Not every ice cream flavour needs to be wild to be wonderful. Some combinations just make sense — from their texture and nostalgic pairings to frozen chemistry. On Ice Cream Day, My Kolkata imagines five flavours we genuinely wish existed. If someone’s out there with an ice cream machine and a dream, consider this your flavour forecast!
Taal kheer ice cream
Taal, or ripe palm fruit, already makes its way into many Bengali desserts like taal kheer or taal’er bora. Its intensely aromatic, custard-like pulp is perfect for ice cream. It is naturally sweet, tropical, and golden in colour. Imagine this layered into a rich kheer base. Thickened milk, a hint of cardamom and maybe a toasted coconut swirl. The result? A creamy, nostalgic tribute to Bengal’s twin love for ice cream and taal.
Mohabbat Ka Sherbet ice cream
The cult-favourite Ramadan drink, made with rose syrup, milk, and watermelon chunks, is already halfway to being a frozen dessert. As an ice cream, a creamy rose-scented milk base could be dotted with bits of candied watermelon or even frozen chunks for texture. The flavour would be floral, mellow, and beautifully cooling. Like the lovechild of a kulfi and a milkshake.
Dragonfruit and lychee ice cream
This pairing brings together mild and mellow tropical sweetness with striking colour. Dragon fruit adds a visually stunning magenta hue and gentle crunch from its seeds, while lychee lends floral, juicy notes that elevate the sweetness. The base could be a light coconut or condensed milk gelato that enhances the flavours and rather than overpower. Think it as a refreshing, summery, and subtly exotic dessert. Perfect for those who like their ice cream not overly sweet.
Whisky sour ice cream
The whisky sour is already a well-balanced cocktail, smoky, citrusy, sweet, with just enough bite. As an ice cream, it could be built on a custard base infused with a smoky bourbon reduction, cut with a swirl of lemon curd or candied orange peel for the zing. The alcohol can be mellowed for flavour without the burn. The result? A grown-up dessert that’s creamy, tangy, and just a little bit rebellious.
Peanut butter and jam ice cream
This one feels like a no-brainer. The classic PB&J sandwich is full of texture. All things that translate beautifully into a scoop. A salty-smooth peanut butter base, marbled with tart berry jam (strawberry or grape, take your pick) brings contrast in both flavour and mouthfeel.
