8 Unique Ice Cream Styles from Around the Globe
'Tis the season when we all scream for ice cream, and since gelato's world domination, our hunger for more unique flavors, textures, and varieties knows no bounds. While Brits have come to love Italy’s flavor-packed gelato, our tastes are expanding to embrace a variety of international icy treats. Here are some of the best global offerings to inspire your next ice cream obsession.
1. Kulfi
Found at the end of Indian restaurant menus in the UK, kulfi deserves more recognition. This Mughal-era dessert of slowly simmered, frozen sweetened milk is traditionally flavored with pistachio, vanilla, mango, rose, cardamom, and saffron. Often sold on a stick, this dense, creamy treat is enjoyed in hot climates across India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and the Middle East.
Where to start: Try kulfi from street vendors (kulfiwalas) in South Asian cities like Delhi and Mumbai or at hipster kulfi parlours in Dubai.
2. Maraş Dondurma
Known as Maraş dondurma, bastani, or booza in various Middle Eastern regions, this stretchy, emulsified milk ice cream is thickened with sahlep (orchid tuber flour) and mastic (tree resin). Its dense, mozzarella-like texture makes it popular in Turkey, Iran, and the USA, with a variety of contemporary flavors.
Where to start: Sample qashta (rose water and orange blossom booza) in Lebanon for a traditional taste.
3. Nieves & Paletas
In Latin America, nieves (water-based sorbet) comes in tropical flavors like cherimoya and guanabana, while paletas (fruit popsicles) are frozen in milk, yogurt, or water. Ecuador’s helado de paila, made with ice from Imbabura volcano, is another variation.
Where to start: Visit Oaxaca, Mexico, for nieves or Tocumbo for paletas at La Michoacana ice-cream parlours.
4. Mochi
Mochi is a ball of ice cream wrapped in a chewy, glutinous rice casing, with fillings ranging from red bean paste to matcha. Originating in Japan and Korea, it was perfected in the USA by Mikawaya, ensuring the ice cream doesn’t turn to mush when coated in sticky rice.
Where to start: Look for My/Mochi in USA grocery stores or Little Moons in UK shops.
5. I-Tim-Pad
This Thai treat, also known as "stir-fried ice cream," is made by pouring an ice cream mixture onto a sub-zero metal sheet and flash freezing it. Chefs chop and mix toppings at high speed before scraping the ice cream into rolls.
Where to start: Try Pan-n-Ice parlors in London and Manchester for a variety of rolled ice cream mixtures.
6. Ais Kacang
Translated as "ice beans," this Malaysian dessert combines shaved ice with sweetened red beans, sweetcorn, evaporated milk, and various fruity, nutty, jelly, and syrupy toppings. Known as "ABC" in the Malay region, it’s a taste worth acquiring.
Where to start: Explore Kuala Lumpur’s night markets for these sparkling icy treats.
7. Akutaq
This Alaskan treat, also known as "Inuit ice cream," traditionally includes foraged berries mixed with tallow or rendered animal fat. Modern versions cater to sweeter tastes, making it a unique and nutritious dessert.
Where to start: Attend potlatch feasts in Alaska, where akutaq is served as a traditional dish.
8. Spaghettieis
This German ice cream dish resembles spaghetti, made by forcing vanilla ice cream through a spaetzle potato ricer. Topped with strawberry "tomato sauce" and grated nuts "parmesan cheese," it’s a playful culinary illusion.
Where to start: Visit Eiscafé Fontanella in Mannheim, Germany, the reputed origin of spaghettieis, or look for it in pioneering ice-cream parlors worldwide.
These diverse ice cream styles offer a world of flavors and textures, perfect for adventurous ice cream lovers looking to cool down with something unique.