Fried Ice Cream Recipe

Portion and freeze

Scoop the vanilla ice cream into 8 equal balls (about 1/2 cup / 125 ml each). Place each ball on a sheet of plastic wrap, wrap tightly, and shape into a compact sphere. Transfer the wrapped balls to a baking sheet or tray, spacing them apart. Freeze for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight, until very firm (solid all the way through).

Prepare coatings

Place the cornflakes in a large resealable plastic bag and crush them with a rolling pin or pulse briefly in a food processor until they are coarse crumbs with some small flakes. Transfer to a shallow bowl. Stir in the ground cinnamon and 2 tablespoons sugar. Place the flour in a second shallow bowl. In a third bowl, whisk the eggs with the 2 tablespoons of milk until thoroughly blended. Place the breadcrumbs in a fourth shallow bowl.

Double-coat the ice cream

Remove the frozen ice cream balls from the freezer one at a time. Unwrap and roll each ball in flour until lightly coated, shaking off excess. Dip immediately into the egg wash, letting excess drip off, then press into the cornflake mixture to coat completely. For a stronger shell, return the coated ball to the freezer for 10–15 minutes until firm, then repeat: egg wash and coat again with cornflake mixture or breadcrumbs. After final coating, wrap each ball again in plastic wrap and freeze for at least 30 minutes, ideally 1–2 hours, until extremely firm.

Heat oil

Pour vegetable oil into a heavy pot or deep fryer to reach a depth of 3–4 inches (8–10 cm). Heat the oil to 190°C (375°F). Use a candy or instant-read thermometer to monitor temperature. Maintain steady heat; if oil temperature drops too much when frying, the ice cream will melt.

Fry briefly

Working quickly, remove one coated ice cream ball from the freezer and unwrap. Using a slotted spoon or spider, gently lower the ball into the hot oil. Fry for 8–12 seconds, turning gently to brown evenly, until the coating is golden. Do not fry longer than ~15 seconds. Remove and drain on a wire rack or paper towels for a few seconds.

Serve immediately

Place the fried ice cream on chilled dessert plates. Drizzle with hot fudge or caramel if desired, add a dollop of whipped cream, sprinkle chopped nuts, and garnish with mint leaves. Serve at once so the interior remains frozen while the exterior is crisp.

Warm sauces: Gently warm hot fudge or caramel sauce in a small saucepan or microwave until pourable. Do not overheat. Keep sauces warm while frying so they are ready to drizzle. Spoon sauce over each fried ice cream just before serving.

Plating: Spoon a small pool of sauce on the plate if desired, set the fried ball on top, add whipped cream to the side or on top, sprinkle nuts, and add a mint leaf for color.