This tempting treat can be served in a cone, tube, sandwich, stick, or waffle cup. Its delicate texture is reminiscent of chilled cream. The variety of flavors pleases children and adults: creamy, vanilla, fruit, chocolate, almond, and pistachio—of course, it is ice cream!
Ice cream makers invest a lot of money in marketing, so even the packaging design creates a frenzied appetite. But sometimes, the colorful wrapper does not correspond to the content, especially for little-known brands, many of which exist today. Competition in the confectionery market is constantly growing: new brands appear year after year, and their advertising is becoming increasingly intrusive.
Determining the best ice cream is difficult because everyone has different taste preferences. However, certain criteria, such as the product’s naturalness or sales volume, should still be considered. Let’s try to understand this controversial topic and find out what kind of treat will not disappoint demanding gourmets. The 14 best ice cream brands – this is the case when expectations and reality coincide.
Amul
Anand Milk Union Limited, known as Amul, is among India’s most influential ice cream manufacturers. Initially, this cooperative collected and processed buffalo milk. Later, its factories produced dairy-based confectionery products.
Amul ice cream is sold in cakes, sandwiches, and chocolate bars, but classic versions are also available in cones and waffle cups. Lactose-free and sugar-free treats are available for those on a diet.
Baskin-Robbins
Baskin-Robbins U.S. stores offer delicious ice cream with various toppings, from fruit to cookie pieces to nuts. The brand’s original concept was “31 flavors,” it was supposed to create 31 types of ice cream—one for each day of the month. But then it became clear that this number was insufficient to satisfy consumers’ appetites, and the range was decided to expand.
The remainder of the “31 flavors” remains only in the original Baskin-Robbins logo. The choice of flavors has long exceeded the established limits and reached several hundred, a record even for popular brands.
Berthillon
Berthillon, a manufacturer of high-end ice cream, holds a special place on this list. Its store is located in the very center of Paris. This cozy café became popular in the early 1960s when French restaurant guide Gault et Millau visited it.
Although many years have passed since then, modern experts still note the natural composition of the desserts and appreciate the use of high-quality ingredients. Interestingly, the recipe for Berthillon sorbet remains secret: the family that owns the brand is in no hurry to reveal its secrets.
Blue Bell Creameries
Blue Bell Creameries is an ice cream manufacturer with over 100 years of history. However, the company was formerly Brenham Creamery and a butter manufacturer. In 1911, it started producing sweet confectionery, but the batches were very small due to a lack of funding. After a few years, the business became profitable, so in 1930, the company was renamed in honor of wildflowers blooming in summer—when people actively buy ice cream.
Carte D’Or
The first scoop of Carte D’or ice cream was eaten in the 1970s. Initially, sweet lovers could try only five kinds of the treat: black currant, coffee, brandy liqueur, strawberry, and praline. Now, the choice of flavors has become much wider, and there are both classic vanilla ice cream and authentic variants with mascarpone or salted caramel.
Interestingly, Carte D’or uses only Madagascar-grown vanilla. The same principle of selectivity applies to other ingredients, as the Parisian premium dessert brand favors only the best. If it’s coffee, it’s from Colombia, cocoa from Ecuador, rum from the Caribbean, and strawberries from Southern Europe.
Cornetto
Italian company Cornetto makes frozen desserts in waffle cones with butter and chocolate. The thin layer protects the wafer from soaking when the ice cream melts. The cones’ filling can be varied. The Cornetto brand sells confectionery in flavors of berries, fruits, nuts, yogurt, mint, vanilla, chocolate, cream, and other ingredients.
Cows Creamery
Cows Creamery sells ice cream and cheddar cheese made from milk. The production process can be observed at the headquarters on Prince Edward Island in Canada—the building is always open to tourists. The brand concept is based on the cow theme, as it shows the connection with the name and emphasizes the naturalness of the products.
Tauck World Discovery named The Cows Creamery chain one of the top ten stores 2008. This is a significant accomplishment for a small company that started almost 50 years ago with an old-fashioned vanilla ice cream recipe.
