Everyone enjoys ice cream as a dessert. And if the weather is hot, it is the treat that is on everyone’s mind.
While buying a cup from the supermarket is easy, making your own ice cream has extra sweetness and a special place in our hearts.
But one of the ingredients for making ice cream—rock salt—can be a bit difficult to find. So, what do you do if you are craving ice cream but are short on rock salt? You use substitutes. But finding a substitute for rock salt is easier said than done.
Some of the best substitutes for rock salt in ice cream that you can use are table salt, Himalayan Pink salt, Kosher salt, Maldon sea salt, and Coarse sea salt.
Hence, to help you out, here are 6 substitutes for rock salt that you can use when making ice cream.
Why You Need Rock Salt For Making Ice Cream
When you are making ice cream, you take your ingredients (milk, sugar, and vanilla essence) and cool them down. To bring down the temperature, you need to use salt. This is because salt reduces the freezing point of water. So your mixture will take longer to freeze, and you will achieve a creamy mixture instead of a frozen solid lump.
The quicker your mixture freezes, the crunchier your ice cream will be. Alternatively, if it takes a lot of time to freeze, you will not have ice cream but a sticky mess. Hence, it is safe to say that freezing is the most tricky and important part of making homemade ice cream.
Rock salt is ideal as it is available at a cheaper price and in bulk amounts. Also, the granules are thick, which is ideal for making ice cream. Large granules mix uniformly throughout the ice bath, not getting lumped up in one area. So, with rock salt, you do not have salt clumps while the remaining ice melts.
Substitutes for Rock Salt
Now, you know that why rock salt is important for making ice cream but sometimes rock salt is not easily available at supermarkets and if you are also in the situtation where you can not get your hands on rock salt then don’t worry there are plenty of substitutes for rock salt that you can use while making ice cream.
All the substitutes for rock salt that I have shared below are personally tested by me and I have used them all to make ice cream and believe me the results are quite similar to what you get when using rock salt.
And some of the blow rock salt substitutes will get you even better result when making ice cream. So now let’s not waste more time and straight up get to the substitute part.
1. Table Salt
So, can you use table salt to make ice cream?
If it is your last resort, then yes, you can use table salt. However, if you have any of the other five ingredients mentioned below, it is better to use them.
Table salt is costlier than rock salt. Also, you need a lot of salt for making ice cream, and table salt is not available in bulk. In addition, it is much finer, which can result in salty clumps. Moreover, most brands add additives that will affect the final flavor of your ice cream.
But if it is the only thing you have, it will bring about the required effect.
Measurement: Use only one-third the amount of rock salt required. So, if the recipe says to add three tablespoons of rock salt, add only 1 tablespoon of table salt.
2. Himalayan Pink Salt
Himalayan pink salt is a great alternative, as it comes in many grain sizes. The best one for making ice cream is the one with the biggest grains.
Additionally, Himalayan Pink salt changes the flavor of your ice cream, but in a good way. The salt has a mineral content depending on where it is from. This imparts a specific flavor to your ice cream, something difficult to achieve otherwise.
Measurement: If you are using Himalayan salt, use it in the same quantity as rock salt. So, for every tablespoon of rock salt required, use equal tablespoons of Himalayan salt.
3. Kosher Salt
Kosher salt is very much like rock salt. It does not have any additives like iodine, and the granules are thicker. Hence, it is a great substitute for rock salt.
Measurement: For Kosher salt, use half the amount as rock salt. So, if you are using 2 tablespoons of rock salt, use only 1 tablespoon of Kosher salt.
4. Maldon Sea Salt
Maldon sea salt is very similar to rock salt and Kosher salt. But the only setback is that it can be a bit costly. It is a fancy alternative that is commonly used as a finishing salt. It will give your ice cream a great taste. Additionally, it does not have any additives and is a great alternative.
Also Read: Can I Use Buttermilk Instead Of Milk?
Measurement: Use half the amount of Maldon salt as rock salt. So, for every two tablespoons of rock salt required, replace it with one tablespoon of Maldon salt.
5. Coarse Sea Salt
Coarse sea salt is a bit different from table salt as it does not contain any additives like iodine, giving it a different taste. Also, the salt is coarser, which makes it an ideal substitute when making ice cream.
Sea salt ice cream is a favorite of many. Sea salt imparts an additional flavor, making the ice cream more delicious.
Measurement: One-fourth the amount of coarse sea salt as rock salt. So, use only 1 tablespoon of coarse sea salt if you are using 4 tablespoons of rock salt.
6. In An Ice Cream Maker Without Rock Salt
There are many ice cream makers available on the market that do not require either electricity or rock salt.
All you have to do is put the unit in the freezer for the time specified by the brand. Then, remove it. Add your ingredients and put it back in the freezer for around 15 minutes.
Remove the unit, stir it, and put it back in the freezer. Repeat this until you have achieved the solidity you have been looking for. Your ice cream is ready.
P.S. If you live in a place where it snows, you can put the unit in the snow as well.
You can do the same thing without an ice cream maker as well. All you have to do is remove your ice cream mixture from time to time (say at 15-minute intervals) from refrigeration, give it a quick grind in a mixer, or just properly shake it, and put it back in the freezer. When you do so, you prevent your mixture from quickly solidifying, giving you the soft consistency of ice cream.
Also Read: Substitutes For Yogurt In Naan Bread
Can I use regular salt instead of rock salt for ice cream?
Yes, you can use regular salt instead of rock salt for ice cream. However, rock salt is best when making ice cream because granules are thick and it mixes uniformly.
Will normal salt melt ice?
Yes, normal salt melts ice. When salt is mixed with water, heat is released which eventually lowers the freezing point.
Wrapping Up
Making ice cream at home is a treat in itself. However, there is one thing that can ruin your mood—being short of some ingredients. Unless you shop online and have ordered rock salt in advance, getting the ingredient from a local store can be a bit of a challenge. However, now you know what substitutes you can use when your pantry does not have rock salt!
