Every now and then we’ll define technical ice cream related terms in a recurring entry we call the “Ice Cream Dictionary.” This one is about inclusions. Speaking of inclusions, it looks like peanut butter cups is leading the way in this month’s poll (in the sidebar on the right). If you haven’t voted yet, feel free to sound off.
The term “inclusions” is just a technical way of referring to all those delicious, chunky, chewy things that are added to plain ice cream to create new flavors. Cookie dough, toffee bits, cherries, chocolate chips, peanut butter cups and assorted nuts are all examples of inclusions.
But as fun as it sounds, the addition of inclusions is actually a very precise process. Visual appeal, the eating quality of the inclusions when they are frozen and shelf life are all considered. Too many or too few inclusions can radically change the composition and flavor “experience” of ice cream. For that reason, we try to keep the weight of these additions to between 10 and 15 percent of the total weight of the finished product.
As for which bits and pieces go better with various ice cream flavors, some are better with vanilla ice cream and some pair better with chocolate ice cream, but it’s really just a matter of personal taste. If you have any ideas for new inclusions, we’d love to hear them. You never know if your idea might become the next Turkey Hill flavor!
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If you’ve got a technical question about the ice cream making process or some other inquiry about the nuances of America’s favorite treat, chances are Ernie has the answer. He might not be able to answer all questions, but he’ll try his best and some may be featured on the Ice Cream Journal.
I THINK ICE CREAM WITH COOKIES INSIDE IS THE BEST. TURKEY HILL SHOULD MAKE AN ICE CREAM WITH VANILLA COOKIES ON THE INSIDE INSTEAD OF THE CHOCOLATE. THAT WOULD JUST MAKE MY DAY.
Peanut butter cups and chocolate are the best inclusions. Moose tracks is the best!
Happy Ice Cream eating!!
I like raisins, yellow raisins and how about blackberries.
As both of my children are allergic to all nuts I enjoy my Turkey Hill without the nuts. Their favorite is cookies and cream.
Have you ever thought of combining caramel and peaches with vanilla ice cream or yogurt?
I remember bubble gum ice cream. We would use it to make root beer floats.
Turkey hill is great, but it is difficult to get a variety of flavors in Manhattan. Gristedes and Associated Supermarket carry a limited selection often limited to 3 flavors, with one of them a sorbet. Complaining to the manager doesn’t really help. Is there another supermarket in New York City.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup….mmmmm mmmmm GOOD!! I don’t need it; but I WANT IT!! It’s the best!
Whoopie Pie is one of your very best! How about making it available all year long?
I love inclusions! I would like to see more inclusions available in a coffee based icecream. I think Turkey Hill does a very nice job with balancing inclusions/ice cream, but I would go for the 15% variety in stead of the 10% if I was choosing.
I like the whitehouse ice cream but find it very hard to get
As a healthy treat I love the vanilla frozen yogurt topped with a fresh blueberry sauce that I make.
You guys are putting our flavor development team to shame. There are so many great ideas in these comments. I hope the team is paying attention. (Just in case they’re not, I’ll forward your ideas their way.)
Ok, who can resist ice cream???
Not me — practically every night before bedtime. Turkey Hill, what a sweet job you have making everyone happy!!! (especially me)
Yummy last night me a couple of girlfriends we decided to make a grown up treat.
I took Turkey Hill coffee icecream and a little Kalua and put it in the blender with some ice. We topped it with a little whipped cream to make an out of this world frosty treat for ourselves.
My inclusion choice of pecans wasn’t very popular. I once saw a personality link with different flavors of ice cream. I remember that butter pecan was the favorite ice cream of conservative people. Had you ever heard of that survey?
My choice would have to be chocolate fudge. When I get a carton with thick ribbons of fudge throughout I just let out a great big sigh. Yum Yum
I just thought of something. Emma made a point about how many inclusions there are in ratio to the ice cream amount. Sometimes, if Turkey Hill is too expensive compared to some other brands, we get the cheaper brands.
If I remember correctly, Green’s makes a ‘white mint’ chocolate chip ice cream. It’s not as good as TH’s. When I finish my bowl, there’s always some chocolate slivers left. It’s awful! But with TH, there’s usually none left. I *HEART* Turkey Hill!
Mint Chocolate Chip fans unite!!!!!!!!!!
I love pistachios. Has anyone ever had or made mango ice cream?
I used to love inclusions and my husband still does but somehow my tastes changed and I perfer no inclusions. I still love Turkey Hill and stock up whenever it’s on sale. I’d love to see just plain strawberry, vanilla, and coffee.
I wish Turkey Hill would make a Strawberry Rhubarb Ice Cream. The combination makes a great pie, so why not ice cream? Little pie crust chunks would be a nice inclusion.
Come to think of it, I may pick up some Strawberry Ice Cream and use my own Rhubarb from my garden. It will take a good deal of experimentation, But sounds like fun.
The best inclusions are nuts covered in chocolate – like Tin Roof Sunday. My family eats at least 2 gallons a week.
God bless you for the delicious no sugar added flavors!
God bless your no sugar added flavors!