Drumstick
Drumstick is one of Cornetto’s main competitors. However, what it produces can hardly be called traditional ice cream. It is more like dairy desserts in crispy waffle cones with a piece of chocolate on the bottom. The composition of the treat usually includes cream, vanilla, nuts, and icing. However, there are also unusual variants with caramel, strawberry cheesecake, cookies, or mint flavors.
Glacio
Belgian ice cream maker Glacio was previously associated with Mövenpick and Nestle, but 2003 its story began anew. The managers bought out the company and, a year later, gave it its current name. It now produces ice cream with traditional European flavors—chocolate, for example. But these are not ordinary desserts but culinary masterpieces, as Glacio positions itself as a super-premium brand.
Häagen-Dazs
American Häagen-Dazs positions itself as a producer of luxury ice cream, which, naturally, is reflected in its price. But it is worth it because the company’s founder, Ruben Mattus, has perfected the recipe, achieving a velvety texture and perfect flavor.
Interestingly, Mattus came up with the word “Häagen-Dazs.” He wanted the brand’s name to sound “Dutch,” so he spent a long time choosing different combinations of letters until he got the one that finally satisfied him. In this way, the entrepreneur expressed his respect for Denmark for its treatment of Jews during World War II.
Initially, the company had only three original flavors: coffee, chocolate, and vanilla. Over time, the range expanded, adding different types of classic and experimental ice creams. Now, Häagen-Dazs has desserts with unexpected toppings, from raspberry-mango to cherry tomato. This means that this brand deserves its place in the top 14.
Magnum
Magnum’s first dessert, chocolate-covered vanilla ice cream on a stick, was introduced in the late 1980s. Because of its impressive size and weight, it was named after the Latin word for “big.”
In 1992, almond-flavored treats were added to the assortment, and another ten years later – frozen yogurt with fruit filling. At the same time, the company started producing “mini ice cream” in the form of candies with hazelnuts, chocolate, and caramel. Over time, experiments created desserts with honey, nutmeg, cinnamon, and other unexpected combinations.
Mövenpick Ice Cream
Mövenpick Ice Cream is part of a Swiss conglomerate associated with the restaurant and hotel business. Its history began in the second half of the 1940s when entrepreneur Ueli Prager opened his first catering establishment. Ten years later, the number of restaurants increased to eight. You could order any dish there, but the amazing ice cream was not sold in any store and was especially popular.
Over time, Mövenpick signed agreements with major manufacturers to produce ice cream for retail, strengthening its position in the confectionery market.
Rocky Road
Rocky Road is the common name for a confection made from chocolate ice cream, marshmallows, and nuts. This recipe is believed to have been invented in 1929 by William Dreyer, one of the founders of Dreyer’s Grand Ice Cream, Inc. According to another version, its author is George Farren, and Dreyer changed the type of nuts.
But we will talk about the modern brand Rocky Road, named after the famous sweet dish, not the type of dessert. It’s a small American store created by Paul and Erin Kummo’s family in 2016. They handcraft their ice cream from the freshest ingredients.
Valio
When talking about lactose-free ice cream, the Valio brand must be mentioned. It belongs to a Finnish research and production company that processes over 80% of the country’s milk.
It offers about 1000 products, including a unique line of lactose-free ice cream. Six treat flavors were introduced in 2018—the first time after a 14-year hiatus. Refreshing flavors of liqueur, chocolate, caramel, carrot, blueberry, basil, strawberry, and other ingredients have already found fans.
FAQ
What types of ice cream are there?
Depending on the composition, there are about ten types of ice cream. The most popular include the following:
- Creamy (contains 7% to 15% milk fat);
- Milk (1% to 7% fat);
- plombier (made from whole milk, hen’s eggs, sugar, and cream);
- fruit ice (a dessert made from frozen fruit drinks with lots of sugar);
- sorbet (a dish of sweetened water with a berry or fruit puree);
- sherbet (same as sherbet, but with added dairy products);
- vegetable fat ice cream (contains coconut or palm oil);
- gelato (a dessert made of sugar, milk, fruit, chocolate, nuts and berries).
