I don't have convenient access to Halo Top, so this is my answer. The calories per pint put this closer to Arctic Zero range, but if I do say so myself, the texture is far better (stay tuned for a 70 calories/pint answer to Arctic Zero, still in the works). I *could* use the extra leeway to make a richer, creamier base to truly approximate the Halo Top texture, but this is an easy to budget everyday snack.
This particular batch was enriched with an embarrassing amount of pistachio butter (blanched, peeled, and processed pistachios, without the sugar that would make this pistachio paste) but there are tons of light add-ons to consider!
Makes: 4 servings (approx 340-360 grams each - minimum 2 cups by volume, depending on churning), about 135 to 150 calories depending on your variant, before flavorings
BASE
15 oz (by weight) fat free or skim cottage cheese
25-30 oz unsweetened cashew milk (30 is a little icy but I like my volume!)
1 Tablespoon vegetable glycerin (optional, for texture)
1 Tablespoon booze (optional, also for texture + taste options)
Stabilizer combo (see notes below)
2 t agar agar powder (equivalent to 2 T flakes) OR 1 T gelatin powder (optional)
½ c to ¾ c granulated sweetener (unfrozen base should be almost too sweet to taste)
Currently: ½ c erythritol (100g) + ¼ c to ⅓ c Splenda, some extra liquid sucralose to taste
Pinch salt
Flavorings (see separate post)
WORKING WITH STABILIZERS
Start small - I like thick, stretchy ice cream (Italian starch gelato or dondurma-style) so I tend to go overboard compared to the typical American palate. Each stabilizer has somewhat different properties and I seem to prefer a combination, but your mileage may vary.
If using guar: dissolve into the alcohol and (if applicable) any alcohol-based extracts common to both batches (I usually have 1 T vanilla as a starting point). This will form a thick paste that can more easily be blended into cashew milk without clumps forming.
If using xanthan gum: either use a salt shaker to sprinkle over liquids, or pre-mix with some sweetener
If using Konjac: Sprinkles easily into mix at any point in the process, but seems the slowest acting -- you may wish to incorporate one teaspoon at a time and walk away. In larger quantities, konjac particularly seems to dull sweetness and flavor sensations, so taste after your final konjac addition has worked its magic. Because it needs no special prep, easiest to incorporate gradually until pleased with thickness.
Agar agar or gelatin: I have taken to adding these in addition to a combination of gums, but they require heat to process (see Option A)
Tested stabilizer combos (super thick ice cream lover amounts)
Roughly: 1 unit stabilizer 1 t konjac = 1 t guar = ¼ t xanthan gum. I’m happy in the 3-4 unit range.
All Konjac: 3-4 t konjac powder.
Konjac guar: 2 t guar + 1 t konjac added early, optionally ½ t konjac added to each half-batch later
Trio: ½ t xanthan gum + 2 t guar added early, ½ t konjac added later
Current mix: ½ xanthan + 2 t guar, skipping konjac
PROCESS
OPTION A) without heat (no agar agar or gelatin)
Grind the erythritol, mix with any other sweeteners
If using xanthan gum: set aside some of the sweetener and blend the gum into it (easier to sprinkle onto mixture while blending to minimize clumps)
If using guar, pre-dissolve into alcohol/extract (if alcohol-based). Blend this with cold cashew milk before the rest of the stuff goes in.
Blend cold cashew milk with gums/konjac if applicable, then quickly add cottage cheese, sweeteners, alcohol, glycerin and salt
You can leave some of the cold milk out if your blender is small. Mine can't really handle all this thickened milk action, so I add some of the cashew milk only once my base has been split into halves and ready for separate flavors.
Portion out two halves (about 2.5 cups at this point) and let stabilizers do their magic while you round up flavors
OPTION B) with heat
If using gelatin, let it bloom in some of the cashew milk (1/4 c).
If using guar, pre-dissolve into alcohol/extract (if alcohol-based).
Heat about 2 cups of the cashew milk with the erythritol (does not need to be ground) + sweetener mix:
If using agar agar, sprinkle it early on while whisking, let mixture simmer 1-2 minutes (no need to boil)
If using xanthan gum, blend it with some sweetener for ease of sprinkling - you can dissolve it into the warmed milk quite easily
If using gelatin: once milk has reached a simmer, remove from the heat and add the bloomed gelatin to the warm milk mixture
While the rest of the cashew milk is heating up, blend the remaining cold milk with cottage cheese, alcohol, glycerin and salt. This will be super thick - may not blend well until you can add the warmed milk.
If using guar, you could either add it to the warm milk or the cold cottage cheese mixture. Whatever
Add warm milk to cold mixture in blender, combine.
Portion out two halves (about 2.5 cups at this point) and let stabilizers do their magic while you round up flavors
If using agar: your base may partially set as you work.
(OPTIONS A OR B) ALL TOGETHER NOW
Whiz each half-batch with requisite flavors. If using any amount of konjac, consider pausing some more to let it work and, once you’re done thickening, make sure sweetness and flavor level is satisfactory. Stabilizers like guar need time to fully hydrate anyway, so feel free to walk away for a while or fuss with flavors as long as you want.
Chill in freezer at least 1 hour, or in refrigerator overnight (my preference) Base will be pudding-like at this stage.
(See notes on ice cream makers and freezer temperatures) Churn about 10-15 minutes per half-batch or as needed to achieve soft serve-like consistency, before freezing. With the highly thickened base, you may need to help it move around the machine in the last few minutes, and taste to make sure it is indeed freezing up and not just ridiculously thick ("riding the dasher").
Day-of-churn: will be optimal if let to freeze about 6-10 hours after churning
After: You may need to nuke between 20-30 seconds before serving, or let sit 10-20 minutes in your refrigerator.
A NOTE ON ICE CREAM MAKERS
This recipe and its many tweaks were developed while I was using my very cheap but faithful Cuisinart ICE-21. Some of these bases get very thick, especially those with agar agar, but the bowl and dasher leave sufficient space for a spatula to be inserted while the churn is operating. This helps move the batter along if it starts to climb the dasher too early in the process. I recently acquired an ice cream bowl kit for my stand mixer and I'm not adapting well so far - I think the bases I am playing with are too thick (and there's no room to nudge them off the dasher while the machine is operated), but it is also possible I need patience and flexibility with mixer speeds to make it work. Advice welcome.
A NOTE ON FREEZER TEMPERATURES
While I keep my ice cream maker bowls in a much colder, roomier standalone freezer (-20 to -10F, it's a bit of a jerk these days) I prefer that my premade ice creams remain in a warmer, smaller freezer atop my refrigerator (typically around 10F). This results in an easy to scoop, but not too soft, consistency for this ice cream base that does not require microwaving, even days after it has been churned. However, its temperature varies substantially within the front section where I usually keep my ice cream, and from week to week depending on how packed the rest of the freezer is. This has plagued my experimentation with different bases at the same time and on different days (ongoing), and also means your results will likewise deviate from mine. Happy to chat with you about your setup!