General Rules for Freezing

The can, cover, and dasher of the freezer should be scalded, and then chilled before the mixture which is to be frozen is placed in it. Adjust the can carefully in the tub before packing. Pour in the mixture, put in the dasher, cover, adjust the crank, and pack with finely chopped ice and rock salt; this must be higher around the can than the mixture is inside. A freezer should never be filled more than three-fourths full, to allow for expansion in freezing.

Use four times as much ice as salt for freezing; use five times as much ice as salt in packing. The larger the quantity of salt used the more quickly the freezing takes place and the coarser the grain. Coarse rock salt gives the best results in freezing. A heavy bag of burlap, canvas, or carpet, and a wooden mallet are excellent for pounding the ice.

The rate of turning the freezer also affects the grain of the frozen dish. If the freezer is turned slowly and steadily the mixture is fine grained and velvety. This is desirable for ice cream. If the freezer is turned quickly and the mixture freezes rapidly it becomes granular. This is desirable for sherbet. A mixture which is frozen quickly and stirred only intermittently is full of crystals. Use for water ice and frozen fruit.

After cream is frozen it is much improved if repacked for 2 or 3 hours to "ripen." Ripening develops a rich flavor and delicious "grain."

When the mixture is frozen, remove ice and salt from around the top of the can; wipe cover and top with a cloth wrung out of hot water; uncover and remove dasher, scrape it; then beat frozen mixture with wooden spoon or paddle five minutes; place paraffin paper or heavy paper over can; cover and put a cork in the hole. Drain off all the water which has collected during the freezing and which should not be removed until freezing is completed; repack the freezer, putting ice and salt over the top, and cover with carpet or newspaper, and allow it to stand in a cold place for several hours.

A tightly covered tin can and a wooden pail may be substituted for an ice cream freezer, using a wooden spoon or paddle to scrape the mixture from the sides and bottom of the can as it freezes.

To mould an ice after freezing, pack solidly in a mould, cover with paraffin paper and bury in ice and salt, using six parts ice to one of salt.

Danger from Eating Frozen Mixtures

Cans for freezers should be made of a good quality of tin. If an acid mixture is allowed to stand in tin for a long time when not chilled it may act on the tin, forming poisonous compounds.

Danger from ptomaine poisoning comes from allowing old cream to stand for a long time. Ptomaine poisoning is a form of decomposition which develops slowly in organic matter. There is seldom much danger of it occurring except in very hot weather and where foods are carelessly handled.

Digestive disturbances are apt to occur if frozen dishes are eaten hurriedly or in large quantities.

Kinds of Frozen Mixtures

I Without Cream

1 Water Ice - Fruit juice, sugar, and water frozen.

2 Sherbet - Water ice plus white of egg, gelatine or milk.

3 Punch - Fruit water ice partially frozen.

4 Frappe - Coarsely frozen water ice, granulated or broken up in appearance. Equal parts of ice and salt used in the freezing.

5 Granite - Fruits frozen in fruit juice, sugar, and water, having a rough, icy structure. Twice as much ice as salt used in the freezing.

6 Sorbet - Smooth, half frozen sherbet.

II Ice Cream

1 Philadelphia Ice Cream - Plain cream, sweetened and flavored with extracts, fruit or chocolate, frozen.

2 Neapolitan, New York, or Delmonico Ice Cream - A frozen custard, prepared of cream or milk combined with eggs, flavoring and sometimes flour and salt, cooked.

3 Frozen Pudding - Philadelphia or Neapolitan Ice Cream plus nuts or fruits or both.

4 Mousse or Par fait - Whipped cream, drained, flavored, frozen without stirring; beaten eggs are sometimes added. One half as much salt as ice is used in freezing.