How Ice Cream Cones are made .. ?

How Ice Cream Cones are made .. ?

Three main dry ingredients compose all types of cones. Wheat flour, tapioca flour, and sugar are chosen for baking quality, strength, & relative sweetness, respectively. Tapioca is made from the cassava plant, which has a starch-like root. The root is processed into the tapioca "pearls" familiar in pudding and also into finely ground flour. The cassava grows only in tropical climates so cone manufacturers import it from South America and Southeast Asia. Manufacturers purchase both tapioca flour and sugar in large bags, but wheat flour is bought by the tanker-truck load and is unloaded by air pressure that blows it from the tanker into storage silos. During World War II, wheat flour was needed for priority items like bread; as a substitute, ice cream cone makers used popcorn that was ground to a flour-like consistency.

The quantity of sugar is a major distinguishing feature between cone types. Sugar and waffle cones are made of one-third sugar. Not only does this influence the sweet flavor, but it affects the brown finished color and the crispy texture. Cake cones have less than 5% sugar.

Wet ingredients (and others added with the wet materials) include water, shortening (edible fat or grease), baking powder (a dry ingredient but one that begins to react as soon as it is mixed with water so it is added last to avoid contact with any moisture in the air), coloring, flavoring, and salt. Both the coloring and flavoring are natural products made by outside specialists.

Before any liquid is added, air compressors are again used to mixed these dry ingredients in large coolers. The compressors are computer-controlled to regulate the quantities, and different combinations of ingredients are used to make waffle/sugar cones and cake cones, so separate coolers are used to mix each type. The combined dry ingredients are termed cone filler or cone batter. Some specialty suppliers premix cone filler and sell it to cone bakers.