If you love Halo Top, then you're going to want to read this...

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Strawblackcat
Strawblackcat Posts: 944 Member
edited March 2017 in Food and Nutrition
So, I think that pretty much all of Myfitnesspal agrees that Halo Top is awesome. I also think that most of us also agree that, at almost $5.00 a pint (for most of us,) the eating an entire pint of Halo Top on a regular basis is entirely too expensive. So, as someone who likes to waste her time fooling around in the kitchen, I decided to re-engineer the Halo Top recipe. I just make a basic vanilla flavor, but you could play with this basic recipe by adding mix-ins and by using various flavors of whey protein to create different flavors. The best part of this recipe (other than being able to make your own Halo Top at home for super-cheap,) is that this ice cream is actually soft and scoop-able right out of the freezer. No need to let it defrost before eating, like you do with actual Halo Top.
Enjoy! :)

Vanilla Bean "Halo Top" Recipe
Yields : 1 pint of super-delicious, super-healthy ice cream

Ingredients:
- 1 Tbsp. of Isomaltooligosaccharide Syrup (Like FiberYum or VitaFiber)
- 16 g of Erythritol
- 0.50 large Egg (Use good eggs, or buy pasteurized eggs: you’ll be eating them raw)
- 1 cup, Milk - Reduced fat, 2% milkfat (Whole would also work, or skim + 1 tbsp. of cream)
- 0.50 scoop of Whey Protein (Choose one that you like the flavor of)
- 0.25 tsp of Table Salt
- 1.50 Teaspoon of Sugar
- 2 tsp of Vegetable Glycerin
- 0.25 tsp of Xanthan Gum
- 1 tsp. of Vanilla EXTRACT (not a non-alcoholic flavoring!)
-0.50 tsp Vanilla Bean Powder (optional, but it looks pretty)

Directions:
1. Freeze ice-cream-maker bowl until solid
2. Blend all ingredients together well
3. Pour into ice-cream-maker
4. Let the ice-cream-maker do it's thing until the ice cream is the consistency of soft-serve
5. Put into a freezer-safe container and freeze until you're ready to enjoy a pint of DIY Halo Top!


Servings: 4
Per serving:

Calories: 79
Total Fat: 2 grams
Saturated Fat: 1 gram
Sodium: 196 milligrams
Potassium: 113 milligrams
Total Carbohydrates: 16 grams
Dietary Fiber: 4 grams
Sugar: 5 grams
Protein: 6 grams
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Replies

  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,527 Member
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    I'm taking this and starting a business now. ;) Thanks for the recipe. I'll have to make it sometime.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
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    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

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  • DannyYMi54321
    DannyYMi54321 Posts: 77 Member
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    Thanks for posting your work. I tried 4 flavors of HT and was really underwhelmed by it considering the price vs calories saved over "regular" brands of lower calorie/sugar ice creams like Breyers. For my $ if I'm spending that much for the "experience" I would buy Arctic Zero instead. I've been considering making my own version of these products.
  • healthypelican
    healthypelican Posts: 215 Member
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    Great, another thing that sounds impossible in New Zealand :-( I imagine this would be expensive to make here. I feel sad about not having Halo or Ben and Jerry's.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,372 Member
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    I honestly wouldn't even know where to find most of that stuff :(

    That reminds me that I should really get an ice cream maker though!
  • Strawblackcat
    Strawblackcat Posts: 944 Member
    edited March 2017
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    Francl27 wrote: »
    I honestly wouldn't even know where to find most of that stuff :(

    That reminds me that I should really get an ice cream maker though!

    Most of the stuff is pretty easy to find if you have a good supermarket near to your house.

    The IMO Syrup was the only thing I ordered, and you can get it for about $15.00 on Amazon for a large jug that can be used to make Quest bars and will last you a long time.

    The Erythritol can be bought at a normal health food store (I bought mine at work). I used NOW brand, which was around $8.00-ish for a 1 lb bag, but Swerve is another popular brand that costs a little more. Once again, you can use it in baking, and it will last you a while.

    Whey protein you can buy pretty much anywhere. I used Garden of Life's Vanilla Grass-fed whey, since it's on sale at work.

    The glycerin I bought in the first aid section at Walmart for about $3.00. CVS and Walgreens should have it, too.

    I bought the Xanthan gum at work, but any good grocery store should have it in the baking aisle, since it's primary use is in gluten free baking. I've seen the Bob's Red Mill and Hogdson Mills brands before in Walmart and Food Lion.

    So, everything's pretty easy to find. You just have to know where to look.
  • bbell1985
    bbell1985 Posts: 4,572 Member
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    Thank you so much. I bought an ice cream maker and tried it ONCE before giving up. I will be doing this.
  • JenHuedy
    JenHuedy Posts: 611 Member
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    I've been thinking about seeing what would happen if I put a protein shake in my ice cream maker. Thanks for doing the research and saving me the frustration! I'm going to hunt down the ingredients and try it myself this weekend!
  • bbell1985
    bbell1985 Posts: 4,572 Member
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    The reason I thought I struggled with the ice cream I tried was because there was like...no fat. I used almond milk and it just came out like...crap. Like an icicle.

