Summer is the best time of year, we think! The weather, the parties, and of course the barbeques make this time of year perfect. The smells of a good barbeque and the laughter of friends and family are what the summer is all about.

Of course there is one more thing that represents the summer, and that is ice cream. All summer long you can hear the familiar sounds of the ice cream trucks rolling around town. And as you are driving along, you see the lines around the corner for the local ice cream place.

But have you ever thought of eating your ice cream deep fried? That’s right, it’s true — you really can deep fry anything. It’s the perfect dessert for any barbeque and you can make it at home using the recipe in this article from eHow.

 

How to Deep Fry Ice Cream

By an eHow Contributor

Originally popular at carnivals and fairs, deep fried ice cream has become a feature at Mexican and Asian restaurants. Combining the coldness of the ice cream and the crisp of the breading makes for a unique taste sensation. Ice cream can be deep fried at home. To deep fry ice cream, follow these steps.

Instructions

1. Make ice cream balls. Use one large scoop of ice cream and roll the scoop into a ball. Place on a cookie sheet and place into the freezer. Ice cream balls should be very hard frozen.

2. Assemble the breading ingredients. The breading mixture can be cornflakes, cookies, sliced sponge cake or bread with the crusts removed. Crush cornflakes or cookies in a plastic bag or in wax paper. Prepare an egg mixture of several eggs and flavorings, such as cinnamon or vanilla, with sugar. Beat thoroughly. Place several cups of flour into a bowl and set aside.

3. Remove the ice cream balls from the freezer. Individually coat each ball with flour; then dip in the egg mixture. Finally, thoroughly coat the ice cream ball with the breading mixture. Be certain that the breading covers the entire ball so that the hot oil cannot touch the ice cream. Return the breaded ice cream balls to the cookie sheet and place in the freezer to harden again (possibly overnight).

4. Heat the oil in the deep fryer to 375 degrees F. Use canola, vegetable or peanut oil for frying ice cream. When heated, remove the balls from the freezer.

5. Lower balls into deep fryer carefully. Watch closely; the breaded ice cream balls cook quickly. Remove the ice cream from the deep fryer when the breading is golden brown, about 15 seconds. Drain briefly on a paper towel.

6. Serve immediately. Top with whipped cream, chocolate sauce, jam or other dessert sauce. Garnish with fruit, mint, coconut or other ice cream garnish.

Tips & Warnings

• Adding food to the basket after the basket has been lowered into the hot oil keeps battered food from sticking to the basket.
• Use flavored ice cream with various toppings to add a unique flavor blend.
• The better the quality of ice cream, the better the quality of fried ice cream. Use the best ice cream available.
• Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions when cleaning or using the deep fryer.
• Always unplug the deep fryer when it is empty.
• Always follow food and kitchen safety rules. When working with raw eggs, wash hands and surfaces with soap and hot water. When working with hot oil, always have a fire extinguisher available. Never allow children near a deep fryer while cooking.

Deep frying anything often makes it taste better; we think that’s a fairly safe statement to make. (Note: “taste better,” not “better for you.”) But would you ever have guessed that deep frying ice cream would be good, or even possible? Yes, it’s possible, and it’s way better than good! Believe us.

In fact if you want to give it a taste without making a mess in your kitchen, our two Mexicali locations, Mexicali Grill in Spencer, MA, and Playa del Carmen in Holden, MA, offer deep fried ice cream as a dessert. We’re sure that you’ll enjoy it. Just take a chance.