10 Tips for Ice Cream Perfection

January 24, 2017

an ice cream sundae

We Have A Few Tricks Up Our Sleeve

Let’s be clear: there is no wrong way to eat ice cream. You could flip your bowl upside down, plop a scoop of The Tonight Dough on top, and eat it with a pen cap and you still wouldn’t be wrong. You’d just get some funny looks (but not from us).

And we all know that wouldn’t be the best way to eat ice cream. We’ve indulged in more than our fair share of our favorite frozen treat over the years, and we’ve learned a few tricks about the best ways to enjoy it. They say it takes 10,000 hours to become an expert in something, and we think we passed that mark somewhere back in the mid 90’s. So we’re going to go ahead and call ourselves ice cream experts and pass along our top tips for maximum ice cream euphoria:

  1. Pick the Perfect Pint

    Picking a pint is harder than it sounds. You’re probably tempted to grab the same standby flavor that you know you’ll enjoy every time. Not a bad move. But don’t be afraid to branch out. We even have a handy guide for finding your next favorite flavor.

  2. Cold is Key

    We hope this is obvious, but keep it cold! Don’t leave the grocery store and then run 5 more errands and then go home to get it into the freezer. The longer it has to melt, the more likely you are to get freezer burn, and nobody wants that.

  3. . . . . And Then Let it Thaw

    Ok, now that you’re home, forget that last rule. We know, we know, it’s ice cream. But scooping fresh-out-of-the-freezer ice cream is hard. Literally. Set it out for 10 minutes, you’ll be glad you did.

  4. Choose Your Equipment Wisely

    Scooping spoon: big, heavy, and dependable. Bowl: large enough to hold all your scoops plus some room for spoon maneuvering. Eating spoon: big enough to hold your largest chunks, but small enough to fit comfortably in your mouth. Choose wisely.

  5. Warmer Is Better

    For scooping, that is. Run your scooping spoon under hot water for a few seconds before you dig in. Trust us, it works like a charm, and your forearms will thank you.

  6. Scoop Beautiful Scoops

    There are lots of ways to scoop your scoops, but we like to scrape the top of the ice cream juuust enough to make a nice curl with that bark-like texture. A couple of those scoops look lovely in a bowl and really let you appreciate the chunks and swirls.

  7. Top It

    As much as we love our flavors naked, sometimes it’s fun to add some jazzy toppings. But make sure they complement your flavor. Don’t go putting raspberries on top of Coffee Toffee Bar Crunch, save those for when you have some Chocolate Therapy.

  8. Fo’ Drizzle

    Get even crazier with drizzle-able toppings like hot fudge and caramel. And if you’re having a sundae party, this slow cooker toppings bar is a total lifesaver.

  9. Do the Flip

    You take a spoonful of your lovingly-crafted sundae, raise it to your lips, and how does it go into your mouth? Spoon side down, tasty side up. That’s weird, because all your taste buds are on your tongue. Flip that spoon over for maximum ice cream enjoyment.

  10. Hide The Evidence

    After the last of your sundae has been devoured and all that’s left are a few melty streaks of chocolate, make sure to clean and put away your bowl as quickly as possible. A dirty bowl in the sink sends a message to all who pass by: there’s Ben & Jerry’s ice cream in the freezer. To protect your stash, hide the evidence.

What are your tricks for ice cream perfection? Do you have any that we haven’t thought of? Share them with us in the comments below!