First-principles plant-based ice cream
The challenge
Years ago, before decent plant-based options hit the shelves, the few vegan ice creams available were icy, gummy, and generally disappointing. I wanted to understand the food chemistry under the hood to see if it was possible to design a plant-based scoop that wasn't gross.
The system constraints
Dairy ice cream is a beautifully balanced structure: proteins give it body to trap air during churning, fats give it a silky mouthfeel, and dissolved solids lower the freezing point so it doesn't turn into a solid brick in a domestic freezer.
The method
Instead of just swapping milk for plant-based milk, I broke the problem down by molecular variables. I experimented with custom proportions of plant-based fats, texturizers, and sugar alcohols to artificially replicate the melting curve and scoopability of real dairy.
The result
After locking in a reliable base formula, I designed a micro-production process to launch small-batch, experimental flavors like Cucumber & Elderflower and Lemon & Thyme at local markets. My favorite validation milestone? A well-known Melbourne patisserie bought a whole batch of my ice cream to give to their staff for Christmas.