Frozen Custard vs Ice Cream: What’s the Difference?
One key ingredient sets these frozen sweet treats apart.
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By Layla Khoury-Hanold for Food Network Kitchen
Layla Khoury-Hanold is a contributor at Food Network.
Ice cream and frozen custard are both delicious, creamy, frosty desserts. But how does frozen custard differ from ice cream? Here’s everything you need to know to tell the difference between the two. Plus, get some of our best ice cream recipes.
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What Is Frozen Custard?
Frozen custard is a frozen dairy dessert made with milk, cream, sweetener and egg yolks.
Frozen custard also contains ingredients for sweetening and flavoring, such as extracts, fruit and chocolate. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), frozen custard must contain a minimum of 10 percent milkfat by weight and at least 1.4 percent egg yolks.
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What Is Ice Cream?
Ice cream is a frozen dairy dessert made with milk, cream and sweetener (usually sugar).
Ice cream can also contain additional ingredients for sweetness and flavor, such as extracts, fruit, nuts, chocolate or liqueurs. According to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) regulations, ice cream must contain at least 10 percent milkfat by weight. Most ice cream brands have between 14 and 25 percent. The more milkfat the ice cream contains, the creamier and smoother its texture. For more info, check out our primer Gelato vs. Ice Cream.
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Differences Between Frozen Custard vs Ice Cream
The main difference between frozen custard and ice cream is that frozen custard is made with egg yolks and ice cream is not, giving the former a richer flavor and mouthfeel. Some ice creams are made with egg yolks, however, which would technically make them custards based on the USDA guidelines.
Another big difference is in production method. Because ice cream is made in a machine that churns air into the base as it freezes, it has a lighter mouthfeel. Frozen custard is produced in a machine that incorporates as little air as possible, so it has a denser, thicker, more velvety texture than ice cream.
Ice Cream Recipes
Matt Armendariz, 2015
Make ultra-creamy homemade vanilla ice cream at home, no special equipment required. The vanilla base also makes a fine canvas for a variety of mix-ins, such as crushed cookies, crushed cereal and candy pieces.
Matt Armendariz, 2014, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved
If you’ve got an ice cream maker and are looking for a go-to vanilla ice cream recipe, this one’s for you. It yields a rich, creamy texture and pure, classic vanilla flavor, making it ideally suited to being scooped into a cup or cone, piled into a sundae or served alongside a slice of pie.
Matt Armendariz, 2015
In this easy homemade ice cream recipe, sweetened condensed milk adds a luscious texture while cocoa powder brings deep chocolate flavor. Turn it into rocky road by adding mini marshmallows and chocolate-covered almonds.
Teri Lyn Fisher
This just might be the easiest-ever shortcut recipe to homemade ice cream. A packet of gelatin gets mixed with milk, folded with whipped cream and then frozen overnight, transforming it into a refreshing treat that eats like an ice cream-sorbet mashup.
Andrew Purcell
For an elegant chocolate dessert, try this delectable homemade cherry-chocolate ice cream recipe. Cherries and syrup add a double hit of fruit flavor that perfectly complements the semi-sweet chocolate base.
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