As The World Churns

In my final recipe just posted above, I incorporated both honey and sugar.
4 tbsp Honey and 1 tbsp Sugar. Some may like it sweeter but this is a good starting point.

Lets overthink this then shall we ;) ...

Using both sugar and honey in your ice cream recipe is more than just for sweetness; it actually affects texture, freezing, and scoopability. Here’s the breakdown:

1️⃣ Freezing point and scoopability
  • Pure honey is very hygroscopic (it attracts water) and is thicker than sugar.
  • Honey alone lowers the freezing point of the mixture, which can make ice cream softer, sometimes too soft for a firm scoop straight from the freezer.
  • Adding a small amount of sugar (~1 tbsp in your recipe) balances the freezing point, giving a slightly firmer texture while still keeping honey’s flavor.
2️⃣ Structure and smoothness
  • Sugar crystals help inhibit large ice crystals from forming.
  • Honey is liquid and sticky — it alone doesn’t provide structure.
  • Sugar + honey together create a creamier, smoother mouthfeel in the finished ice cream.
3️⃣ Flavor balance
  • Honey has a distinct flavor that can dominate subtle notes like vanilla or spices.
  • A touch of sugar rounds the sweetness, so the flavor is more even and balanced, not just “all honey.”
4️⃣ Takeaways
  • Always keep some sugar if using honey — it gives structure and prevents overly soft ice cream.
  • For soft-serve style (immediate consumption), more honey, less sugar.
  • For firmer ice cream (stored 24–48 hrs), increase sugar slightly.
Bottom line
  • Honey → flavor, natural sweetness, soft texture
  • Sugar → texture stabilizer, controls freezing, rounds flavor
  • Together → ice cream that’s creamy, scoopable, and flavorful
 

I guess my final recipe doesn't account for just plain vanilla ice cream without the spices.
I think if making just plain vanilla without spices, I'd use 2 tsp vanilla extract instead of 1 1/2 tsp.
Everything else would be the same ... just no cinnamon, nutmeg and almond extract.

Posted one more time so it's on this new page ...

🍨 Ice Cream Quick-Reference Cheat Sheet (Honey + Nido Base)​

FlavorBase IngredientsCocoa / BananaMix-ins (optional)Key Notes
Vanilla2 cups Cream 480 g, ¾ cup Water, 6 tbsp Nido Powdered Milk 48 g, 4 tbsp Filtered Honey 85 g, 1 tbsp Sugar 12.5 g, 1½ tsp Vanilla Extract, ½ tsp Cinnamon, 1/8 tsp Nutmeg (Dash), 1/8 tsp Almond Extract (Dash), Pinch salt––Subtle vanilla, cinnamon slightly forward, slight bakery aftertaste
ChocolateSame base as Vanilla2-3 tbsp Cocoa 10–15 g (Dutch or Natural), ¼ tsp Espresso Powder (optional)¼ – ½ cup Chocolate chips 40–80 gDutch+espresso = rich & smooth; spices optional; fold chips after churning
Banana Chocolate ChipSame base as VanillaBanana 100 g Mashed and churned with mix¼ – ½ cup Chocolate chips 40–80 gCinnamon + almond complement banana; nutmeg optional; mash banana into base
Banana Chocolate Chip ChocolateSame base as VanillaBanana 100 g, 2-3 tbsp Cocoa 10–15 g (Dutch or Natural), ¼ tsp Espresso Powder (optional)¼ – ½ cup Chocolate chips 40–80 gBanana + chocolate base; lighter cinnamon; fold chips after churning; mash banana into base

Quick Universal Instructions​

  1. Blend heated water and Nido in NutriBullet before adding to cream and other ingredients. The water is heated to help blending honey, later.
  2. In the Kitchenaid lowest speed, whisk Nido and all other ingredients into ½ cup cream for 3-5 minutes. Add remaining cream and whisk in Kitchenaid for another 1-2 minutes. Chill mixture for 1 hour minimum. Whisk by hand, one final time before churning.
  3. Churn 16 minutes in KitchenAid frozen ice cream bowl, evaluate, and go a couple of minutes longer if needed. Stop when soft-serve consistency reached (or until mixture holds shape on spoon).
  4. Fold in chocolate chips (if used) after churning.
  5. Pack into air-tight container, freeze to firm up (~4 hours).
  6. If after 24-48, the ice cream has hardened. Rest on counter ~5–8 min before scooping.
 

At the end of the day, I've adjusted everything to my tastes.
What I've ended up with MIGHT be a starting point for someone else, but everyone's tastes are different.
The crucial thing I wanted to accomplish was scoopability after 24+hours in the freezer.
No fun scooping a brick. Even so, my ice cream might benefit from a few minutes on the counter before scooping after a long freeze.

