Vanilla ice cream is one of the most popular ice cream flavors around the world. When you think of vanilla ice cream, you probably imagine a rich, creamy, off-white color. But was vanilla ice cream always that color? Surprisingly, the original vanilla ice cream wasn’t white at all. In this article, we’ll explore the surprising original color of vanilla ice cream and how it has evolved over time.
What Gives Vanilla Ice Cream its Color?
The color of vanilla ice cream mainly comes from two sources – the vanilla bean and the dairy ingredients. Vanilla beans are the long, dark brown seed pods of Vanilla planifolia orchids. Vanilla beans are harvested, cured, and dried, then infused into ice cream base to give vanilla ice cream its signature flavor. The dark specks you see in vanilla ice cream come from the vanilla bean pods. Meanwhile, dairy ingredients like cream, milk, and egg yolks contribute a pale off-white color.
Modern commercial vanilla ice cream is made by blending an ice cream base of milk, cream, sugar, and egg yolks with specks of real vanilla beans. The ratio of dairy ingredients to vanilla beans results in the light cream color we associate with vanilla ice cream today. But originally, vanilla ice cream contained a much higher quantity of vanilla beans, resulting in a vastly different end color.
Vanilla Ice Cream Origin
Vanilla ice cream was first invented in the early 1700s in Europe. But it was Thomas Jefferson, third President of the United States, who first introduced vanilla ice cream to America in the late 18th century. While serving as the American Minister to France, Jefferson tasted vanilla ice cream and was so impressed that he brought a recipe for it back to the United States. Jefferson is often credited with being the first to serve vanilla ice cream at the White House.
In Jefferson’s original vanilla ice cream, the base was made by boiling milk, cream, sugar, and egg yolks on the stove. Once cooled, this custard-style base was mixed with a copious amount of freshly shaved vanilla beans before freezing. Unlike today’s vanilla ice cream with specks of vanilla, Jefferson’s version contained hefty visible chunks of the bean pod infused throughout.
What Color Was Original Vanilla Ice Cream?
With huge amounts of dark vanilla bean incorporated, Thomas Jefferson’s original vanilla ice cream likely had a distinctly brownish hue. Food historians describe the color of the original vanilla ice cream as a “dirty pale yellow,” tan, or “greyish-brown.”
The lack of refrigeration at the time also contributed to vanilla ice cream’s darker color. Constant freezing and defrosting as ice cream hardened in ice houses caused more oxidation and darkening.
While Jefferson helped popularize it, vanilla ice cream remained a rare and exotic dessert only accessible to the elite in the early days. The excessive amount of costly vanilla beans made it prohibitively expensive for ordinary people.
The Evolution of Vanilla Ice Cream’s Color
In 1851, a revolutionary new ice cream maker launched by Nancy Johnson helped drastically lower production costs. Her hand-cranked freezer allowed ice cream to be produced much faster and more efficiently than previous methods. As ice cream became more affordable and accessible, recipes evolved to include less vanilla bean to lower costs.
The mass production of ice cream in the early 20th century saw vanilla bean quantity reduced even further for practicality and profit. Cheaper artificial vanilla extract was also introduced to replace pricier beans. Suddenly, natural specks of vanilla bean were scarce in vanilla ice cream.
Cream also became the dairy base of choice over milk and egg yolks. Greater cream content resulted in a whiter color. New mixing methods like homogenization produced smoother, lighter ice cream too. Improved freezing techniques and refrigeration prevented oxidation and darkening.
Advancements in ice cream manufacturing and storage thus diluted vanilla ice cream’s original deeper color. By the 1950s, most consumers expected the lighter “French vanilla” shade we still see today.
Modern Vanilla Ice Cream Color
Contemporary commercial vanilla ice cream is pale off-white or ivory. This color comes from a combination of:
- Minimal vanilla bean specks – usually 0.1%-1% of total volume
- High proportion of cream and milk (10-16% milk fat)
- Emulsification and homogenization
- Artificial colorants and stabilizers in some brands
- Minimal oxidation from efficient freezing techniques
However, there has been a revival of traditional, bean-dense vanilla ice cream in recent years. Many artisanal ice cream makers now feature original Victorian-style vanilla ice cream with visibly chopped vanilla beans. These small-batch versions revert to a tan or beige color reminiscent of Jefferson’s first vanilla ice cream thanks to higher vanilla content. The emphasis on minimal processing and fresh ingredients also leads to a more natural, darker hue.
Interesting Facts About Vanilla Ice Cream Color
- Natural coloring from vanilla beans was the original coloring agent for vanilla ice cream. Synthetic dyes weren’t approved for use in ice cream until the 1960s.
- Powdered skim milk is sometimes added to give a brighter white appearance and opaque look. Condensed milk provides an even whiter color.
- Chocolate ice cream was the first ice cream available in dark brown and white varieties beginning in the late 1800s.
- Neopolitan ice cream with its iconic side-by-side chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry established color standards for each flavor.
- Light pink and blue colored vanilla ice cream is popular in Asia, particularly Japan. It’s colored with natural ingredients like pea flower or butterfly pea extract.
Conclusion
While we think of vanilla ice cream as white today, the original color was a tan or greyish brown shade. The switch from Jefferson’s bean-heavy recipe to paler modern versions occurred for practical and economic reasons as ice cream expanded in popularity. Next time you enjoy a cone of vanilla soft serve or scoop of French vanilla, consider how very different the treat looked in its early days. Though with premium artisanal makers reviving old school vanilla’s swirls of vanilla bean, you can still get a taste of the classic color and flavor.
