Ice Cream Inclusions enhance Ice Cream Flavor

Ice Cream Inclusions

Let's talk about inclusions. All the 'stuff' put into ice creams to make it fancier, prettier, and more profitable.

How will ice cream inclusions enhance the flavor of Ice Cream?

Just walk through the ice cream section of your local market. You'll see all sorts of inclusions, even in the higher-priced, so-called 'elite' brands. They'll add chocolate flakes, chocolate chips, chocolate chunks, chocolate ribbons.  Along with that, you'll see caramel pieces, chips, and chunks, and swirls.

Add to that, chocolate covered nuts, peanut butter 'things' and all sorts of marshmallows.  They do this, not to make the flavor better, but to appeal to a broader market of customers.  You're bound to like at least one of all those things...so you buy it.

I believe two things: first, I believe that I (and all my students) make the absolute world's best ice cream. The texture, flavor, and consistency are in a league of its own.

Yes, I add inclusions, but with a caveat.  I add things to my flavors to ENHANCE that flavor.  Others add things that COMPETE with the flavors. Remember that when you taste an inclusion, you're not tasting the ice cream. But if that inclusion complements the ice cream flavor, then you've got something special.  I add coconut and pineapple to my Pina Colada.  I wouldn't add nuts or chocolate.  It just doesn't go together. 

My Pistachio Ice Cream has pistachio nuts, not cherry or (once again) chocolate. Rum Raisin?  Rum, vanilla ice cream, raisins. Imagine taking my world-class Totally Coconut ice cream, and adding chocolate covered caramel pieces. Even when I feel inclined to add something to an already great flavor, I think about it.

When I thought about enhancing my wonderful Coffee Ice Cream, I wanted to add to the texture. After much experimenting, I settled on one addition: crushed Kit Kat bars.  While initially getting some blowback from the dedicated coffee ice cream lovers, after I convinced them to try it (free samples didn't hurt), they were hooked.  Many wondered why it took so long to introduce it. The point is: don't add just to make a more appealing menu board.  And don't (ever) over-add. 

I have one flavor that seemingly breaks my own rules: Candy Bar Ice Cream. What I found was that kids wanted candy in their ice cream.  I did offer M&M ice cream, Snickers Ice Cream, Milky Way Ice Cream, and Payday Ice Cream.  By creating Candy Bar Ice Cream, I was able to not only use up all my lesser quantities of candy bars, but I found that kids (of all ages) automatically went to the flavor that had all their favorites.  

I also found that if you add an inclusion to a vanilla-based ice cream,  make the vanilla richer and slightly stronger.  This way, it will hold up to, say, a ribbon of caramel, or good chocolate chips (not both). 

This was always my thought process for not having toppings in my stores.  They just compete with the rich, wonderful flavor of the world's best ice cream. Think of going into an ice cream store, looking at all their flavors, and settling on one. Then you add hot fudge all over it.  When you taste, what are you tasting?  For sure, not the ice cream. 

The frozen yogurt places are famous for this.  You fill a cup with any 'flavor' of fro-yo. Then, at the end of the line, you're faced with 30 different toppings and sauces.  Not only does that conceal the fact that fro-yo has basically no taste, but your bill at the register is $9.

Don't put the kibosh on adding inclusions to your ice creams.  Just do it smartly, seeking to enhance the flavor, rather than fight with it. And, as is my philosophy throughout this amazing business: Keep It Simple !

Want to learn more about the Ice Cream Business? Look into buying my detailed Ice Cream Boot Cam Kit. We will walk thru everything to buy, how to find a location as well as recipes to get started!