Ingredients
Ice cream is a cold and creamy dessert made from milk. Generally cow's milk is used and milk, sugar, egg and flavorings are churned together, in a cold cylinder. Ice cream has a smooth consistency that is frozen and slightly soft. Ice cream tastes sweet and milky. There are an enormous variety of flavors and three common ones are chocolate, vanilla and strawberry. Ice cream melts easily and must stay frozen to maintain its form.
Wheat flour is a product made by finely milling wheat grains until they form a powder-like substance. Wheat flour is denser than powder and comes as whole wheat flour; a semi-dense flour with a beige color and full flavor. All- purpose flour is refined, white, lighter in texture and more bland in flavor. There are other varieties of wheat flour with these two being the most common. The flavor is mild and nutty. Wheat flour is used in the making of a huge number of foods across all cuisines. It is used as a binder as well as the basis for breads, baked goods and coating for breaded meats and vegetables. It is used in sauces and even some candies.
Sugar comes from sugar cane and sugar beets. The sugar is extracted from the juice of both plants and refined into the granulated substance known as sugar. Sucrose, the sweet substance of sugar is a combination of glucose and fructose. White sugar is composed of tiny white, dry granules. The flavor is sweet and neutral. Brown sugar is brown and has more moisture, with a richer flavor that hints at molasses. Sugar is used in both sweet and savory foods.
Caramel color is used in food production both sweet and savory to give the item a caramel-toned color. It is made by heating sugar corn syrup with different agents such as acids or alkalis. The caramel color has a thick, sticky and syrupy consistency. It is not used for flavor, but for appearance.
Dextrose is a food additive made from corn to create a simple sugar. The sugar is white and crystalline and has a sweet, cooling flavor and smooth mouthfeel. It is used as a preservative and to add a sweet flavor to drinks and foods.
Palm oil comes from the red colored pulp of the palm fruit. The oil is yellow golden. Red palm oil is a reddish color and of a slightly higher quality. Yellow palm oil has a mild buttery flavor and red palm oil has a harsher taste. The oil is of a similar consistency to olive oil.
Corn flour is made from dried corn kernels. The kernels are ground into a fine flour that can be used in baking. The flour is soft and has a mildly sweet corn flavor when baked into a bread or any other item. Corn flour can also be used for encrusting fish and meat. The difference between white and yellow corn flour is the color of the kernel.
Cocoa powder is made from the fermented and dried cocoa bean and ground into a delicate powder. This powder is extremely fine, brown and tastes earthy like cocoa. It is bitter until sweetened and used in many baked goods and some savory dishes. Cocoa is a key ingredient in brownies.
High fructose corn syrup is a processed sweetener made from corn starch. The starch is made of sugars that is then broken down into a syrup made of glucose and fructose. The syrup is sticky, has a semi-thick viscosity and comes in a clear color, or dark brown, the darker version has a richer flavor. Corn syrup is used in food and drink production to add sweetness, volume and create softer textures.
Baking soda is a crucial component in non-yeasted baked goods and acts as an instant leavener with the acids in the batter. It is used for cakes, quick breads and many flour-based baked goods. Baking soda is a fine white powder with a salty and bitter taste.
Salt is a mineral composed mostly of sodium chloride. It is the main flavoring used in food and is naturally occurring in certain foods, such as cheese, beets, meat and celery, plus many others. Salt is white and has finer granules than sugar. Many commercial salts include iodide, while others exclude it. Most salts are white, while some are naturally pale pink with minerals. Salt brings out the flavor of something and can create a tangy mouthfeel, if used in excess.
Soy lecithin is an additive used in food production as an emulsifier, lubricant and flavor protector. Soy lecithin is lab made and the final product is beige/gold colored and composed of small granules. It also comes in liquid form and is dark brown and translucent. The flavor is neutral.
