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Frozen dessert is adessertmade by freezing liquids, semi-solids, and sometimes solids. They may be based on flavored water (shave ice,ice pops,sorbet,snow cones), on fruitpurées (such assorbet), onmilk andcream (mostice creams,sundae,sherbet), oncustard (frozen custard and some ice creams), onmousse (semifreddo), and others. It is sometimes sold as ice-cream in South Asia and other countries.
The origins of frozen desserts are obscure, although several accounts exist about their history.Some sources describe ice cream-like foods as originating in Persia as far back as 550 BC.[1][2][3] Usingice houses andice pools,Persians were able to serve and producefaloodeh andsorbets all year round.[4]
Ice andsnow were prized ingredients in many ancient cuisines. The Chinese, the Greeks and the Romans gathered, stored and used ice or snow. Ice and snow were said to be desirable because of the difficulty of both harvesting and storing it for any length of time.[5] Around 500 BC, snow was used to cool drinks inGreece.[6] In the 2nd century, Iranians recorded recipes for sweetened chilled drinks with ice made by freezing water in the desert at night.[7]Hippocrates (c. 460 – c. 370 BC) is known to have criticized chilled drinks for causing "fluxes of the stomach".[6] Snow collected from the lower slopes of mountains was unsanitary and iced drinks were believed to causeconvulsions,colic and a host of other ailments.[5][8]Seneca criticized the extravagant costs associated with iced desserts in an era without refrigeration.[6]
Recipes for snow-chilled sweets are included in a 1st-century Roman recipe book.[7]c. 50 AD, Roman EmperorNero demanded that slaves collect ice from theApennine Mountains to produce the firstsorbet mixed with honey and wine.[7]
Other accounts say ice cream originated in theMongol Empire and first spread toChina during itsexpansion.[7]Tang dynasty (618–907 AD) records describe a chilled dessert made with flour,camphor andwater buffalo milk.[7] In the 13th century, Mongolian horsemen traversing theGobi Desert reportedly "took cream in containers made from animal intestines."[7] The sub-zero temperatures and continuous shaking typical of horseback riding would create the ice cream.[7] Though this legend has been published, there is no written evidence to this claim.[8][7]
In 1296,Marco Polo reportedly heard of the Chinese invention and is credited with introducing sorbet-style desserts to Italy;[7][9] but it is not mentioned in his writings.[10][8][6]
Another origin myth says[5] that in 1533, while 14 years old,Catherine de' Medici introduced flavored sorbet ices toFrance when she broughtItalian chefs there upon marrying theDuke of Orléans (Henry II of France) that year.[11][10][9][5] Another myth suggests thatCharles I of England was so impressed by the "frozen snow" that he offered his own ice cream maker a lifetime pension in return for keeping the formula secret, so that ice cream could be aroyal prerogative.[12] There is no evidence to support either of these legends[8][7][5] and food historian W. S. Stallings, Jr. says "this tale is... undocumented, and is first seen in print in the 19th century. The documentation of ice cream in England begins following the return ofCharles II from his exile in France".[13]
InCanada and elsewhere, the term is often used on imitations of ice cream which do not satisfy its legal definition (e.g.,mellorine).
InIndia some company brands likeHindustan Unilever sell frozen dessert made fromvegetable oils rather than puremilk. Per Indian regulations,ice cream which is made frommilk solids, but contains non-dairy fat is categorized and labelled as frozen dessert.[14]
InSingapore,hawker centres sellice kacang made with shaved ice packed into a mountain-like shape drizzled withgula melaka,coconut cream, or a variety of syrups. Topped withred beans,creamed corn,attap chee,cendol, andgrass jelly. The dish has evolved to include fruits such asdurian,mango, and toppings such asMilo.
c. 550-530 BC, First mention of flavoured snow or ice : during the Persian Empire
