Ice cream needs to be kept cold so as not to melt — so why are so many new iterations of the frozen treat smoking?
Trendy dessert shops chasing the perfect Instagrammable treat have been introducing dry ice and liquid nitrogen into their ice creams for the past few years, adding smoking special effects to customers’ orders.
And while the visible impact is huge, the trick is actually pretty practical, too, since it can keep ice cream colder longer.
Ice ice baby: Ice cream shops are using liquid nitrogen and dry ice to make their desserts give off smoke
Putting on a show: In San Diego, iDessert by Jean-Philippe in San Diego has desserts in double-walled cups to create the special effect
Very in-demand: The elaborate desserts have a cake base and gelato with toppings
Hot spot: Each is finished with a meringue crust that’s broken into to eat
One of the most visually appealing options is from iDessert by Jean-Philippe in San Diego, which has captured the imaginations of customers and endless drooling fans on social media with its futuristic offerings.
The shop serves up its signature desserts in what it calls a ‘Vegas Bowl,’ a special double-walled pink bowl with dry ice inside that smokes when it’s served.
The smoke is certainly mesmerizing — but it also adds just another element of intrigue to an already over-the-top treat.
Each of iDessert’s special ice cream desserts comes with a cake base, gelato, cream, and sauce. They’re topped with a meringue shell ‘crust’ (options include Oreo, raspberry, chocolate, and more) and can be finished off with fruit or ‘crunch’.
Seriously cool! In Brooklyn, -321˚ Ice Cream Shop sells made-to-order liquid nitrogen ice cream
Feelin’ the freeze! The liquid nitrogen is actually used to make the ice cream as it’s ordered, since it freezes the cream so quickly
Special effects: It’s then served in a cup inside another cup, with dry ice on the bottom
Double dessert: Nitrolado in Los Angeles also sells a smoking ice cream dessert
Smoke and churros: A particularly special menu option has ice cream topped with round, colorful churros
Liquid nitrogen is poured into one cup, which is stacked with the ice cream cup
In Brooklyn, -321˚ Ice Cream Shop sells made-to-order liquid nitrogen ice cream. Here, that smoking isn’t just a special effect — it’s actually used to make the dessert.
‘There’s no ice cream here — that is, until we make it right in front of you,’ the shop explains. ‘Once you order, we pull the lever and the delicious science of liquid nitrogen does its magic, flash freezing your ice cream in a cloud of ultra cool vapor.’
After using its high-tech techniques to mix up flavors like Belgian waffles, peanut butter crunch, spiced dark chocolate bacon, and apple pie, the ice cream is served in a cup places inside another one filled with dry ice so it keeps smoking even when it’s being eaten.
Like iDessert, Nitrolado in Los Angeles also mixes several types of treats in its smoking dessert.
That’s science! Lab Sense in Toronto makes it speedy ice cream with liquid nitrogen too
Spooky! The smoke effects make for a really fun eating experience
Like magic! Chocolate Chair, a Los Angeles Dessert shop, uses liquid nitrogen for a non-ice-cream dessert called Dragon’s Breath
Poof! Dragon’s Breath are cereal balls that smoke. The customers can even blow out smoke when the cereal balls are in their mouths
First, gelato is scooped into a cup. Liquid nitrogen is then poured into another cup, and the two cups are stacked — leaving the smoke pouring out the sides. Then, the really committed can add a colorful round churro on top for a double dessert.
Lab Sense in Toronto does a similar trick, pouting liquid nitrogen into a second cup and stacking. They, too, use liquid nitrogen to make the treat in the first place.
And Chocolate Chair, a Los Angeles Dessert shop, uses liquid nitrogen not for ice cream but for a different sweet snack.
Dragon’s Breath, its signature dessert, are cereal balls infused with liquid nitrogen that smoke in the cup — and in the customer’s mouth, making them look like dragons breathing out smoke.