Deep-fried ice cream is a playful contrast: a cold scoop encased in a crunchy shell, briefly fried at high heat to create a warm, crisp exterior while the inside stays scoopably soft. Below is a reliable, restaurant-style method you can follow at home, plus a simple no-fry variation if you prefer. Direct answer (quick version)
- Core method: scoop firm vanilla ice cream, coat with a crisp shell (cornflakes or breadcrumbs mixed with cinnamon and sugar, plus a binder like egg white or a light egg wash), freeze until solid, then fry briefly in hot oil (around 360–375°F / 182–190°C) for 8–40 seconds until golden. Serve immediately with chocolate or caramel sauce.
- Practical tips: keep everything cold before frying, work in small batches, and control oil temperature to avoid a greasy end result or melted ice cream.
Detailed guide
- Prepare the ice cream
- Scoop 4 evenly sized balls of vanilla ice cream (or your favorite flavor) and place them on a parchment-lined tray.
- Freeze at least 30 minutes, or until very firm, so they don’t melt during coating.
- Make the coating (choose one of these)
Option A: Cornflakes crust (classic)
- Crush 2–3 cups cornflakes into coarse crumbs.
- Optional mix-ins: 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon and 2–3 teaspoons sugar for sweetness and flavor.
- Separate an egg white or two depending on batch size; whisk until just foamy to make an egg wash.
Option B: Breadcrumb shell (crispy alternative)
- Mix 1 cup fine dry breadcrumbs with 1–2 teaspoons sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (optional), and a pinch of salt.
- Beat 1–2 eggs lightly to make a thin coating binder.
- Coat the ice cream
- For cornflakes: roll frozen ice cream balls in the cornflakes mixture to fully cover, press gently to adhere. Dip briefly in the egg white wash to help the crust set, then recoat in the cornflakes.
- For breadcrumbs: dip the frozen ball in the egg wash, then roll in breadcrumbs until completely coated.
- Return coated balls to the tray and freeze again for at least 1–2 hours, or longer if you have time. The extra freeze helps prevent the ice cream from leaking when fried.
- Frying
- Heat oil to 360–375°F (182–190°C) in a deep fryer or heavy pot. Use enough oil to fully submerge the ball.
- Fry one ball at a time for 8–40 seconds, until the shell is deeply golden and crisp. The time depends on flouring and coating; do not fry too long or the ice cream will splatter or melt.
- Remove with a slotted spoon and drain briefly on paper towels. Serve immediately.
- Serving ideas
- Drizzle with chocolate sauce, caramel sauce, or a quick berry coulis.
- Top with whipped cream, toasted nuts, or a cherry for a classic finish.
No-fry alternative (crunchy cold treat)
- Freeze the coated ice cream balls as above, but instead of frying, bake at a low temperature for a short period or chill in a blast-freezer until the coating is very hard. This can give a similar texture with less oil, though you won’t get the same crisp fried shell.
Common pitfalls and fixes
-
Pitfall: Ice cream melts too quickly when coating.
Fix: Keep coatings in a shallow bowl on ice, and freeze coated balls thoroughly between steps. -
Pitfall: Coating falls off during frying.
Fix: Use a strong binder (egg wash) and press crust firmly; re-freeze after coating to set. -
Pitfall: Oil temperature drops too much, producing a greasy crust.
Fix: Maintain a steady, hot oil temperature and fry in small batches.
If you’d like, I can tailor this to what you have on hand (types of ice cream, coating ingredients, equipment) and provide a precise ingredient list and timing.
