Frozen desserts have been enjoyed for thousands of years, dating back to ancient Chinese, Egyptians, and Romans. Modern options include gelato, sherbet, and yogurt. Healthy options are available, and making frozen desserts can be simple or complicated. Ice cream was created in Italy in the 1500s and was served at Caterina de Medici’s wedding.
Frozen desserts are a fresh and tasty way to end a meal. These frozen sweets have been consumed by mankind for thousands of years and date back to the ancient Chinese, Egyptians and Romans, who developed a passion for the refreshing sweetness of flavored shaved ice. Frozen desserts in modern times still include shaved ice, such as snow cones and popsicles which are favorites of all age groups, but there are many other types of preparations available today. A modern frozen dessert menu can include gelato, sherbet, sundae, custard, smoothies, and yogurt, as well as mousses, souffles, and even frozen fruit salad.
Making frozen desserts isn’t usually difficult, but it depends on the specific recipe. Busy cooks may opt to make simple yet mouthwatering frozen desserts that take little time, like a parfait, which whips up quickly, looks pretty, and can be made well in advance. Another quick choice is a simple ice cream sandwich. Frozen desserts that take the longest include homemade ice cream, which can be as simple as vanilla or as complicated as pistachio and rose petal. Other homemade desserts can be more sophisticated, including a French bomba, also known as a dome, which requires a mold to prepare properly.
Frozen and refrigerated desserts don’t have to be unhealthy choices. People who choose a healthy lifestyle can enjoy many dessert options. Choices include frozen trifle made with raspberries and blueberries and low-calorie whipped cream, and low-fat versions of frozen cakes and tiramisu, among others.
The origin of frozen desserts can be traced back to around 3000 BC when Asian societies began enjoying flavored shaved ice. Pharaohs in Egypt some five centuries later treated their honored visitors to crushed ice covered in fruit juice. The ancient Romans used honey to sweeten ice. Centuries later, in the 1500s, Italians created ice cream, which many people still love today. The sweet treat is similar to ice cream but its ingredients are proportioned differently.
Frozen ice cream was so appealing in the 16th century that an Italian noblewoman, Caterina de Medici, insisted on serving it at her wedding. The man who made it for her, called Ruggeri, had made a living raising chickens, but he rose to prominence when he won a frozen dessert contest sponsored by the Medici family. The new dessert was so favored that Caterina de Medici took Ruggeri to France in an attempt to outdo French desserts.
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