Protein and quark ice creams

Protein ice creams have been a hit in recent years — in shops and in kitchens with a Ninja CREAMi. In Central Europe, though, they have a long tradition in the form of quark (tvaroh) and yogurt ice cream. What does protein actually do in ice cream, and why won’t protein alone make it both healthy and soft?

Quark ice cream even has its place in law

Slovak Decree No. 82/2018 and Czech Decree No. 397/2016 both recognise a category called “milk ice cream” (mliečny mrazený krém in Slovak, mléčný mražený krém in Czech). In the name, the word “milk” may be replaced by the name of the dairy product the ice cream is made from — for example quark or yogurt ice cream. So quark ice cream isn’t just a passing fad but a recognised type.

What protein does in ice cream

Milk proteins make up around 4 % of a typical ice cream mix. According to the textbook by Douglas Goff (University of Guelph), they have several useful properties:

• they emulsify — they help bind fat with water,
• they improve whipping — the mix takes up air more easily,
• they bind water and increase the viscosity of the mix,
• they reduce iciness — there is less free water that could form large crystals.

So quark, Greek-style yogurt or milk protein help ice cream become thicker and creamier.

Why protein alone isn’t enough

The problem starts when you try to replace sugar with protein. Sugars lower the freezing point and keep ice cream soft. Protein hardly does this at all. Ice cream with lots of protein and little sugar therefore comes out of the freezer hard — you could grate it rather than scoop it.

Protein powders also contain flavourings and sweeteners that affect both taste and texture. The only way to find out how a particular powder behaves in ice cream is to try it.

Protein ice cream in a CREAMi

Machines like the Ninja CREAMi work differently from a classic ice cream maker. The mix (often a protein drink, quark and a sweetener) is first frozen rock solid in a tub — usually overnight. The machine then shaves it with a blade and whips it into a cream. The hardness of the mix doesn’t matter here, because the machine breaks it down however hard it is. According to ice cream calculators, ice cream processed this way is at roughly −9 to −10 °C.

That’s why low-sugar protein ice cream turns out better in a CREAMi than in a compressor ice cream maker. The catch: the ice cream is good straight after processing. If you freeze it again, it hardens and has to be processed once more. We have not verified the manufacturer’s official recommendations for protein recipes.

Nutrient comparison

Figures from the USDA FoodData Central database per 100 g:

So ordinary ice cream contains little protein. Homemade quark ice cream with a large share of quark can contain more, but the exact figure depends on the recipe. zmrzka calculates the composition of every recipe automatically from its ingredients.

How to make good quark ice cream

• Combine quark with milk and a little cream. Fat adds the creaminess that quark alone lacks.
• Don’t leave out the sugar completely. You can replace part of it with dextrose, which softens the ice cream at a lower sweetness.
• Add fruit. Fruit purée brings flavour, its own sugars and colour.
• Eat it fresh. Lower-sugar ice cream loses its texture faster, so it pays to make smaller batches.
• Temper it. Leave it out of the freezer for 10–15 minutes before serving.

Is protein ice cream healthier?

More protein and less fat can mean fewer calories per portion. But ice cream is still a dessert. If it’s sweetened with polyols (such as erythritol), expect a laxative effect with larger portions — more in the article on sweeteners. The most sensible approach is to see quark ice cream as a tasty alternative, not as a dietary supplement.