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Original poster

How many scoops of ice cream from a 1 litre tub?

26 replies

steppemum · 22/05/2019 12:40

running an ice cream stall for a charity even on Saturday. I know how many people are coming, and I need to work out how much ice cream to buy, but I realise I have no idea how many scoops you can get from 1 litre.

Any ideas?
I know for some things there is a rule of thumb - 20 cups of tea form a pint, for example. Does anyone know of anything for ice cream?

OP posts:
StarveInn · 22/05/2019 12:57

The ice cream company I use for work suggest an average of 45 scoops from a 5ltr tub.

Original poster
steppemum · 22/05/2019 13:07

Oh brilliant, thank you so much, just what I need

OP posts:
Original poster
steppemum · 22/05/2019 13:08

hmm, that means only 9 scoops from each litre though. I would have thought a whole 1 litre tub did more.

Did they mean you can make 45 ice cream cones (which might have 2 scoops per cone), so 45 servings, or did they mean just scoops?

OP posts:
astonvanilla · 22/05/2019 13:11

I think you need to do some research! 😋

Sexnotgender · 22/05/2019 13:14

Depends how big your scoop isGrin

StarveInn · 22/05/2019 13:15

45 scoops.

StarveInn · 22/05/2019 13:15

Sorry posted too soon, that’s 45 scoops not servings.

Original poster
steppemum · 22/05/2019 13:15

hee hee, my trouble is - I don't actually like ice cream!

I have a BBQ at my house every summer, and for dessert I do an ice cream factory, with sprinkles and pour over sauce etc. Everyone loves it, I used to do it for the kids, but the adults love it as much. So i was asked to do it for this event. Trouble is, I just buy 3 or 4 tubs and whatever is left goes in my freezer and my kids eat it up over the next few weeks. I can't do that with a big event, I might not buy enough, or my freezer will be flooded out with ice cream!

OP posts:
StarveInn · 22/05/2019 13:18

It does obviously depend on the size of your scoop too.

How many scoops of ice cream from a 1 litre tub?
StarveInn · 22/05/2019 13:19

How many people are coming and how many of those people are likely to have ice cream?

Original poster
steppemum · 22/05/2019 13:23

Oh StarveInn, you are a marvel!
Thank you.

So it really is 45 scoops. That's great, gives me my starting point.

don't know final numbers I'm awaiting reply from organiser.
Food is included and they each get a token for 2 ice creams. Ice cream stall open at various points in the day. I am guessing that adults not using their token may well pass them on to kids, so all tokens will get used!
So total number attending x 2, x 2 (2 scoops per cone)

OP posts:
riverislands · 22/05/2019 13:24

Just in case you are also serving tea, you will not get 20 cups from a pint. That is less than two tablespoons per cup.

DragonglassHeart · 22/05/2019 13:25

I've just had a look at a few 1 litre tubs on Tesco and they all seem to suggest that 100ml is one serving so 10 per 1 litre tub.

amusedbush · 22/05/2019 13:26

Just in case you are also serving tea, you will not get 20 cups from a pint. That is less than two tablespoons per cup.

Yes, I did think that seemed optimistic!

Knittedfairies · 22/05/2019 13:30

I read 20 cups of tea from a pint as being the amount of milk needed, but that can't be right as 2 tablespoons per cup is far too much...

Original poster
steppemum · 22/05/2019 14:06

sorry yes the 20 cups form a pint is just the milk!

It is a rough guide when buying milk for these sort of events

OP posts:
Ariela · 22/05/2019 15:39

Speaking as someone that did a summer season in a seaside ice cream parlour a LOT depends on the temperature of the ice cream.
If it is rock solid, then you get less, far less from the tub, as obviously it is harder to scoop. The secret is to scoop the scoop sideways, skimming the surface, and allowing the ice cream to curl up including a LOT of air. Hollow balls basically, as they look bigger than a rock solid tight curl of ice cream, even though they actually contain less!

If the weather was hot and we were going through the main flavours quickly, we'd get the spare out from the bottom freezer and allow it to stand 10 minutes to thaw from -20 or whatever it was to a more scoopable temperature when we actually got to use it, all while pretending to be too busy scooping ice creams to have time to sort the tubs in the display cabinet and put the fresh one under the one we were using. Obviously there's an art to getting the temperature just right, and if you let the ice cream go too runny equally it is a pain to deal with! So do bear that in mind if you cannot skim your scoop swiftly through the top of the ice cream. One way to help this is to have a jug of (boiling initially) very hot water in which you stand the scoop between each serving. Shake off the water (otherwise it sets on the surface of the ice cream and ruins it) , the gel in the handle will keep the blade warm enough to easily scoop the ice cream. If you're near the teas, and your ice cream is rock solid, then get the water changed regularly.
You want this type of scoop, (note - they do come in different sizes so a smaller scoop will use less per scoop, but you don't want it too small the ice cream disappears into the bottom of the cone! Do
NOT use the mash potato sort where you squeeze the leaver and the bar flicks it off, a) they're difficult to scoop in the air to make the ice cream look bigger, and b) once the mechanism gets cold the ice cream sticks to the bar, meaning it gets messy.

On a good ice cream temperature day, where the ice cream flowed and the queues were plentiful we could easily get 70-80 scoops per 5ltr tub.

Original poster
steppemum · 22/05/2019 17:31

Ariela
That's really helpful, thanks.
Yes i have 2 scoops like that, and one 'mashed potato' one which I hated as soon as I bought it.
I am quite good at scooping, getting the curl with air in, and always have a mug of water to put the scoop in.
I think I'm quite good at doing it, as I do it at our party every year.
Good to hear I might get more out of a tub. I've just calculated that we need 66 litres of ice cream, and now we are worried about freezer space! (300+ people coming)
Originally we were going to offer two ice creams each, but with that amount of ice cream needed, we will start with one and then offer a second if we are doing well on scoops per tub!

OP posts:
Gottoloveabagel · 22/05/2019 18:23

I think if you are offering 2 ice creams you only need one scoop per cone!

comeonsummer2019 · 22/05/2019 18:35

If you are only getting 45 scoops out of 5l then your scoops must be huuuuge!

At least 80 scoops to 5l is a average.

StarveInn · 22/05/2019 18:50

comeonsummer2019 I’m not because I do quenelles but that’s the company’s “suggested average” as I posted above.

Lllot5 · 22/05/2019 22:47

I could eat a litre of ice cream and drink a pint of tea on my own so I’m no help. Smile

Sunnysidegold · 23/05/2019 06:05

This is why I love mumsnet! Unusual question, and so many jump in with excellent advice! Hope your stall goes well it sounds lovely!

BarbaraofSevillle · 23/05/2019 06:53

9 scoops per litre makes the scoop s just over 100 ml which sounds about right.

stucknoue · 23/05/2019 07:10

If people are helping themselves to milk allow a lot more milk, some people take a huge amount, we use nearly a litre for 20 people for coffee morning, and I take mine black as does one other person! As for the ice cream, if it's included no the price you will get a few more scoops, 125ml as suggested is for when people buy an ice cream - I suspect you will use around 75ml per person for a cone as I used 50ml with apple pie with leftovers