Fried Ice Cream 2 Ways – A Decadent, Creamy, And Crisp Dessert
Fried ice cream has taken the world by storm! And today, I will show you how to make deep-fried ice cream from scratch using two incredibly easy methods!
If you love these fried ice cream balls, you can try some of my other famous desserts. My Rapunzel Pie and Chocolate Coconut Brownies are especially popular.
What Is Fried Ice Cream?
The term “fried ice cream” pretty much describes exactly what this sweet treat is. Despite defying logic, fried ice cream is coated ice cream balls that get deep-fried in hot oil.
That results in an uber crisp and crunchy exterior while the inside of the ball is creamy, sweet, and lusciously oozing out.
Now, how can you make fried ice cream? Today, we will combine two different techniques. And we will also make two different types of crunchy coatings.
To start, we will first add a layer of bread or cake. Then, we will allow the balls to harden before dipping them in tempura batter. It ultimately gives you an extremely crunchy outside.
Let’s have a look at the two different coatings in more detail.
How To Use Sandwich Bread To Make Fried Ice Cream
When using bread as the coating for fried ice cream, you have to use white sandwich bread.
This type of bread is very soft, fluffy, and easy to mold. It also has a tight crumb that will prevent any ice cream from running out.
If you were to use ciabatta or sourdough, they wouldn’t be able to shape into a ball. And, their large holes in their crumb will let the melted ice cream run out. Trust me, it’s a messy and ineffective process!
How To use Cake to Make Fried Ice Cream
The next coating option you can use is cake. Always try to buy a loaf cake that can be sliced. It will help avoid excessive cake loss (unless you have a plan for the leftover cake).
You can use any type of soft sponge cake that you’d like. Try choosing one that isn’t too moist. Its crumb should be fairly dense, but soft and fluffy (like white sandwich bread).
I chose marbled vanilla and chocolate loaf cake. It gives a beautiful color and has nice flavors.
Tips And Tricks To This Crispy Frozen Dessert
- When you use sandwich bread, you will need to remove the crust from each slice. Don’t throw the crust away though. You can easily make bread and butter pudding with it. Here are some other great ideas on what you can do with leftover bread crusts.
- Don’t roll the slices of cake or bread too thin. It only has to be rolled to get the slice an even thickness and to merge the edges so that they don’t break apart.
- Many people like to shape their ice cream balls by hand, but I don’t recommend it. It is a messy process, and you will never be able to shape a perfectly round ball. The plastic technique I use is fool-proof and makes beautiful uniform balls.
FAQs
Ice cream vs frozen yogurt
Frozen yogurt is made from yogurt. It contains live cultures that make it an overall healthier option. Ice cream is essentially a type of frozen custard, but with a runnier, less gel-like consistency. You make it with eggs, milk, and sugar.
Frozen yogurt tends to have a runnier consistency and is tangier in flavor.
Ice cream vs frozen custard – How do they differ?
The base for ice creams is made from a type of custard. But that doesn’t make it a frozen custard.
Custard must contain 1,4% egg yolk, more than what ice cream contains. It makes the frozen custard creamier and gives it a smoother texture. Most types of ice cream are often icier and have a less creamy consistency.
How do you make this frozen dessert without the ice cream melting?
The key is to ensure that your ice cream balls are hard before you fry them. The oil should also be very hot. This way, the outside will crisp up before the ice cream is completely melted.
More Delicious Desserts
Fried Ice Cream 2 Ways – A Decadent, Creamy, And Crisp Dessert
Ingredients
For the fried ice cream balls
- 1 pound ice cream, any flavor of your choice
- 8-10 slices of white sandwich bread or loaf cake
- Vegetable oil, for frying
- Powdered sugar, for dusting
For the batter
- 1 cup cake flour
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 3/4 cup cold milk
Instructions
Make the ice cream balls
- To start, chill a big lined sheet pan inside the freezer for at least 1 hour.
- Once the sheet is cold, begin rolling some ice cream balls. Heat the ice cream scoop slightly in hot water. Then, roll the balls and place them in the lined tray immediately. Don't remove the cold tray from the freezer.
Prepare the bread or cake slices
- Next, remove the crust from the slices of bread. Set the crust aside for another use. You don't have to remove the crust from the cake because it's not as hard.
- Then, use about two slices of crustless bread or cake. Place them on a piece of plastic or saran wrap. Allow their edges to slightly overlap.
- Use a rolling pin to flatten them on the plastic sheet. It will also help seal the edges together.
Shape the ice cream balls
- Place the ball of ice cream in the middle of the flattened slices of cake or bread.
- Then, use the plastic sheet to fold the slices over the ice cream ball. Twist the edges of the plastic sheet so that the ball gets tighter and tighter. That will help seal the bread or cake layer into place.
- Finally, tie a knot in the plastic to secure the tight ball. Place the ice cream balls back into the fridge and allow them to harden.
Make the batter
- To make the tempura batter, place the flour and egg in a large mixing bowl. Whisk until you have a semi-thick batter.
- Then, slowly add water while whisking until you have the right consistency. The batter should be completely lump-free, thick, but runny.
Deep fry the ice cream balls
- Heat the vegetable oil in a large pot until it reaches 360ºF (180ºC).
- Once your ice cream balls have hardened, dip each in tempura batter.
- Immediately fry one ice cream ball at a time. Turn the ball frequently so that it browns on all sides.
- Remove the fried ice cream balls and drain them on pieces of kitchen towel.
- Dust the ice cream balls with powdered sugar and serve them immediately.
