FOOD REVIEW: Density Frozen Custard

The hot and humid weather in Singapore means that cold desserts are perennial food items on the menu. Besides local desserts such as ice kacang and chendol, we are spoilt with a contemporary choice of global imports of Italian gelatos, Korean soft-serve and Spanish froyo. Last evening, I tried out frozen custard at Density – a new addition to the local scene – to experience an American traditional brought to our shores.

What is Frozen Custard?

American frozen custard is categorised by the United States Department of Agriculture as a super-premium ice cream with its extremely low overrun and high butterfat content, with a requirement to have at least 1.4% of egg yolks in the final product. The egg yolks are used in place of gelatin or other artificial stabilisers.

Before you run away screaming “High cholesterol!”, there is a huge poster on the wall in the café debunking the food myth that eggs are bad for you. Egg yolks are rich in high-density lipoprotein (HDL), commonly known as the “good” cholesterol, which helps to reduce risks to heart disease and is also nutritious, packed with vitamins, Omega-3 and other awesome stuff. I did some digging on the Internet, and I would have you know that egg yolks and other fatty food have been inaccurately accused of being unhealthy, and that the latest research indicates food rich in HDL are actually good for the heart.

In Density’s frozen custard, the overrun, which is the percentage increase in volume after churning, is significantly lower compared to other frozen desserts. For example, the overrun ranges from 25% to 65% in supermarket ice cream and ranges from 40% to 110% in soft-serve and froyo. In frozen custard, the overrun is only 10% to 20%, and Density has chosen to reflect this in their brand name.

Emphasis on Quality

Density is set up by a brother and sister team, J.R. and Sherlyn, both of whom come from a family in the food industry. J.R. discovered the American tradition of frozen custard while studying Food Science and Human Nutrition in the States, and convinced Sherlyn to join him on the endeavour to bring it to Singapore. Both then embarked on a long journey across the heart of America to learn all they could about frozen custard and even enrolled in the Frozen Dessert Institute of America. While there, J.R. and Sherlyn learnt the importance of using quality ingredients, which also validated their father’s business motto – “Make the best. Your customer will trust you for it.”

Sherlyn and J.R., founders of Density Frozen Custard.

This underscores the emphasis that Density has on the quality of ingredients used in their frozen custard, with the milk and cream coming from grass-fed cows in Wisconsin, USA, and the vanilla beans sourced directly from Madagascan farmers. Making the freshest frozen custard on-site daily also means that Density will only be offering three of their signature flavours at any one time.

Verdict

I got to try to a single scoop of Density’s Rocher and Vanilla flavours each, both of which I enjoyed. The respective flavours are rich and smooth, with balanced sweetness and creaminess. I could also see tiny specks of vanilla in my frozen custard, indicative of the use of vanilla pods which translates to better depth of flavour, without an aftertaste that one might get with artificial vanillin sometimes. With a combination of low overrun and higher percentage of egg yolks used in Density’s ice-cream, I can certainly feel in my mouth that the frozen custard’s texture is thicker and creamier, with a distinct lack of ice crystals, compared to less premium ice cream.

Asia361-205322 As reflected in Density’s philosophy to have customers enjoy their super-premium frozen custard frills-free, mine came unadorned with toppings or sauces, which suits me just fine; I believe that if your main product is good enough, you do not need the frills. However, Density also understands some people like to get creative with their desserts, and thus provides an extensive selection of toppings and sauces for such customers to dress their sundaes. In addition to standard toppings such as berries, cookies, fruits, and nuts, seasonal artisanal granolas and local produce are also available.