I just love my turkeyhill ice cream.i have a bowl of turkeyhill everyday.Just love it
Coconut….I am a coconut nut. I had some Coconut Cream Pie Ice cream a while back and it was out of this world. I also had one that topped it, it was Coconut Pecan. Oh my goooooodness. I hope they have Ice Cream in Heaven because I sure think it should be. Particularly the Coconut Pecan.Oh I think I need a snack………
I love turkey hills ice cream,but I love to put whipped cream on it and a cherry on top and sometimes a little syrup and crushed peanuts. yum.
The thought came to me that perhaps you could make a flavor like the Dusty Road sundaes, by putting fine malt dust in vanilla ice cream. Seems if you can add all the other luscious add-ins maybe you could do this too. Frankly I think Turkey Hill can do just about everything.
Of the most important “inclusions” to my otherwise “plain” life, Turkey Hill Dairy ice cream is one of the additions that have helped me have a happier life.
I prefer ice cream without hard pieces in it, although the pieces in Southern Lemon Pie melt in your mouth. This is one of the best ice cream flavors, right up there with Party Cake!!! I can’t wait for the lemon and mango Gelato combos to get to my stores. Right now we only get the cherry and I find that one much too sweet.
I would like to see a new ice cream flavor using almonds (or peanuts), marshmallow, and pineapple topping (
I would like to see a new ice cream flavor using almonds (or peanuts), marshmallow, and pineapple topping mixed into chocolate ice cream. This is really the only chocolate ice cream combination that I eat; otherwise, it is vanilla ice cream all the way!
(Sorry for the previous, incomplete comment; I used a “greater than sign” to make an arrow for emphasis on including alot of pineapple topping — apparently the software read it as a “stop”.
Love the almonds! Knowing that a handful a day is a very healthy thing makes eating ice cream with them less guilt-ridden!
Turkey Hill is the best even with nothing in it. Once upon a time ago, I had ice cream with pieces of the chocolate cookie from ice cream sandwiches. I don’t remember what brand it was (Turley Hill, maybe?!) but I’ve never been able to find it again. It was sooooo good!!!
Giant Eagle has expanded and started carring more of the philly style ice creams mmmm mmm good so far they are my favorite style of turkey hill nothing beats the smooth texture and taste of black cherry I do hope the stores here pick it up soon!
I don’t care for the larger inclusions such as the chunks of chocolate. However, I would like coconut – something like coconut cream pie ice cream.
I know I’m in the minority but if I do select a flavor with inclusions (vanilla fudge,chocolate marshmallow, or chocolate cherry cordial to name a few) I feel the inclusion is too overwhelming. I’d prefer less chocolate syrup, less marshmallow etc…
Jody’s right – “inclusions?” Couldn’t we get a little craftier with the word? …but since you asked – GO PISTACHIO!
ooo oooo – i just thought of one – SHOO FLY PIE inclusions!!!
The coconut cream pie was one of my favorites! I’m on my way to the Bi-Lo now to get some ice cream. Turkey Hill is on sale 2/$5 this week. Our stores run out fast only 2 stores in my area carry Turkey Hill. We’ll just have to see what they have left.
any flavor with choc. syrup and kool whip!!!!!!!
I love crunched up M&M’s in my chocolate ice cream. It’s simply perfect! My 5 year old Kevin likes all inclusions as long as they may his scoop look more “gianormous” in the bowl as he likes to exclaim.
I like red hots in my ice cream!!
I can not eat ice cream anymore without inclusions. I would love to see chocolate blueberry inclusions!
I would love to see an oatmeal and peanut butter ice cream with pieces of peanuts in it. Lets just say that one of those “stone cold creameries” had oatmeal ice cream and I loved adding chunky peanut butter to it.
Tin Roof Sundae – the best flavor ever! To me it’s almost synonomous with Turkey Hill, since the first Tin Roof I tasted was Turkey Hill.
Do try most of the limited editions ice cream. This year love “Eagles”
ice cream-”add-ins”make it as good as any sundae. Thanks.
is there really an Ice Cream Dictionary?
is it available in any libraries or only at places that make ice cream for profit and fun?
As far as I’m concerned, NOTHING will ever top Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough chunks of inclusions!
But I love to experiment with making my own mix-ins, especially with TH’s reduced-fat vanilla bean (since I do so many taste tests). I always save the last few scoops of my crazy cookie dough batches to freeze and mix-in to some TH ice cream.
One of my favorites I ever made was with a batch of vanilla oatmeal raisin cookies I made – I highly suggest everyone and anyone try this!
Ernie… how about letting me make you some of my oatmeal raisin cookie dough and sending it to you in one of those “cooler bags” for you to try in a batch of TH Vanilla ice cream! I promise you won’t be disappointed!!!
Ooh! Or chocolate-covered espresso beans! Yum!!!
I remember Strawberry Rhubarb Pie ice cream from Turkey Hill when I was younger. I have been looking for it ever since, but to no success.
I do not know why Turkey Hill stopped making this variety but it was very good, very satisfying.
I would strongly recommend bringing back Strawberry Rhubarb Pie (like little chunks of pie included in the ice-cream) again. I think it will sell rather successfully.
I am not a huge fan of Turkey Hill ice cream (Eddy’s is the way to go), but I have to say, I LOVE PHILLIES GRAHAM SLAM ICE CREAM. I think its sad at this point that I would pay just about anything to get some…It’s amazing…my favorite flavor by far…and I’m a Mets fan!