About The Meadows

The Meadows Original Frozen Custard got its start in the summer of 1950 when J.V., Richard and Delbert Meadows opened a small custard stand in Duncansville, PA. Lines over fifty people deep formed immediately. It was an instant success and remains a great success to this day. Now considered a tourist attraction, the Duncansville location is still in operation and owned by Dick, Jay and Joe Meadows, sons of Delbert. Demand for the smooth, frozen treat has caused franchises to pop up, each individually owned and operated. Over fifty years later each Meadows location still serves the same recipe that got its start in 1950 and has kept our business successful for over fifty years.

What is Frozen Custard?

Frozen Custard is prepared fresh and made onsite – all day, every day. It is made extremely creamy, dense, and smooth, that is what sets frozen custard apart from ice cream.  When you visit us, chances are you will see our special frozen custard machine in action, creating this delicious dessert right in front of your eyes!
In order to have authentic frozen custard there are a few ingredient requirements. First, frozen custard must contain at least 1.4% egg yolk and 10% butterfat.  Additionally, frozen custard is best served around 18-20 degrees Fahrenheit, where ice cream is served much colder, closer to 0 degrees.

One of the main differences between frozen custard and ice cream is the amount of β€œoverrun” in the product.  Simply put, overrun is the technical term for the amount of air that is whipped into the product when it is made.  Frozen custard typically has around 20% overrun while traditional ice cream will have an overrun amount as high as 100%.  At 100% overrun the product doubles in size meaning that half of the product is air. The more air the ice cream has, the coarser the texture of the ice cream due to the size of ice crystals. Because Frozen Custard has such a low “overrun,” there are fewer ice crystals in the product. The result is an extremely clean and smooth taste sensation that is said to be much creamier than ice cream.

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