    I live in the city so can probably find all the ingredients easily but it's a snow day...maybe I'll order them all on amazon. I've had xanthan gum for awhile but the package is open wide in the cabinet. I wonder if it's still good.
  • Strawblackcat
    Strawblackcat Posts: 944 Member
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    bbell1985 wrote: »
    The reason I thought I struggled with the ice cream I tried was because there was like...no fat. I used almond milk and it just came out like...crap. Like an icicle.

    I live in the city so can probably find all the ingredients easily but it's a snow day...maybe I'll order them all on amazon. I've had xanthan gum for awhile but the package is open wide in the cabinet. I wonder if it's still good.

    It should be okay. Bobs Red Mill packages don't re-seal, so I just clip a clothespin onto mine.
  • kyleeayotte
    kyleeayotte Posts: 2 Member
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    Great, another thing that sounds impossible in New Zealand :-( I imagine this would be expensive to make here. I feel sad about not having Halo or Ben and Jerry's.

    there are SO many better things in NZ than not having access to Halo or Ben & Jerry's!! Dairy for dayyyyys. Lamb. MEAT PIES....
  • _Phill727
    _Phill727 Posts: 57 Member
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    @Strawblackcat that's awesome! You should go into product development! I am going to try out your recipe.

    To make sure you get good consistency (avoid the icicle) is to increase the overrun.. aka blend the mixture like crazy to get as much air in there as possible prior to adding to the IC maker. GL!
  • bbell1985
    bbell1985 Posts: 4,572 Member
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    _Phill727 wrote: »
    @Strawblackcat that's awesome! You should go into product development! I am going to try out your recipe.

    To make sure you get good consistency (avoid the icicle) is to increase the overrun.. aka blend the mixture like crazy to get as much air in there as possible prior to adding to the IC maker. GL!

    Ohhh.......Thanks for the tip
  • fitmom4lifemfp
    fitmom4lifemfp Posts: 1,575 Member
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    . No need to let it defrost before eating, like you do with actual Halo Top.

    Hmm. I actually do eat mine right out of the freezer, and it's delicious.
  • Meganthedogmom
    Meganthedogmom Posts: 1,639 Member
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    Thanks OP! Now I'm kind of regretting giving away my ice cream maker years ago. I used it once to try homemade sorbet and failed miserably.
  • bbell1985
    bbell1985 Posts: 4,572 Member
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    Thanks OP! Now I'm kind of regretting giving away my ice cream maker years ago. I used it once to try homemade sorbet and failed miserably.

    Same here. One time. I was going to throw it away but I kept it up. So glad now. Though I think it's a piece of crap so we'll see
  • Savyna
    Savyna Posts: 789 Member
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    Great, another thing that sounds impossible in New Zealand :-( I imagine this would be expensive to make here. I feel sad about not having Halo or Ben and Jerry's.

    I have some (albeit used) halo top pistachio in my freezer. I found it to taste extremely sweet and wasn't into it. I was excited though because of all the rave reviews I'd heard from other MFPers. I'd share with you if there was a way to get it from me to you without it melting >.<
  • JessicaMcB
    JessicaMcB Posts: 1,503 Member
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    I need to order IMO syrup evidently because omgggg
  • JenHuedy
    JenHuedy Posts: 611 Member
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    crazyravr wrote: »
    Do you know what each of the chemicals (ingredients) does to the mixture? Just looking for ideas why you used what you used so if I cant find something I can maybe try and replace it.

    The IMO syrup adds the soluble fiber to the ice cream, and it may help with keeping the texture soft, since bars made with it also help keeping things soft and chewy. It also provides mild sweetness, since a lot of fitness-treats will use it as a low-GI sweetener. The whey protein adds protein to the ice cream and gives the base more body and richness, since it doesn't have the fat & cream that most ice creams do. I think that powdered milk could work as a substitute. the erythritol is a sugar alcohol that serves the dual purpose of sweetening without adding any calories, and preventing large ice crystals from forming during churning (essentially, it serves the same purpose that normal sugar does in ice cream). I think that xylitol may also work, but erythritol tends to be more digestable for people in larger amounts. Glycerin helps keep the ice crystals small during churning as well, which prevents it from getting icy and helps keep it creamy. It also adds a bit of sweetness. I used xanthan gum to replace the carob and guar gum that actual Halo Top uses, and they're there to keep everything emulsified and to prevent it from getting rock-hard in a normal freezer. The reason I specified to use vanilla extract instead of vanilla flavoring is because vanilla extracts contain alcohol, which lowers the freezing point of ice cream and can help in keeping it soft. You might be able to experiment with replacing the glycerin for a couple of tablespoons of vodka or bourbon, but you would have to increase the amount of sugar, or add a little Stevia extract or something, to compensate for the loss of sweetness.

    Thanks for the explanation! (Somebody must watch Alton Brown and/or America's Test Kitchen!) I have so many ideas for subs if I can't find all of the ingredients... perhaps egg yolk for Xanthan gum... flavored liqueur for vanilla... perhaps a dollop of light corn syrup if I can't find the IMO syrup... I think I've seen glycerin in the cake decorating supplies...
  • bigislandgrrl
    bigislandgrrl Posts: 196 Member
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    Um yes!