Fried ice cream

Cafe Society
1

Non-American seeks information / clarification re subject of title of this OP. Until an hour or so ago, I had heard this phrase only from an (American) extreme Protestant Christian gospeller-type guy. He referred to the “unsaved and unbelieving” as “falling for the fried ice cream” – which I construed as a metaphor for the whole business of the Devil’s snares / deceits / false promises: a metaphor given force by its being about something basically bogus and nonsensical – obviously, you can’t fry ice cream and have it still be ice cream.

However, on another board – in a thread about riotous birthday etc. celebrating in lower-end restaurants in the US – there were a couple of references to fried ice cream as an actual real dessert. Please: what is this dish like, and how is it possible for it to be?

2

Wiki is your friend. And googling “fried ice cream” will bring up hundreds of recipes.

Basically, you dip a ball of very cold ice cream into a batter, then fried it for about 10 seconds. Just enough to cook the batter coating.

3

And from my limited experience, you get a rock hard uneatable ball of ICE cream. covered in greasy batter.

4

You need to expand your experience or find a better class of place. I’ve only had it in one place and it was great.

5

Yeah the only reason the ice cream would be hard is because it’s been sitting in freezer too long or was crappy to begin with. It’s ice cream with a fried crust is all.

6

Every time I’ve had some, its usually sprinkled with some cinnamon sugar and sometimes other goodies as well (chocolate syrup, whipped cream, etc)

I’ve never had it not be delicious.

7

I’ve only had it a couple of times and it was always good.

8

Yep. Had it a few times at a Mexican restaurant in Ohio. Delicious every time. Haven’t seen it since though, and it make me a little sad. :frowning:

9

Most places I’ve encountered that serve fried ice cream coat it in something like graham cracker crumbs, rather than batter.

10

Thanks, everyone. Knew that it could be Googled – but it struck me as an American thing, and with so many American Dopers eager to discuss food-related stuff…

Right, I now understand (I think) – it can go wrong; but when it’s good, it’s superb. To the best of my knowledge, it’s a thing unknown in the UK. We’re ready to fry all kinds of strange things – for instance, Mars Bars – but ice cream in any way or shape… :confused: . We are familiar with, and do make, Baked Alaska – similar sort of paradoxical exercise, but maybe easier in practical terms, than fried ice cream.

I feel a bit disillusioned with the evangelist guy mentioned in my OP – instead of his being something of a poet, speaking of an offering which was a deceptive nonsense; he seems to come across as just another religious killjoy, intoning:

“Vanity, vanity, all is vanity
That’s any fun at all for humanity…”

11

There is a nice little Scottish movie on the subject of fried ice cream from back in the 80s called Comfort and Joy.

12

Is this what baked Alaska is (no stoned Eskimo jokes, please :p)?

13

Not even close.

14

As long as you don’t mind grease-- and are NOT a vegetarian-- have fun.

I made hundreds of these working at Chi Chi’s restaurant in early '90s. We roll the ice cream in corn flakes and cinnamon and freeze them. When ordered, we dunk it in the deep fryer for a second-- that’s the same deep fryer oil where we’ve fried 200 chicken wings, 50 chimichanga’s, a shitload of tortilla chips, etc.

My advice-- ask for it not to be fried.

15

I had fried ice cream at Chi Chi’s decades ago. My impression was that aside from the novelty, it was basically just vanilla ice cream (which I’ve never been crazy about).

16

We had to put the little fried flour tortilla underneath then the powdered sugar to cover the grease that came off the ice cream. :smiley: Hey, they were awesome though!
I don’t mind any grease, especially after a steak fajita.

17

I hate most ice cream, but I love fried ice cream with some cinnamon and powdered sugar.

18

Thanks for the link – looks like an entertaining film. Glasgow’s Italian ice-cream “barons” go back many, many decades. I have to wonder: can “Frosty Hots” or the equivalent actually be got there in real life – or is that bit, artistic licence on the part of the film-maker?