Inside the Kitchen: How the World’s Best Restaurants Make Their Ice Cream

Estimated Read Time: 5 minutes 

When you think of the most impressive restaurants around the world, there are a few things that normally come to mind - the ambiance, the staff, and most importantly - the food! 

Most ice cream lovers can think of at least one restaurant they’ve been to that has had the *best* ice cream they had ever tasted - but, why? You may even find yourself asking “Is it possible to recreate that magic at home?” To truly answer that question, you have to start by understanding what makes the ice cream so good? Let’s talk about it. 

 

Best in Class Ingredients

Ice cream is only as good as the ingredients that are used to make it. The most impressive and memorable restaurants around the world are sure to use the best quality ingredients possible to achieve the most delicious result. Below are a few of the swaps they make that impact the overall result of their ice cream: 

Dairy

Milk is the primary ingredient when making ice cream, and therefore makes a huge impact on the overall taste and texture. You can make ice cream with whole milk, half-and-half, or even plant-based milks like almond milk, coconut milk, or cashew milk. 

Milks that have a high fat content result in a creamier ice cream. For this reason, whole dairy milk will result in the most rich and creamy ice cream possible. For a dairy-free option, coconut milk has the highest fat content and therefore will be the creamiest. 

The best restaurants around the world have done this research and ensure that the best milk possible is used to yield these results - regenerative 100% grass-fed A2A2 cow’s milk from small family farms. 

How can you recreate those results at home? Frolic utilizes fresh, responsible dairy from a small dairy farm in Northern Illinois. The classic bases are made with whole milk to achieve the creamiest at-home ice cream possible. For ice cream lovers that can’t or don’t want to have whole milk, Frolic also offers a lite base made of skim-milk, and a non-dairy base made of coconut milk. 

 

The ingredients that you use to mix-in and customize your ice cream are almost as important as the milk itself! Here are a few other ingredients you may want to upgrade in order to achieve the most restaurant-like treat possible: 

 

Olive Oil

Olive oil has become an increasingly popular flavor that is featured in unique ice cream flavors all over the world, most popularly in the form of olive oil ice cream with sea salt. The quality of olive oil that you use will make all the difference. 

Extra virgin olive oil is cold-pressed and unrefined, while regular olive oil is heated and refined. The cold-press leads EVOO to have a darker flavor and a stronger flavor and aroma. That deep, rich flavor is what makes it so delicious mixed with the sweetness of ice cream. 

Chocolate

Another wildly popular add-in for ice cream is chocolate. It can be used to elevate any ice cream either by adding flavor with chocolate syrup, adding richness with a thick ribbon of chocolate ganache or fudge, or even texture with chocolate chips or chunks. 

Using a higher quality chocolate will make all the difference with the flavor profile that it adds to your ice cream. Common grocery store brand chocolate bars or chips typically have many additives that dull the flavor and often leave the texture a bit chalky. Using a chocolate with minimal ingredients will ensure the high quality and depth of flavor, elevating your ice cream even further. 

Unique Flavor Combinations 

Creating an ice cream flavor that people remember and come back for is key. There are countless restaurants that serve plain vanilla or chocolate ice cream, but it’s the ones that put a creative spin on their flavors that create a repeat customer base. Here are a few popular restaurants that are known for their unique ice cream creations: 

The beauty of Frolic is that it brings the ability to create those unique flavor profiles right to your home. Its patented technology combines the bases and mix-ins so seamlessly, it creates a brand new flavor - giving ice cream lovers the ability to recreate anything they could imagine.

Need some inspo? We’ve compiled a variety of fun and exciting flavors that are offered at some of the most unique ice cream shops around the US. Check out our full guide that has everything you need to know to create these flavors yourself using your Frolic ice cream machine! 

 

Professional Equipment 

Most restaurants stock their kitchens with commercial ice cream machines to expand their ability to offer top quality ice cream at a moment's notice. There are quite a few advantages to using a commercial-grade ice cream machine that include: 

• Consistent texture: Professional ice cream makers thrive at delivering a consistent, creamy ice cream texture due to their precise temperature control and the amount of air that’s being added into the mixture. Many are designed with blades that are able to shave the ice crystals down so small, resulting in the creamiest ice cream possible. 
• Flavor innovation: Innovation in flavor is one of the core abilities that comes with the use of a commercial ice cream machine. They give kitchen staff endless possibilities for creativity, being able to support all kinds of add-ins and breaking them down to combine into the ice cream seamlessly. 
• Freshness: Rather than using store bought ice cream that sits in the freezer until a customer orders it, a professional grade ice cream machine allows kitchen staff to create ice cream on demand as it’s ordered. This guarantees peak freshness that is difficult for most ice cream lovers to recreate at home. 

Recreating these Results at Home

As you can see, there are so many different factors that impact the quality of the ice cream that you’ll find being served at some of the best restaurants in the world. While you may not have access to professional restaurant-grade equipment - Frolic is the first countertop ice cream maker to bring all of the benefits of a professional machine to the comfort of your home. 

Frolic allows ice cream lovers everywhere to create the flavors of their dreams any time they’re craving it. It produces the freshest and creamiest ice cream you can imagine in just two minutes!