Frozen dessert

Frozen dessertis adessertmade by freezingliquids, semi-solids, and sometimes solids. They may be based on flavored water (shave ice,ice pops,sorbet,snow cones), on fruitpurées(such assorbet), onmilkandcream(mostice creams,sundae,sherbet), oncustard(frozen custardand some ice creams), onmousse(semifreddo), and others. It is sometimes sold as ice-cream in South Asia and other countries.
The origins of frozen desserts are obscure, although several accounts exist about their history.
Some sources describe ice cream-like foods as originating in Persia as far back as 550 BC.Usingice housesandice pools,Persianswere able to serve and producefaloodehandsorbetsall year round.
Iceandsnowwere prized ingredients in many ancient cuisines. The Chinese, the Greeks and the Romans gathered, stored and used ice or snow. Ice and snow were said to be desirable because of the difficulty of both harvesting and storing it for any length of time.Around 500 BC, snow was used to cool drinks inGreece.In the 2nd century, Iranians recorded recipes for sweetened chilled drinks with ice made by freezing water in the desert at night.Hippocrates(c.460– c.370 BC) is known to have criticized chilled drinks for causing "fluxes of the stomach".Snow collected from the lower slopes of mountains was unsanitary and iced drinks were believed to causeconvulsions,colicand a host of other ailments.Senecacriticized the extravagant costs associated with iced desserts in an era without refrigeration.
Recipes for snow-chilled sweets are included in a 1st-century Roman recipe book.c.50 AD, Roman EmperorNerodemanded that slaves collect ice from theApennine Mountainsto produce the firstsorbetmixed with honey and wine.
Other accounts say ice cream originated in theMongol Empireand first spread toChinaduring itsexpansion.Tang dynasty(618–907 AD) records describe a chilled dessert made with flour,camphorandwater buffalomilk.In the 13th century, Mongolian horsemen traversing theGobi Desertreportedly "took cream in containers made from animal intestines."The sub-zero temperatures and continuous shaking typical of horseback riding would create the ice cream.Though this legend has been published, there is no written evidence to this claim.
In 1296,Marco Poloreportedly heard of the Chinese invention and is credited with introducing sorbet-style desserts to Italy;but it is not mentioned in his writings.
Another origin myth saysthat in 1533, while 14 years old,Catherine de' Mediciintroduced flavored sorbet ices toFrancewhen she broughtItalianchefs there upon marrying theDuke of Orléans(Henry II of France) that year.Another myth suggests thatCharles I of Englandwas so impressed by the "frozen snow" that he offered his own ice cream maker a lifetime pension in return for keeping the formula secret, so that ice cream could be aroyal prerogative.There is no evidence to support either of these legendsand food historian W. S. Stallings, Jr. says "this tale is... undocumented, and is first seen in print in the 19th century. The documentation of ice cream in England begins following the return ofCharles IIfrom his exile in France".
InCanadaand elsewhere, the term is often used on imitations of ice cream which do not satisfy its legal definition (e.g.,mellorine).
InIndiasome company brands likeHindustan Unileversell frozen dessert made fromvegetable oilsrather than puremilk. Per Indian regulations,ice creamwhich is made frommilk solids, but contains non-dairy fat is categorized and labelled as frozen dessert.
InSingapore,hawker centressellice kacangmade with shaved ice packed into a mountain-like shape drizzled withgula melaka,coconut cream, or a variety of syrups. Topped withred beans,creamed corn,attap chee,cendol, andgrass jelly. The dish has evolved to include fruits such asdurian,mango, and toppings such asMilo.