If it looks like my ice cream is getting too hard after days in the freezer, in a future batch I think I might try adding Guar gum.
But Guar gum is kind of tricky to deal with.

✅ Recommended amount
  • ¼ teaspoon guar gum
    (≈ 0.6–0.8 grams)
⚠️ Do NOT exceed
  • ½ teaspoon (will become gummy, stretchy, or slimy)
If you want to be conservative:
  • Start with ⅛ teaspoon (~0.3 g)
  • Increase to ¼ tsp next batch if needed
How to add guar gum (best method)

Guar gum must be dispersed, or it will clump.

Best workflow for my setup
  1. Mix guar gum with dry ingredients first
    • Stir it into the Nido powder (very important)
  2. Heat the water (warm, not hot)
  3. Blend water + Nido + guar gum briefly (NutriBullet is perfect here)
  4. Add honey, sugar, spices, extracts
  5. Whisk into cream as you already do
This avoids:
  • Lumps
  • Slimy pockets
  • Over-thickening
What guar gum will change (and won’t)

What it WILL do
  • Ice cream stays scoopable after 24–72 hours
  • Smoother texture
  • Less icy, less crumbly
  • Better melt behavior (slower, creamier)
What it will NOT do
  • It will NOT make ice cream taste different
  • It will NOT make it sweeter
  • It will NOT replace sugar or honey
Special notes for your flavors
  • Banana versions: guar gum helps stabilize banana water content
  • Chocolate versions: cocoa already thickens slightly; guar gum still helps
 
The other best choice for helping keep homemade ice cream from becoming a brick in the freezer after a couple of days is the use of Light Corn Syrup.

Corn Syrup works differently from guar gum, and it comes with trade-offs. Let’s put it in context with my ice cream ...

What corn syrup actually does in ice cream

Corn syrup (usually light corn syrup) is mostly glucose.

Glucose:
  • Lowers the freezing point more than sugar
  • Prevents large ice crystals
  • Improves scoopability after long freezing
  • Adds body without making ice cream icy
Commercial ice creams (including premium brands) almost always use glucose syrup or corn syrup solids.

Corn syrup vs guar gum (important distinction)

They do different jobs:


IngredientPrimary role
Guar gumControls water & ice crystals
Corn syrupControls freezing point & softness
👉 They work best together, not as replacements.

How corn syrup would behave in my recipe

Pros​

  • Ice cream stays softer after 24–72 hours
  • Reduces brick-hard freezing
  • No gumminess or slime
  • No cooking required
Cons
  • Adds sweetness (less sweet than sugar, but noticeable)
  • Slightly dulls delicate honey flavor
  • Some people dislike using it philosophically (totally fair)

How much to use (safe, effective amounts)​

For my ~1-quart base:

Conservative option (best starting point)​

  • 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
  • Reduce honey by 1 tablespoon
More effective (but sweeter)
  • 3 tablespoons corn syrup
  • Reduce honey by 1–2 tablespoons
Do not add corn syrup on top of everything — always replace part of the honey or sugar.

Corn syrup vs honey (mouthfeel difference)​

  • Honey → waxy/cooling mouthfeel when very cold
  • Corn syrup → neutral, smooth, no coating sensation

Replacing some honey with corn syrup often:
  • Reduces that waxy sensation
  • Makes texture feel more “store-bought”

Best possible combo for scoopability (no cooking)​

If your goal is maximum scoopability with minimal weirdness:
  • 3 tbsp honey
  • 1–2 tbsp sugar
  • 2 tbsp corn syrup
  • ¼ tsp guar gum
That combination is very close to commercial formulas.

Should you use corn syrup?​

Use it if:
  • Ice cream keeps freezing too hard
  • You want closer-to-store-bought texture

Skip it if:​

  • You strongly prefer honey-only sweetness
  • You’re happy resting ice cream a few minutes on the counter before scooping
Final, honest answer

Corn syrup is the only ingredient that rivals guar gum for improving scoopability without cooking or eggs.

It’s not “better” than guar gum — it’s complementary.

If you ever decide to use one more tool beyond guar gum, this would be the one.
 
Last edited:
Aunt Bea said:
I’ve seen some recipes that call for adding a bit of vodka to help with ‘scoopability’.

Keep churning, very interesting!!!
Click to expand...
I've seen those suggestions too @Aunt Bea :)
Interestingly, the Vanilla Extract contains 41% alcohol according to the label.
The Almond Extract doesn't give a percentage, but alcohol is listed as an ingredient.
Not enough to affect the scoopability but I was surprised by the fact.
 

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