Ice cream can become soupy because of using an ice cream machine that is not cold enough or when you use too much salt or too much sugar which lowers the freezing point of the ice cream.
When your ice cream is not getting too hard it's because you've used too much salt, too much alcohol or too much sugar which lowers the freezing point of the ice cream.
Ice cream takes around 4 to 5 hours to firm up in the freezer depending on the sugar content in the ice cream.
Some ice cream with higher sugar content can take longer to firm up than other ice cream with less sugar content.
Ice cream doesn't freeze solid in the freezer because of the high sugar content in the ice cream.
The excess sugar in the ice lowers the freezing point of the ice cream.
Ice cream is so soft now because of the sugar content in the ice cream which lowers the freezing point.
Because of the sugar the ice cream is not able to freeze solid.
Sugar also lowers the freezing point of water and that makes ice cream and other frozen desserts also have a lower freezing point.
Most deserts freeze between the temperatures of 29.5 F to 26.6 F depending on the amount of sugar the desert contains.
Pack ice cream down firmly and be sure to leave at least 1/2 inch head space for expansion during hardening process.
Place the cover on the container tightly.
Place the ice cream in the freezer for 3 to 4 hours to harden.
Once the ice cream has hardened, remove from freezer and serve.
Store ice cream in the main part of the freezer.
Do not store ice cream in the freezer door, where ice cream can be subject to more fluctuating temperatures since the door is repeatedly open and shut.
Keep the ice cream container lid tightly closed when storing in the freezer to reduce the formation of ice crystals.
If you're making homemade ice cream and the homemade ice cream does not freeze had then the first thing to look at is the recipe.
Have you added too much sugar, salt or alcohol?
They will lower the freezing point of the mixture.
And too much of any of these ingredients could stop the ice cream freezing altogether.