They may be chocolate-covered or placed inside a sandwich, waffle cone, cup, or waffle tube. It is also common to find Eskimo, an oblong ice cream, on a stick. If the mass of the product is very large, it is packed in paper or polyethylene packaging. In a restaurant, they serve a variant – in a cup or ramekin.
How many calories are in ice cream?
Ice cream is often made from dairy products with the addition of sweeteners, making it a very high-calorie dessert. However, the calorie content also depends on the other ingredients.
- Frozen fruit ice, due to its high sugar content, can contain about 150 calories;
- ice cream is made from whole milk, which makes it the most “heavy” – from 200 to 370 calories per 100 grams;
- 100 grams of traditional vanilla or chocolate ice cream with cream contains about 200 calories;
- low-fat ice cream can be considered dietary – from 100 to 150 calories per 100 grams of product.
A confectioner from the company created the lowest-calorie ice cream, Lick Me I’m Delicious. He invented a mechanism that turns any product into an edible and tasty vapor. Ice cream prepared in this way contains 0 calories!
The highest calorie content is in Akutak, the so-called “Eskimo ice cream.” It contains animal fat, which acts as a preservative. Since the inhabitants of the Far North invented Akutak, the dish is usually made of reindeer, walrus, or seal fat. Sometimes, raw fish or meat is added.
What is the most expensive ice cream in the world?
- Without a doubt, the most expensive is Arnaud’s Strawberry. However, this is not ice cream but a dessert based on it, which can be ordered at Arnaud’s restaurant. The main ingredient of the dish is fresh strawberries. Mint leaves, port, liqueur, red wine, citrus fruits, cream, and vanilla ice cream complement it. The order comes with a 7-carat pink diamond. The cost of this splendor is about 4 million dollars. Previously, this amount was half as much as the diamond’s mass, which was 4.7 carats.
- Absurdity Sundae takes second place. Its price is 60,000 dollars. The price includes a ticket to Tanzania, accommodation in a high-class hotel, a souvenir T-shirt, and a personal guide—the founder of Three Twins Ice Cream. He accompanies clients to Africa’s highest peak, Mount Kilimanjaro. There, ice cream is made from pieces of glacier, symbolizing the rapid melting of ice due to global warming. By the way, the profit from the sale goes to an environmental organization.
- Frozen Haute chocolate ice cream is more affordable than the previous two options. It costs 25 thousand dollars and is served in a crystal glass rimmed with gold and decorated with white diamonds. The dessert consists of 14 rarest varieties of cocoa, the most expensive truffle in the world, whipped cream, milk, and ice. By the way, you can bring your utensils—they are also included in the price.
What is the most famous ice cream?
Of course, it’s gelato, an Italian dessert known for its low-fat content. It is popular among summer tourists who come to the hot Mediterranean country. Sweet tooth lovers love it for its delicate, creamy texture and bright milky flavor complemented by fresh fruits, nuts, and berries. At the ancient Roman store Giolitti, you can find all kinds of gelato, even with rice and champagne.
What is the largest ice cream?
The confectioners at the Canadian cafe Dairy Queen broke the world record by making a 10-ton ice cream with 90 kg of chocolate shavings and sponge cake. It took 14 hours, but the result was worth the effort: when the refrigerated truck brought the dessert to the city square in Toronto, everyone could taste it.
What is the most unusual ice cream?
The first thing that comes to mind is fried batter ice cream, a favorite in Latin America. It is frozen hard, then dipped in egg and flour and tossed in red-hot oil. Cooking time is no more than a couple of minutes.
In Europe and the United States, desserts turned into savory dishes are becoming increasingly popular. Haute cuisine offers ice cream flavored with fish, eggs, herbs, bacon, ham, and other unimaginable ingredients. It sounds and looks much more appetizing than the high-calorie Estonian Akutaq.
Some Italian provinces offer sweet ice cream with fried white onions. The filling is made with vanilla, eggs, cream, and milk, resulting in a rather delicate dessert.
Rounding out the list is the spiciest ice cream in the world, Devil’s Breath. This treat, served in the Scottish cafe Aldwych, includes Carolina Reaper chili peppers. The dessert was so spicy that the chefs prepared it with gloves to avoid burning themselves, and customers signed a waiver in case of unintended consequences.
