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8 Kinds of Ice Cream Around the World

You scream, we scream, we all scream for ICE CREAM! This joy-inducing treat is a standard symbol of summer and is enjoyed around the globe. In honor of National Ice Cream Month, we’re taking our taste buds on a tour of ice creams around the world!  

Mochi Ice Cream – Japan

This delicious blend of two tastes takes Mochi (a chewy, sticky rice-based cake) and wraps it around ice cream. You can find this in a multitude of flavors, including more traditional ones such as matcha and red bean! 

I Tim Pad – Thailand

This popular street snack is made to order: ice cream mixture is poured onto a cooled metal sheet where it’s flash-frozen. Toppings are chopped and mixed in, and then scraped off into rolls!  

Gelato – Italy

What’s the difference between gelato and ice cream? Gelato is denser and milkier, as it tends to use more milk than cream in its recipe – making it lower fat! It stays ultra-creamy through its slow churning process. Make sure to try fragiola (strawberry) or stracciatella (vanilla with chocolate flakes).  

Dondurma – Turkey

You’ve probably seen videos of dondurma (which is Turkish for freezing) before – a street vendor goes to hand a cone to the excited customer, before quickly pulling it away using the ice cream itself! Dondurma is a very stretchy form of ice cream, thickened with salep, a flour made from orchards, reducing its melting ability as well as allowing for fun tricks with this treat! 

Akutaq – Alaska

This popular local treat is made with seasonal berries such as salmonberries but is most known for its use of animal fat from animals such as moose and caribou. 

Kulfi – India

Made from condensed milk, sugar, and local flavors such as saffron, rosewater, or cardamom, this dessert is closer in consistency to a custard. The denser and creamier texture is due to its slow cooking, which condenses the milk and cream. You’ll often find it topped with something crunchy, like pistachios.

Spaghettieis – Germany

Don’t be fooled, this isn’t an Italian dish! By pressing vanilla ice cream through a spaetzle press, long, spaghetti-like noodles are formed. Topped with a strawberry sauce and shaved white chocolate, you’ll certainly enjoy this sweet twist on a savory classic. 

Helado de Paila – Ecuador

You’ll find this local indulgence in the northern area of Ecuador – fresh fruit, sugar, and water or cream are mixed in a shallow pan, then placed in a tub of crushed ice and salt. As this concoction is stirred, this “frozen” in time dessert appears! Favorite flavors include naranjilla (an orange-like fruit) and soursop (described as a fruit salad of flavors).  

What’s your favorite kind of ice cream? Let us know, and if you’re drooling for more foods around the world, check out Doughnuts of the World!