A machine for providing a single serving of a cold beverage or a frozen confection is disclosed. The machine includes a cooling system, a first assembly, and a second assembly. The first assembly includes the cooling system and has sidewalls partially defining a recess for receiving a pod containing at least one ingredient for forming the single serving of the cold beverage or frozen confection and at least one internal paddle. The second assembly has a lid and a plunger movably mounted to the lid. The plunger is operable to engage a top of the pod and rotate the at least one internal paddle of the pod to scrape the cold beverage or a frozen confection off a wall of the pod and mix contents of the pod.

An expansion evaporator includes a heat exchanger and a replaceable freezer cylinder detachably received within a receiving channel of the heat exchanger, wherein the replaceable freezer cylinder has a feeding channel for raw material feeding therethrough to thermally communicate with the heat exchanger so as to form a frozen product within the feeding channel. The replaceable freezer cylinder is detached from the heat exchanger for cleaning purpose as the raw material is not contacted with the heat exchanger.

A machine for pasteurizing liquid or semi-liquid food products, including: a first container for the thermal treatment of a liquid or semi-liquid base product; a second container for feeding the liquid or semi-liquid base product, connected to the first, thermal treatment container, for feeding the liquid or semi-liquid base product; a stirrer for mixing the product in the first, processing container and mounted inside the first, thermal treatment container; a thermal system including an exchanger associated with the walls of the first, processing container and configured to release heat at the walls of the first, thermal treatment container, the machine wherein the stirrer is externally helically shaped and extends between a first, inlet end and a second, outlet end, so that as it rotates, the liquid or semi-liquid product is made to advance between the first, inlet end and the second, outlet end.

A system for dispensing a frozen beverage. The system includes a barrel having an inner wall and being configured to retain the frozen beverage therein. A mixing system causes mixing of the frozen beverage within the barrel. A cooling system cools the frozen beverage from radially outwardly of the inner wall. A melting system heats the frozen beverage from radially inwardly of the inner wall. The mixing system causes relatively larger ice crystals to move inwardly from the inner wall, and the melting system reduces a size of the relatively larger ice crystals.

A machine for processing liquid or semi-liquid food products, includes: at least one container for containing the product to be processed; at least one stirrer, mounted inside the container, to rotate about an axis of rotation; the machine is characterized in that the stirrer comprises at least: a first protuberance extending along the axis of rotation; a plurality of scraping elements, each provided with a cavity for accommodating the first protuberance; a first locking element, removably associable with the first protuberance and movable between an engaged position, where it is locked to the first protuberance to couple the scraping elements to the first protuberance, and a disengaged position, where it is movable relative to the first protuberance to allow uncoupling the scraping elements.

Systems and methods have demonstrated the capability of rapidly cooling the contents of pods containing the ingredients for food and drinks.

Systems and methods have demonstrated the capability of rapidly cooling the contents of pods containing the ingredients for food and drinks.

The process involves feeding a base aerated frozen confection having an overrun of from 20-150% from a freezer to a static mixer, feeding a viscous flavorant or other ingredient having a free oil level of at least 10% to the static mixer to combine with the base frozen confection, and mixing them in the static mixer to obtain a frozen confection including the viscous flavorant or other ingredient which is homogeneous to the eye and taste and which preferably has fewer crystalline fat structures per air bubble, which means greater stability of the air bubbles. The invention is also reflected in reduced standard deviation in product fill weight and an improved distribution of air bubbles. The invention also is directed to the frozen aerated confection.

An ice cream maker fitting for a stand mixer provided with a main body having a mobile element rotating about a first rotation axis. The fitting includes at least one adapter element, which is provided with a coupling element configured to be coupled to a blade for processing ingredient. The adapter element is coupled to the mobile element by a magnetic coupling.

Systems and methods have demonstrated the capability of rapidly cooling the contents of pods containing the ingredients for food and drinks. Some machines include a refrigeration system to cool food or drink in a pod. The machines include an evaporator defining a receptacle sized to receive the pod. The evaporator includes an inlet port to receive refrigerant and an outlet port to discharge refrigerant.