World Ice Cream Day: Different Brain Freeze Ice Cream & Dessert Styles From Around The World

Ice cream is a delightful frozen treat that’s enjoyed by all ages. It’s been around since the ancient times when early forms of this dessert were enjoyed by the Chinese, Romans, and the Greeks. It was only until the Middle Ages when the modern version of the ice cream appeared. Italian explorer Marco Polo was the one who tried frozen ice in China, and brought back its descriptions for European cooks to recreate. Italians added their own spin to this by mixing ice and milk.

News then traveled from Italy to the courts of other countries, and ice cream was quickly adopted by the nobility. It remained a part of their palate all through the 16th century because commoners just did not have any access to ice. However, things changed in the 17th century. Then the 18th century saw the use of hand churned ice creams, which also led to more experimentation to the flavors and recipes. Industrialisation played an important role in the mass production and mass reach of ice cream, and after that there was no turning back for this dessert.

Here are some interesting ice cream styles from around the world that you should know about!

Spaghetteis from Germany

This German style of ice cream is made to resemble a plate of spaghetti by squeezing vanilla ice cream through a spatze (a type of egg noodle) press or potato ricer. Usually a red sauce made with strawberry is poured over it to represent tomato sauce. White chocolate is grated over it to resemble Parmesan cheese. This dish was created in the 1960s by a man named Dario Fontanella, who owned an ice cream parlor in Manheim, Germany. It’s probably not very well known outside of Germany, although the advent of social media has certainly helped it gain some popularity. Do try it at home because the ingredients aren’t hard to find at all.

Paletas from Mexico

These are the Mexican take on popsicles but are so much different than the mass produced ones we’re so used to. Those not only contain a lot of artificial flavoring and color, but the sugar content in them is also alarmingly high. Real fruit is the star of paletas, and these popsicles are sold in paletarias in the country. Paletas are super easy to make at home with fruits and herbs, but you can also use dairy or non-dairy milk and cream to give them a creamier taste and texture. The common paletas you’ll find in Mexico are horchata, lime, tamarind, mamey (a fruit native to the country), and chamoy (a spicy, tangy, and tart condiment).

Sorbetes from the Philippines

This Filipino ice cream is not to be confused with sorbet. It’s slightly lighter than ice cream and can use carabao (water buffalo native to the country) milk, coconut milk or cassava flour, eggs, ice, and sugar. As cow’s milk is replaced with local ingredients, it tastes different from typical ice cream. Another thing about sorbetes is that flavor is no bar. You’ll find street vendors selling sorbetos flavored with ube, cheese, pounded rice, mango, avocado, jackfruit, and even tender coconut. Because this type of ice cream is so popular, even commercial brands have started producing and selling it in stores, along with artisanal sorbetos parlors popping up across the country.

Plombir from Russia

Plombir originated from France but found a permanent spot in the USSR (now Russia) and other neighboring Central European countries. It’s a simple dish made using vanilla, eggs, sugar, and cream. For the ice cream to certify as plombir it has to only be made with natural ingredients and has to have a specific fat and sugar content.