Questions about Carrageenan

Alex_311927

So my Pacojet gelato journey on the whole has been a success. Traditional ice cream recipes containing cream and eggs work very well I find, but I've recently started using Carrageenans and locust bean gums and this is where the issues for me have started.

I've noticed Chefsteps only use Lambda Ca. in their ice creams. Lambda is not readily available where I live, but Texturas Iota and Kappa are. I've substituted Lambda for Iota and on some occasions it works well, and others it does not. So my question is..what makes Lambda more ideal to be used in gelato?

For example, I made the Roast Cocao gelato the other day and it pacotized poorly.. kind of a rough broken up texture. I used a direct replacement with Iota.. 1.4g.

So at this point I'm wondering if I need to bite the bullet and import Lambda, or whether I should look to find an alternative. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to make Iota/Kappa work consistently in gelato? Different quantities? Different stabilizers in place of Locust? I'm determined to make the best ice creams I can considering how much the Pacojet cost. The information I'm seeing online doesn't really indicate what the issue might be. Perhaps the Iota is forming a stronger gel that doesn't pacotize easily. I don't know, so any help would be great. Thanks a bunch.

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brian_martin2001

Iota and Kappa Carrageenan from gels of various consistencies (brittle, smooth) depending on the concentrations, pH, synergy with other ingredients, etc. Lambda does not form a gel, but acts as a thickener. As far as the interactions between different hydrocolloids, and uses of others, you would probably have better luck contacting these chemical suppliers directly. TIC Gums I've had luck with in the past answering my questions (granted, I was a student at the time) but there are dozens of suppliers out there with a wealth of information. You may also think about checking out the following texts: "Food Texture and Consistency" "Cooking Innovations - Using Hydrocolloids for Thickening, Gelling, and Emulsification" "Hydrocolloid Gums"and "Hydrocolloid Recipe Collection Volume 1 & 2". I'm sure there are more texts out there, but those I've had some experience with. Good Luck!

tshewman

See @Brian's response below. As Iota and kappa are essentially creating fluid gels and Lambda a thickener, it may be worth considering an alternative. Tapioca starch works well in the case of the nut based and dairy free gelatos but I suspect there may be a compromise in flavor potency as there is significantly more needed. The only reason I haven't tried Lambda yet is that I still have enough tapioca starch. It's also inexpensive and may be worth a try.