BilanciaLi 3.0 is the new version of my homemade ice cream balancer in Excel.
It is not just a graphic update and not just a name change of the old versions. With the 3.0 series I have reorganized the entire range, improved existing functions, and added new tools for those who want to balance ice creams, sorbets, slushies, gourmet ice creams, recipes for Pacojet, and more advanced preparations with more control and less trial and error.
The idea remains the same as always: make balancing more accessible, but without trivializing it.
Those who begin must be able to start without getting lost in a thousand parameters. Those who experiment must be able to save, modify, and build their own archive of recipes. Those who work in laboratories, restaurants or want maximum technical control must be able to go beyond the simple AFP and better understand how ice cream really behaves.
Three versions, three different ways to use BilanciaLi
With BilanciaLi 3.0, the range is divided into three versions: Basic, Studio and Gold.
- BilanciaLi Basic is designed for those who make ice cream at home and want to start balancing more consciously. It is the simplest version, but not a trivial one.
- BilanciaLi Studio is designed for advanced homemakers, technical enthusiasts and ice cream “geeks.” It is the version for those who want to save recipes, experiment with multiple profiles and build their own working method.
- BilanciaLi Gold is the most complete version, designed for laboratory, restaurant, gourmet ice cream, recipe development and for those who want maximum control even at home.
What really changes with BilanciaLi 3.0
With BilanciaLi 3.0 I did not simply change the names of the old versions. I reorganized the whole range and tried to make each version clearer in its role.
The first new feature affects all versions: BilanciaLi 3.0 is multilingual. When you purchase a version of BilanciaLi, you receive both the Italian and English files, so you can use the balancer in the language you prefer or share it more easily in international contexts.
Then there is a major technical update on dairy management. Version 3.0 improves the calculation of AFP and SP related to dairy ingredients, with more precise management of their composition. It is a less flashy change than a new screen or a new function, but very important when working on the actual balance of a blend.
BilanciaLi Basic is no longer just a very limited “entry” version. It now includes a unique balancer for the two main profiles, ice cream and sorbet, finally allows the balancing profiles to be adjusted, introduces the recalculation function, and allows the recipe to be reasoned out based on serving temperature as well.
BilanciaLi Studio takes the biggest leap in recipe management. The new saving system is no longer limited to a fixed number of recipes and allows the user to build a much more flexible personal archive over time. Moreover, from Studio onward, the data is designed to accompany the user into the future: it will be possible to migrate to later versions and to BilanciaLi Gold, should you wish to upgrade.
BilanciaLi Gold is the version that most clearly enters the world of laboratory and technical development. With 3.0 comes the freezing curve, the Optimal Quenelle Point and the sandiness index. These are functions designed for those who not only want to know if a recipe is balanced, but want to understand how the ice cream really behaves: at what temperature it will be serviceable, when it will be ideal for a quenelle, and whether the texture risks lactose-related problems.
In the video below you can see the full demo, where I show you the whole range in action. I still need to record an English version. If you are impatient you can watch the below version enabling sub-titles in English (use the translate mode in YouTube)
But let’s go through each version in detail!
BilanciaLi Basic: to start balancing without going by trial and error
BilanciaLi Basic replaces the old Home version (which was only available in Italian). It is the right version if you make ice cream at home, want to understand why a recipe comes out too hard or too soft, and want to start checking the main parameters without going straight into more advanced functions.
With Basic you can work on two main profiles, gelato and sorbet, configure parameters, set serving temperature, recalculate recipes, and check the main values of the mixture.
One very useful feature is the ability to set minimums and maximums for individual ingredients. This means that you don’t just have to balance “the big numbers” in the recipe, but you can also tell the file how much an ingredient can or cannot be used. For example, how much cream maximum, how much milk powder, how much neutral, how much sugar, or how much main ingredient.
It is a function that is simple to understand but very powerful because it helps to avoid recipes that are formally balanced but make little sense in practice.
Basic is thus the gateway to balancing: simple enough to start with, but built with serious logic.
BilanciaLi Studio: for those who want to save, experiment and build a method
BilanciaLi Studio replaces the old Pro version (which was only available in Italian), but the change is not just in name. The most important change is the improved recipe saving and management system, which is no longer limited to a fixed number of recipes. This allows Studio to be used not only as a balancer, but as a true personal archive.
You can save recipes, update them, modify them, recall them, create variations, and build your database of bases, sorbets, granita, vegan ice creams, gastronomic ice creams, and recipes for Pacojet & Ninja Creami over time.
