Delicious Freeze-Dried Ice Cream: Space Treats Reimagined

From being a novelty that could be found only in the kits of astronauts travelling to the furthest corners of space, to becoming a favourite food of earthbound explorers and chocoholics, freeze-dried ice cream has come a long way. The close texture and long shelf life makes freeze-dried ice cream a light and creamy snack that you can now have without having your ice-cream in a cold fridge. In this article, we will take a look into freeze dried ice-cream world: how it is made, where it originated, the benefits, and why it is catching the interests of people worldwide.

From Space to Spoon: The Origins of Freeze-Dried Ice Cream

The idea of freeze-dried ice-cream – sometimes called astronaut ice cream – started off as a hit product of the space programme, first used aboard the Apollo missions as a way to provide astronauts with some small comforts of home during their weightless and out-of-this-world adventures without increasing the weight or the waste they generated. But its subsequent near-universal production (and relatively brief actual in-space use) since the 1970s has also proven how successful a stand-alone product it could be for a science museum gift shop, a novelty store and, more recently, the consumer at large.

How It's Made: The Freeze-Drying Process

Original ice-cream is real ice-cream. It is submerged into a freezing temperature until it becomes completely frozen. It then is placed in a vacuum chamber of reduced pressure with applied heating. In there, the ice (water) of the ice-cream will sublimate, that is, will go directly from solid to gas bypassing the intermediate liquid state. At the end, the remaining structure will be completely dry and voluminous. It will also have kept the shape and flavour of the original ice-cream, without the water content.

Benefits and Features: Why Freeze-Dried Ice Cream Is Gaining Popularity

Among its other advantages, ease of use is one of the most appealing aspects of a bag of freeze-dried ice‑cream: anywhere you go — high on the peaks, out in the deserts — you can take instant access to delicious ice‑cream without having to rely on any refrigeration. It is the food of hikers. Or campers. Or travellers. Parties. Events. Kids. Bagged under the name of Ice Cream Moon (Hasbro, also with Amazon) it comes wrapped in plastic and ready to ‘eat straight out of the bag — no refrigeration required’. No night on the town in Manhattan can hope to rival the fun to be had eating freeze-dried anything Wherever and however it’s eaten, this is a unique eating experience. The fully rehydrated cubes look a lot like the rehydrated TV dinners I grew up with, even their room-temperature greasiness. But the ice cream texture resembles nothing more than the texture of snow, on steroids. The taste is fine, indistinct, likely to mix with nearly anything else you might be eating or drinking. It’s the experience that counts. It sounds high-tech, but it’s nothing more than cold and dryness. freeze-dried ice-cream was invented by NASA a couple of decades ago, aiming for modest goals of space-age culinary ambition: ‘Imagine ice‑cream that’s functions as low in water activity as possible, in preparation for a trip to outer space,’ explained FStat, Inc, an American business consultancy specialising in the ‘global food and beverage industry… Food technologists have the most exciting half century of food-product development to look forward to in their careers’. The US space agency had developed freeze-dried ice-cream for their astronauts in the 1980s, and by the mid 1990s the product exploded out from the space station.

In terms of nutrition, it’s still ice cream, but having its water removed concentrates its flavours and makes its nutritional profile only slightly different from ordinary ice cream. It’s light, easy-to-eat, mess-free, and has a long shelf life as an emergency food or a stashable sweet snack.

A Universe of Flavors: Varieties and Innovations

Along with rising recognition, the number of flavours and trends in freeze-dried ice cream has also expanded. Now, in addition to the all-important Neapolitan – strawberry, vanilla, and chocolate – the corner store selection includes mint chocolate chip, cookies and cream, and even tropical fruit flavours. Some brands have tried freeze-dried ice-cream sandwiches instead of the traditional chocolate-marshmallow cookie.

Incorporating Freeze-Dried Ice Cream into Everyday Life

As a standalone snack, you can scarf down a chunk – like a delicious mini meal. Or, you can get creative with freeze-dried ice cream and use it in desserts. Crumble up a piece, and you’ve got a sweet, crispy topping for cakes, cupcakes and puddings. Try rehydrating it with a splash of milk to create a rich, creamy topping for your dessert, or through it into a trail mix for a salty-sweet surprise.