Do you love ice cream but hate how quickly it melts and you’re always wondering “will dry ice keep ice cream frozen?“?
Do you want to keep ice cream frozen for longer periods?
If so, then you may be wondering if dry ice will keep ice cream frozen.
In a nutshell, this article introduces to you everything you need to know about ice cream and keeping it frozen.
It also answers the question, “can dry ice keep ice cream frozen”.
Luckily, dry ice cushions your ice cream from melting, it keeps it frozen until you need it. And there is no better way.
But Can We Freeze Ice Cream Using Dry Ice?
Dry ice is usually made by freezing carbon dioxide. It is used to keep food cold because it is very cold (-109.3°F or -78.5°C).
When dry ice melts, it will directly go from a solid to a gas through a process known as sublimation.
The reason dry ice keeps food cold is that as the dry ice sublimates, it takes heat away from the food.
This keeps the food frozen longer than if you just used regular ice cubes.
With all that said, you probably can’t wait to learn how to do it. So below is a step-by-step guide that will see you through this entire process.
How Will Dry Ice Keep Ice Cream Frozen?
Already, you are aware that iced cream will and is the perfect way there is to keep ice cream frozen.
Although there are several other ways that we will explain to you in brevity, all eyes are on how to do it with ice cream.
Therefore your question has got an answer. And that is, indeed, dry ice will go a long way in helping your ice cream stay frozen.
But with that said, how does it, and what is the correct way to keep it frozen with dry ice?
Do not fret, herein are all the answers you need.
Step-By-Step Guide On How To Keep It Frozen Using Dry Ice
Once again, so that you get it right, dry ice is frozen carbon dioxide.
It is used to keep things cold because it is very cold itself! How best you use defines the results you get.
To start with, you will need a few things as follows to help you with keeping ice cream frozen.
- A cooler big enough to fit your ice cream
- A layer of dry ice on the bottom of the cooler
- Your ice cream
- A layer of newspaper or paper towels on top of the dry ice
- Another layer of dry ice on top of the paper
- The lid for your cooler
Step #1: Buy Dry Ice
You wouldn’t think this of a process but trust me it is. In the run-up to using dry ice keeps it frozen, the purchase of the right ice, and in this case, dry ice comes first.
For just 1$ to 3$, you can get dry ice from shops near you in readiness.
Or better still you could prepare your dry ice in the pantry by spraying carbon iv oxide into a pillowcase.
Step #2: Go For A Food Cooler
So that there is no explosion, make sure that you get an air cooler that isn’t so airtight.
Instead, go for one that gives room for the escape of air.
Normally, dry ice tends to build up a sizable amount of air pressure that creates vapor.
It is this pressure and vapor that should be given a window to escape so that there is no explosion.
Tip: If there is no escape route for vapor, then leave some space on the lid to allow the air pressure to escape.
Step #3: Handle The Dry Ice With Protective Gears
Do you know frostbite? It is a quite dangerous skin and tissue irritant effect resulting from the careless handling of dry ice.
Even with its dryness, dry ice burns and hurts your hands, whether while positioning it in the cooler or removing it from the cooler.
That is why it is advised that you use hand gloves while handling dry ice to prevent frostbite.
Although a protective measure, this doubles as a step so that you do not forget to do this.
Step #4: Position The Ice Cream In The Cooler
Once you have gloves safely worn in your hands, and you are with the dry ice, then position all the ice cream into your cooler.
Ensure that the cooler holds only what is enough and what you need. I won’t help to have any excesses.
Thereafter, place the dry ice on top of your ice cream.
Tip: It is pretty much better that you place the ice over the ice cream.
Step #5: Place The Dry Ice In The Cooler
Then with the ice cream well laid in the cooler, wrap dry ice in pieces of cloth, preferably towels.
And why must you do the wrapping before placing dry ice on top of the ice cream?
Because dry ice tends to sink, wrapping it in a towel helps it to not and as well helps to insulate it so that it lasts much longer.
Similarly, wrapping the dry ice helps to see to it that it does not end up spoiling any other items in the cooler apart from your ice cream.
Step #6: Fill All Other Spaces
Now, if you have enough ice cream and you are going camping, you can use the space left in the cooler to pack up more items.
What you must do is to ensure that there are no spaces, especially bigger ones left.
In one way or the other, just ensure that your cooler is full to the brim.
By doing this, you allow your ice to go longer without evaporating or melting.
Tip: You can fill up the space with more ice cream or with pieces of cloth.
Step #7: Store The Cooler Away Safely
This is a precautionary step. At this point, you now already have your ice cream kept frozen properly using dry ice.
But beware that dry ice evaporates into carbon iv oxide, which is quite a dangerous substance.
So, in whatever you do ensure that you have it kept away p[roperly and in well-ventilated areas.
If you prepared ice cream and have left your house with them off for camping, ensure that you keep it in the car boot.
Not once or twice, cases of people sleeping off and worse still dying resulting from this air have been reported severally.
So ensure that you take this into account.
Read Next: Is Crema De Leche The Same As Heavy Cream?
FAQs
Should The Cooler be Out Of Sunlight?
As a precautionary measure and a way that will see your ice cream stay cold, ensure that you keep your cooler off direct sunlight.
Preferably, store in shaded or cooler areas.
Should I Leave The Dry Ice Sitting At Room Temperature Once Its Use Is Over?
So then once you have used all the ice cream and there is nothing else to do with the dry ice.
Leave the dry ice at room temperature or in sunlight where it will disappear into the atmosphere as carbon iv oxide.
Tip: Do not carelessly dispose of dry ice, especially in areas where it would result in an explosion.
Conclusion
There you have it! A quick and easy guide to using dry ice to keep ice cream frozen. But will dry ice keep ice cream frozen?
Give it a try the next time you need to transport ice cream and let us know how it goes!
I promise you that if you follow this step-by-step guide as it is and do it properly, your ice cream will last longer and better than you ever thought it would.
Dry Ice is the way to go.