Usage Instructions (cont.)
Hand dipping is most profitable when it is correctly
executed. Training should be intensive.
First you must have proper equipment. Don’t
handicap your employees with a dull scoop which has
a tendency to squeeze the ice cream making it difficult
to control. A sharp edged scoop on the other hand,
cuts a nice “ribbon” of ice cream and rolls it lightly into
an attractive round ball.
Let the scoop do the work. It should be started at the
outside edge of the can…”rolled” around the can and
then upward! Handling it this way will produce a neat,
lightly compressed ball of ice cream that’s consistent in
weight – portion after portion. Never press the scoop
against the side of the can as this will result in a small,
heavy ball of ice cream and lend itself to “over
scooping”.
Every time you touch or handle ice cream some air is
squeezed out. Air is important in ice cream just as in
bread or cake, to make it light and fluffy enough for
good eating. The air you press out will usually make
you dip extra in order to gratify your customer’s
anticipated idea of size and shape.
The next scoop full should start where the last left off.
Continue in the same circular pattern with the circles
getting smaller as you approach the center of the can.
This causes the ice cream to go down evenly and is
important because keeping the ice cream level in the
can eliminates smeared arms and reduces the need to
scrape down the sides of the can with a spade.
Even in the best of operations, however, leveling off
will be necessary. This should be done lightly and with
the back of the spade turned toward the side of the
can. When it is necessary to scrape down a can, the
scraped ice cream will not dip as well nor will it taste as
smooth.
Since transferred ice cream is difficult to dip in
portioned control, it is necessary to dip as near to the
bottom of the can as possible. Ice cream should not be
transferred from one can to another if there is more
than one inch in the bottom.
The ice cream cabinet is the hand dipper’s workshop,
as its importance to the retail operation is considerable
and proper use will increase sales and profits.
One of the first orders of maintenance is proper dipping
temperatures. Your cabinet representative can be a
help in deciding the correct temperature for efficient
scooping.
Some operators prefer to scoop from 5 to 9 degrees
above zero, and still others up to 12 degrees. This
question can be settled more efficiently as experience
dictates the best answer for your individual operation.
If, for instance, most of the ice cream is served right in the
store, it can be scooped at a higher temperature than that
which goes outside in a drive-in operation. Although the
formula used in making the ice cream makes a difference
in the rapidity of melting, the conditions under which it is
served are also important.
Sherbets, which are high in sugar content, will require
much lower cabinet temperatures than ice cream. If
possible, they should be stored in the coldest part of a
general cabinet or in a separate cabinet to permit the
lower temperature requirement. Because sherbets are
heavier, the weight formula for scooping ice cream will not
apply. Also, because the variation in recipes is much wider
than in ice cream, it will be necessary for each store to
work out an effective separate weight and cost ration on
sherbets.
A flavor pattern for location of the ice cream in the
cabinets must also be worked out. The aroma of certain
flavors is strong enough to transfer to milder flavors. For
example, any ice cream containing peppermint, licorice or
banana should not be stored next to a mild flavor such as
vanilla. Use your sense of smell in deciding where to
locate the cans to avoid flavor transfer. Then make a chart
and keep the cans in these established locations.
In locating the flavors in the cabinet it also is well to re-
member that the flavors with higher sugar content (candy,
ripple, maple syrup) require a lower temperature for most
effective scooping. Since temperature may vary slightly
within the cabinet, it would be well to plan your high sugar
content ice cream for the colder area. Here, too, a chart,
based on experience, will be helpful. You will want to call
on your cabinet representative once again for information
about the best location for each of the various flavors.
It must be recognized that frost accumulation on the
cabinet walls will impair refrigeration efficiency. The best
approach to the problem is to keep the lid or cover closed
whenever possible and to set up a regular schedule of
cabinet defrosting. Daily wiping with terry towels is
recommended.
Housekeeping is very important. Keep the outside of the
cabinet sparkling clean with frequent cleaning. Be
especially careful with the lids and covers…continually
cleaning off drips of ice cream as they occur. Attendants
should be trained to use slack time to wipe the cabinets.
There is always the fact that ice cream is occasionally
dropped into the bottom of the cabinet. This dropped ice
cream is unsanitary and a total loss and expense to the
company. Carelessness is the biggest contributor; training
and vigilance is the solution. An up-to-date can skirt
system will eliminate the problem.
