Automated Cycle 4: Freeze Dry Ice Cream with Frozen Food Mode

Have you ever dreamed of enjoying ice cream in winter without the chill? Imagine savoring warm ice cream that retains all its original flavors without any iciness. Let’s make that dream a reality with the Stay Fresh Freeze Dryer.

Today, we’ll focus on the "Frozen Food" mode to freeze-dry ice cream, transforming a summer favorite into a unique winter treat. The Frozen Food mode is ideal for freeze-drying ice cream directly, or for pre-freezing your food in a standard freezer to save time; this means the freeze dryer doesn’t need to lower the temperature of room temperature food. But for today's session, we are all about ice creams.

We recommend using ice cream with a high milk content for optimal results in freeze-drying. Ice creams that are rich in milk content tend to retain their shape better after the process and still taste like traditional ice cream. Conversely, ice creams with lower milk content may expand and take on a texture similar to candy, altering their taste to be more candy-like after freeze-drying.

Steps to Freeze-Dry Ice Cream Using Frozen Food Mode:

1. Prepare the Chamber: Ensure that the chamber and the drain line are completely dry before next step. 

2. Freeze the Trays: Place the trays onto the shelf. Activate the Frozen Food mode and press start to turn on the compressor, which pre-chills the trays in preparation for the ice cream. 

3. Connect the probe. Let's also connect the probe without hitting the 'probe in use' button, only to monitor the temperature inside the ice creams.

   

4. Arrange the Ice Cream: When the shelf temperature reaches around 0°F, quickly open the door and remove one tray at a time. Scoop your ice cream onto the tray using parchment paper or a silicone mat beneath the scoops to ease cleanup. Replace the trays quickly to minimize temperature gain.

5. Load Each Tray Individually: Continue adding ice cream to each tray, one by one, ensuring minimal exposure to ambient temperatures.

   

6. Start the Freeze-Drying Process: Once all trays are loaded, press the 'Food in Chamber' button to begin the automatic freeze-drying cycle. Make sure both the vacuum valve and the drain valve are closed securely.

Once the freeze-drying process is complete, you can enjoy your warm ice cream. We used larger scoops in this session to test the dryer's capacity. The Stay Fresh Freeze Dryer has demonstrated its ability to efficiently dry even large scoops, showcasing its capacity to handle significant portions effectively.

This method not only provides an innovative way to enjoy ice cream but also demonstrates the versatile capabilities of the freeze dryer in efficiently managing different types of food. Enjoy your warm, freeze-dried ice cream—a perfect treat for any season!