Fixing Thin Cream Made with Silk Cream Maker

Adding viscosity to a finished cream is generally difficult. This is because most thickeners need to be dispersed and build structure during the emulsification process or within the water/oil phases from the beginning.

Regarding the case where you used Silk Cream Maker™ at 4% and the texture is liquidy, several factors could be the cause:

• High Usage Rate: Silk Cream Maker™ has a recommended usage rate of 0.5-3% (1-1.5% recommended). Using 4% might lead to system instability.
• Electrolytes: As you suspected, certain electrolytes can disrupt the structure of polymer-based emulsifiers and thickeners, causing a decrease in viscosity.
• Over-blending: The instructions for Silk Cream Maker™ state that it should not be blended at speeds exceeding 2500 rpm, as this can damage the polymer and weaken the formula.

Recommendations for Correction:

Generally, the best approach is to adjust the formula and make a new batch. This involves reducing the amount of electrolytes in the formula (if possible) and using Silk Cream Maker™ within the recommended usage rate (not exceeding 3%), as well as controlling the blending speed.

Correcting a Finished Cream:

Attempting to increase the viscosity of a finished cream carries the risk of resulting in a non-smooth texture, lumps, or even emulsion instability, as the thickener may not disperse well. However, if you must attempt to correct it, you might consider certain thickeners that can potentially be added afterward. This requires caution and possibly high-shear mixing to help disperse, which also risks breaking the emulsion.

• Certain Polymer Thickeners: You might try adding a small amount of certain polymer thickeners designed for ease of use and some electrolyte tolerance (e.g., some types of Acrylates Crosspolymer) and carefully blend at an appropriate speed. However, be careful not to blend too vigorously, which could break the emulsion.
• Adding More Oil Phase (if applicable): If the formula has too little oil phase, adding a small amount of oil phase and re-blending might help, but this must be done carefully and may not solve the issue of thinness caused by electrolytes.

Caution: Correcting a finished cream often yields less satisfactory results compared to adjusting the formula and making a new batch. It is recommended to consider making a new batch with an improved formula based on the suspected cause of the thin texture.