Ice cream holds its own

ICE CREAM and frozen novelties are a year-round, must-have cooling respite. Even as frozen yoghurt has gained a huge following in Asia, revenues from ice cream will continue to climb, industry experts say.

To stay in the game, manufacturers, scoop shops, and cafés are offering reduced-fat, fat-free, and sugar-free alternatives. Some are adding yoghurt to their line-up and capitalising on freshness, customisation and unique flavours. Mix-ins stretch the choices even further and keep the trend of co-branding alive. Liquor is likewise increasingly spilling over a range of new products. Hence, a market spoilt with “better for you” products is catering to diverse lifestyles and dietary needs.

Alfero Artisan Gelato,  a National Critics’ Choice as Best Gelato Café of the Year in Singapore and Southeast Asia, opened a third shop this year. Its carreto or custom, mobile gelato cart is likewise increasingly making the rounds in corporate and private functions. The maker offers 12 flavours made from imported ingredients, including cocoa from Venezuela and vanilla beans from Tahiti. Owner chef Marco Alfero says his company pasteurises its mixture of imported ingredients until 90°Celsius then stores it at 4°Celsius for at least 12 hours to achieve the perfect texture and smoothness. Once done, the gelato is then placed in a special cabinet called pozzetto that locks out air and light to ensure perfect consistency and taste.

Udders Ice Cream, so named because its products are said to be so fresh, offers modern  flavours,  many of which  are trademarked. The adult-rated Liquer line includes the mix of Bailey’s Irish Cream
and bourbon; Rum Rum Raisin, with twice the serving of liquor; and Tira-miss-u, boasting authentic Italian mascarpone cheese, brandy and cognac.

The classic Vanilla Beanz is made from natural vanilla pods. Slicing the pods by hand and painstakingly extracting the tiny vanilla beans within, helps to improve the end-product. According to Udders, mixing two varieties of vanilla pods make for a fuller flavour as well.

For durian lovers, it’s a toss between Mao Shan Wang Durian or King of Cat Mountain Durian and D24 Durian. Hailed as the ‘king of fruits’ in Southeast Asia, durian is known for its strong and distinct
smell and taste, as well as its rich source of nutrients, calories and carbohydrates. Also part of Udders’ Asian-inspired flavours are Gila Melaka, boasting a combination of gula melaka (palm sugar) with chewy bits of attap chee (palm seeds) and Green Tea-rrific using high quality authentic Japanese macha (green tea).

The Cosmopolitan flavours throw in many well-loved brands into Udders signature ice cream. Amongst them are Snickers Mars Honeycomb Vanilla, Earl Grey, and Chocolatey Kit Kat. For those going organic, Udders offers Maple Walnut with 100% organic maple syrup with large, chunky walnuts.

Udders also provides a fresh spin to sundaes. It layers its selection with homemade caramel, strawberry or crunchy choc and Valrhona Grand Cru sauces, crushed Oreos, caramel and digestive biscuits, and its exclusive Caramel Vodka and 25-year-old Sherry toppings.

Soy ice cream

New kid on the block, Soyato, offers premium soy ice cream. It stays tuned in to market preference but does so by actively engaging clients and non-followers alike in focus group discussions. Barely three years in the business, Soyato has grown its selection from four to more than 30. Amongst them are Royal Tea, using uniquNike Converse Shoes