Studio includes 7 configurable profiles: ice cream, sorbet, slush, vegan ice cream, gourmet, gourmet sorbet, and Pacojet/Ninja ice cream.
The profiles can be adapted to your needs. This means that you can also reconfigure the parameters to work on different preparations, such as parfaits, ice creams for Ninja Creami, variegates, or other nonstandard products. The limit at that point is more your imagination than the file, as long as the parameters are set consistently with the result you want to achieve.
Another important point: although you cannot automatically migrate data from the old Pro to the new Studio, from Studio onward the system is better thought out. You will be able to migrate data to future versions of Studio and even to Gold, in case you want to upgrade someday.
Studio is the version for those who want to not only “try a recipe,” but start working more methodically.
BilanciaLi Gold: for those who want maximum technical control
BilanciaLi Gold is the most complete version in the range. It is designed for laboratories, restaurants, professionals, chefs, ice cream makers, pastry chefs and advanced enthusiasts who want to go beyond just balancing the main parameters.
With Gold the more advanced features of version 3.0 come into play.
The first is the freezing curve, which shows how the percentage of frozen water in the mixture changes as temperature changes. This allows us to reason about the consistency of the ice cream in a much more concrete way, not just looking at the AFP as an isolated number.
Then there is the advanced calculation of serving temperature, which is related precisely to the behavior of the mixture.
And then there is the OQP, Optimal Quenelle Point: a function exclusive to BilanciaLi Gold, developed by me to identify the ideal temperature at which the ice cream is plastic enough to form a smooth quenelle, but still textured enough to hold its shape and edges in the dish.
This is a function designed primarily for catering, plate pastry, and gourmet ice cream, but it is also most useful for those who want to better understand the relationship between temperature, texture, and service.
Gold also introduces thesandiness index, which helps control the risk associated with too much lactose. This is a very useful function when working with milk powder, rich bases, concentrated dairy products or recipes where the lactic part is very high.
In addition, Gold includes food cost, recipe printing, semi-finished product management, data migration, 12 configurable profiles, minimums and maximums per ingredient, AFP calculators and all the most advanced functions to organize work.
BilanciaLi is not a subscription
One important thing: BilanciaLi is neither a monthly nor an annual subscription.
Purchase the file once and you can use it on your computer. Your purchase includes 1 year of downloads, updates, and support. After the year, the file remains yours and you can continue to use it, but it will no longer be available for download in your user area and you will not have access to subsequent updates unless you purchase the updated version again.
Technical Requirements
BilanciaLi is an Excel file with macros, so it requires Microsoft Excel with macro support.
Need Microsoft Office 2021 or newer version, on Windows PC or Mac.
It does not work properly on Google Sheets, Numbers, OpenOffice, tablets or smartphones, because these environments do not support the macros necessary for the file to work.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use BilanciaLi for Ninja Creami, Pacojet, Parfait or frozen desserts?
Yes, with the Studio and Gold versions, as long as the profiles are configured consistently with the product you want to achieve. BilanciaLi does not force you to work only on classic ice creams: you can adapt the parameters to different preparations.
Can I migrate data from Studio to Gold?
Yes. The new Studio system is designed to allow you to migrate your data to Gold, in case you want to upgrade in the future.
BilanciaLi is a subscription?
No. BilanciaLi is not a monthly subscription. You purchase the file once and can use it on your computer. The purchase includes 1 year of downloads, updates and support.
Does BilanciaLi work on Mac?
Yes, as long as it is used with macro-compatible Microsoft Excel. It is not sufficient to open it with Numbers or other non-compatible software.
Does BilanciaLi work on Google Sheets, Numbers, or OpenOffice?
No. BilanciaLi requires Microsoft Office Excel with macros enabled. Google Sheets, Numbers and OpenOffice do not properly support the necessary functions.
Which version do you recommend if I am just starting out?
If you are just starting out, the most sensible choice will fall on BilanciaLi Basic or BilanciaLi Studio. They allow you to understand balancing without getting right into the more advanced functions.
Which version do you recommend for laboratory or restaurant?
For laboratory, restaurant, food cost, recipe printing, semi-finished products, freezing curve, OQP and advanced technical control, the most suitable version is BilanciaLi Gold.
Can I save recipes in all versions?
No. Advanced recipe management is available in Studio and Gold. Basic is designed for beginning balancing, but not as an internal recipe repository.
- How to predict the behavior of your ice cream with the Freezing Curve - 15 May 2026
- BilanciaLi 3.0: ice cream balancing, done better - 2 May 2026
- Culinary team building and private chef services - 17 March 2026
