Customer Reviews

The Science of Ice Cream (RSC Paperbacks)

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Even though I think I am quite knowledgeable about ice cream science i was amazed at how much I learned for this book. It is highly technical and the reader should really have at least two years of college biochemistry or a degree in food science. A knowledge of calculus wouldn't hurt. But Clarke has made what might be a dry, highly technical, unfathomable subject both readable and clear. Loads of photos, graphs and charts. I am so glad I bought this book! Cheap for what you get.

It is rare today to find a book that is relevant to even the most experienced ice cream industry professionals. This book makes a nice reference tool as well as a refresher for folks in the business.

I like to read about food science and I really like to make ice cream. This book is a great combination of those interests. The book is easy to read and has many nice diagrams to illustrate the concepts. The level of science is perfect and the text is very accessible and fun to read.

My only complaint is that the concepts seem to be compartmentalized somehow. In other words, I don't get an overall sense of the process of making ice cream -- and the science behind it -- from start to finish. I would really like to read about the process from start to finish and look at what happens under ideal conditions and what happens when various elements of the process change. For example, what happens when you use cream vs half-and-half vs whole milk; or if melting occurs, etc. There are many things (choice of ingredients, temperatures, mixing times, etc.) that influence the outcome (ice cream) and I was hoping for a better understanding of those things.

The book explains the underlying principles of ice cream science very well -- formulas, procedures, etc. It just doesn't guide you along the entire process in a way that brings those principles to life. I'd like to read more about making ice cream at home as opposed to in the factory. The experiments could be more oriented towards observing the effects that little changes to a recipe/process produce on the end product.

I'm glad I read the book - just wish all of that good food science had been focused on the home ice-cream chef and how he or she can improve his/her ice cream making skills.

As the name states, this book really delves into the gritty details on ice cream. Breaks down the science of ice cream to the molecular level. The average home cook might find this has a lot of food science details they may not use. Recipes are very good.