10x the Most Popular Ice Cream Flavors in the World

Guys, I’m confused. Normally, September 1 is the date when I officially kick off the Christmas season for myself. Or, well, at least the season of hot chocolate, freshly baked cookies, and warming stews. But now that the ‘R’ is back in the month for the first time, are we suddenly getting summer again? Well, I’ll suppress those wintry vibes for a little while longer. So here’s one more deliciously summery article after all: these are the 10 most popular ice creams in the world.

These are ice creams that receive the best ratings worldwide, from both tourists and residents of the country where the ice cream originated. There are quite a few surprises on the list. For example, did you already know number 1?

10. Sorbetes

You’re probably thinking immediately of your favorite scoop of sorbet. But no, sorbetes is something completely different. Sorbetes is hugely popular in the Philippines. It’s made with carabao milk, a type of milk that is the secret ingredient in many Filipino desserts. You can get sorbetes in all kinds of flavors, including mango, chocolate, and coconut. But cheese flavor isn’t unusual either. Fun fact: Filipinos also call it a ‘dirty ice cream.’ Luckily, not literally dirty—otherwise sorbetes wouldn’t be in the top 10 on this list. The nickname comes from the polluted Filipino streets where this ice cream is often sold. I’m not sure that makes it much better.

9. Stracciatella

Yes, we all know stracciatella. I could name a whole string of people who automatically choose stracciatella when they’re standing at the ice cream stand. Stracciatella ice cream was invented in 1962 by Enrico Panattoni at La Marianna restaurant in Bergamo. He was the first to decide to mix freshly chopped pieces of chocolate into vanilla ice cream. It really can be that simple—and suddenly you’re the inventor of what is now one of the most popular ice creams in the world.

8. Ice Cream Float

Does the term Ice Cream Float vaguely ring a bell? It might, because we recently wrote about the Root Beer Float, which is a variation on this. Ice Cream Float sounds wonderfully American. And that’s exactly where this refreshing drink comes from. Put simply, it’s a scoop of ice cream in a large glass of carbonated soda. It was once invented by Robert Green, the owner of a soda shop in Philadelphia. He normally added cream to his drinks, but he had run out. The solution: ice cream. All pretty much the same thing, of course. A very successful version of the same thing.

7. Gelato al pistacchio

Sigh… Dutch sounded never so romantic as Italian. Gelato al pistacchio—doesn’t that sound so much nicer than pistachio ice cream? Luckily, you can find it in pretty much every Dutch ice cream shop. A truly excellent scoop of pistachio ice cream is creamy, dense, and made with fresh pistachio paste. Pistachios are expensive, which is why not every ice cream shop uses them. But when you get a scoop made with real pistachios… Mamma mia.

6. Gelato cioccolato

Another wonderfully Italian-sounding ice cream: gelato cioccolato. Chocolate ice cream, indeed. The origins of chocolate ice cream have never been fully established. We do know that the very first recipe for ‘frozen chocolate’ dates back to the 1692 book The Modern Steward. Why does ‘frozen chocolate’ sound so unappealing while gelato cioccolato sounds heavenly?!

5. Affogato

Yesss, affogato! The ultimate combo for lovers of both ice cream and coffee. You could say that two true classics from Italian cuisine—espresso and gelato—are combined here. Affogato means ‘drowned,’ as if your scoop of ice cream is drowning in steaming-hot coffee. Originally, affogato contained nothing more than espresso and a scoop of vanilla ice cream, but these days you can make it as elaborate as you like. Popular additions include almonds and crumbled biscotti. Want to make it yourself? This is a delicious affogato recipe.

4. Ice cream sandwich

You can say what you like about Americans, but every now and then they really are geniuses. Exhibit A: the ice cream sandwich. An ice cream seller from New York City came up with the ‘ice cream bun’ in 1899. Back then, he sold them for 1 cent each. These days, of course, we can only dream of getting anything for that amount. Quite a few variations on the ice cream sandwich have since been invented, by the way. How about a brioche or croissant with ice cream?

3. Bananasplit

No, I’m not talking about the TV show in which Frans Bauer played the fool. This is, of course, about banana split ice cream. A true classic in which a banana is cut lengthwise and filled with different scoops of ice cream. For the ultimate classic version, fill the banana with scoops of chocolate, strawberry, and vanilla ice cream. Finish with chocolate sauce, whipped cream, and nuts, and you have a dessert worthy of serious respect. What you probably won’t be able to say after eating this ice cream, however, is that you’re hungry. One serving of banana split will leave you full for a week.

2. Sundae

At number 2 on the list: the sundae. In my eyes, the happiest ice cream on the entire list. A colorful sundae glass filled with scoops of ice cream, whipped cream, colorful sprinkles, and bright red cherries immediately makes you think of the movie Grease, doesn’t it? Here in the Netherlands, we mainly know sundaes from McDonald’s, where they’re nowhere near as festively decorated as the real American sundae. Want to make one yourself? This sundae recipe is divine (and vegan!).

1. Dondurma

And then the undisputed number 1: dondurma from Turkey. Thick, chewy ice cream that bears little resemblance to the kind of ice cream we know here in the Netherlands. What makes dondurma so special is that it is partly made with Arabic gum and salep: a type of flour made from the root of the early purple orchid. Doesn’t that sound wonderfully culinary? Another special feature: you eat this ice cream with a knife and fork. This ice cream is unique and delicious. That’s exactly why it receives such high ratings worldwide. Did you already know dondurma?

Read also:

• Side effect of eating ice cream—you won’t expect this
• Too bad—not all ice cream shops are great, as 7 hilarious reviews reveal
• Ice cream research shows: men bite, women lick

Source: tasteatlas