Fried ice cream

Fried ice cream is a dessert made by coating a scoop of ice cream, frozen hard, in a batter or breading such as cornflakes or cookie crumbs, then deep frying it briefly so a warm crisp shell forms around ice cream that stays cold inside. The extreme cold of the pre-frozen scoop keeps it from melting during the short time in the hot oil. It is commonly associated with Chinese and Mexican restaurant menus and is often finished with cinnamon, sugar, whipped cream, or honey. Accounts of its origin differ: one credits the 1893 Chicago World's Fair, another credits a Philadelphia company in 1894 that wrapped ice cream in pie crust before frying it, and the dish may also owe something to Baked Alaska, the nineteenth century dessert of ice cream under broiled meringue. In the United States it became linked to Asian restaurant menus in the 1970s, and the Chi-Chi's restaurant chain popularized a tortilla and cinnamon version as its signature dessert after opening in 1975; in Australia it remains strongly associated with Chinese restaurants and is often served with caramel sauce. This description is adapted from Wikipedia contributors under CC BY-SA 4.0; changes were made. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/