How to make fried ice cream (coconut sponge crust)

Like you used to find in Chinese restaurants in the 90's. My memory of it was ice cream being served in small metallic bowls with a compartment for dry ice. The misty smoke would float around the bowl

234
STEPS
INGREDIENTS

Sponge cake, desiccated coconut, eggs and breadcrumbs for coating. Honey and glacé cherry to finish.

Sponge cake, desiccated coconut, eggs and breadcrumbs for coating. Honey and glac\u00e9 cherry to finish.

1 layer of the cake makes about 5 balls.

1 layer of the cake makes about 5 balls.

Place into a large bowl.

Place into a large bowl.

Break up the sponge cake into fine pieces with your fingers.

Break up the sponge cake into fine pieces with your fingers.

Add a bit of desiccated coconut roughly about 1:6 ratio. You just want to see a spec of coconut through the mixture.

Add a bit of desiccated coconut roughly about 1:6 ratio. You just want to see a spec of coconut through the mixture.

Mix the coconut into the cake mixture and taste. Add a bit more coconut if you like.

Mix the coconut into the cake mixture and taste. Add a bit more coconut if you like.

Crack a couple of eggs into a clean bowl.

Crack a couple of eggs into a clean bowl.

Wisk.

Wisk.

Scoop a ball of ice cream. Cheaper brand hard ice cream works much better than gourmet soft ice cream.

Scoop a ball of ice cream. Cheaper brand hard ice cream works much better than gourmet soft ice cream.

You could pre-scoop ice cream ball the night before and let it harden further to make the next step a bit easier.

Drop the ball into the cake mix and coat the ice cream with the mixture. Best to do the sides first the flip the ball around to do the tops and bottoms.

Drop the ball into the cake mix and coat the ice cream with the mixture. Best to do the sides first the flip the ball around to do the tops and bottoms.

Press the cake mixture around the ice cream ball. Make sure it's evenly coated. Feel for the cold bits and put more cake on it.

Press the cake mixture around the ice cream ball. Make sure it's evenly coated. Feel for the cold bits and put more cake on it.

Press firmly.

Press firmly.

Roll in egg mixture.

Place in a bowl of bread crumbs.

Place in a bowl of bread crumbs.

Swirl your dish in small circles to make the ball roll around and coat itself in breadcrumbs.

Swirl your dish in small circles to make the ball roll around and coat itself in breadcrumbs.

Roll it around to make sure you cover the entire ball evenly.

Roll it around to make sure you cover the entire ball evenly.

Put in a container and let freeze overnight.

Put in a container and let freeze overnight.

When ready to serve heat up vegetable oil in a saucepan. Make sure it's very hot before putting the ice cream ball in.

When ready to serve heat up vegetable oil in a saucepan. Make sure it's very hot before putting the ice cream ball in.

You can test the oil with a wooden skewer. Stick one end into the oil and if it bubbles rapidly, the oil is hot enough.

Gently place the ball into the oil and keep turning until golden brown.

Gently place the ball into the oil and keep turning until golden brown.

Remove from oil and pat dry with paper towel. Serve in bowl with a swirl of honey and a glacé cherry.

Remove from oil and pat dry with paper towel.  Serve in bowl with a swirl of honey and a glac\u00e9 cherry.

Break the shell open to get to the ice cream. Best result is when the ice cream is slightly melted.

Experiment with different flavours. Rum & raisin or some nutty variety would be quite nice too.

Experiment with different flavours. Rum & raisin or some nutty variety would be quite nice too.

Heres a half eaten chocolate and vanilla one!

Heres a half eaten chocolate and vanilla one!

  • Plain sponge cake
  • Desiccated coconut
  • Breadcrumbs
  • Eggs
  • Ice cream
  • Vegetable oil
  • Honey
  • Glacé cherries
  • Paper towel
  • Small saucepan