the solids of cacao and bananas it didn’t seem to thicken up nearly as well…
I think I will toast the nuts next time also to bring out some stronger flavors… I am at the stage of this AIP diet where I am reintroducing foods… it is sort of like an elimination diet to find out what foods you can tolerate and what ones cause you issues… The good news is macadamias are in!! and so is Ghee!!
Scotty
Ruben,
Brilliant review mate…. I too struggle with getting the ice cream out… and have had issues with the ice build up round the edges of the bowl. Interesting point you make about the speed of whipping and the density of the ice cream. I guess the ultimate ice cream maker would have a variable speed, spring loaded dasher with silicon edged blades… lolll we should design one!!
The last batch I made was very dense. I have found I can tolerate Ghee (clarified butter), so in the last batch I used 75g of clarified butter, 1 can full cream coconut milk, 350 ml water, 1/3 cup cacao, 6 fresh dates, 1tspn vanilla and 3tbsps of coconut syrup. I put this on 71 degrees, (but the stove is all over the place you really need to watch it all the time… I need to get a hotplate with thermo probe… more on that in your stirrer page) and stirred for 60 mins… by the time 60 mins was up it was really quite thick and creamy.. then I put in ice bath and aged it over night I churned it up the next day and it was amazing in texture… very dense and creamy… no iceyness at all… and after freezing for 24hrs it was actually scoopable!!! Finally I cracked it… first batch I have made that has not set rock hard!!
Also this batch did not freeze to the sides of the bowl while churning hardly at all….
Another interesting thing I came across was this device: http://www.nutbuttergrinder.com/
It is a stone grinder… they have a demo vid on the page…I reckon it would do a great job on coconut meat…. (and nuts for that matter)…. I can only imagine what shipping would be UPS costs so much to Australia….
Keep up the good work mate.
Scotty