Substitutiing gelatin?

Question

this is the ice cream recipe

3 tsp unflavored gelatin (such as Knox gelatin)

3 cup skim milk

6 Tbsp sugar

3 tsp vanilla extract

3 Tbsp water

I don't have any gelatin but can I substiute it with corn starch or an egg. If so how much? Thank you bunches!

Answer 1

The point of the gelatin is to add smoothness and body to an ice cream mixture that isn't going to be cooked. If you try to add cornstarch, your ice cream is going to have an uncooked starchy taste. You can beat 2 eggs(plural) while slowly beating in the sugar until it forms a ribbon- and then add the rest of the ingredients. The uncooked custard created with the eggs and sugar will result in a denser ice cream, though- more like a french style using a cooked custard base. Commercial ice creams use gelatin and whipped in air to achieve their consistency, which is nearly impossible to reproduce at home. Using the gelatin is the only way to come close to that texture- as it controls the crystallization process of the milk and sugar.

Answer 2

I have two suggestions but I doubt that you'd have them on hand unless you're a traditional Japanese or macrobiotic cook, lol. Agar agar is the first and kudzu . Both are used as thickening agents and agar agar has a gelatinous texture after it's chilled and set for a while.