Copycat Mexican Restaurant Fried Ice Cream

Fried ice cream is a popular dessert in Mexico, but it's not originally from there. The dish is thought to have originated in Asia, and it was brought to Mexico by Chinese immigrants.

So how did fried ice cream become a Mexican food? Well, the story goes that a Chinese chef working in a Mexican restaurant created the dish. He was looking for a way to use up some leftover ice cream, and he came up with the idea of frying it.

The dish quickly became popular in Mexico, and it eventually made its way to the United States. Today, you can find fried ice cream on menus all over the country – not just in Mexican restaurants!

The key to frying ice cream without it melting is to work quickly. You'll need to have everything set up and ready to go before you start frying, because once the ice cream hits the hot oil, it will start to melt immediately.
Here are a few tips to help you fry your ice cream:
- Use a deep-fryer or a heavy-bottomed pot. Fill it with oil and heat it to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Make sure the oil is fresh and don't let it get too hot or it will burn the outside.
- Scoop the ice cream into balls using an ice cream scoop. Work quickly so the ice cream doesn't start to melt then, place the ice cream balls in the freezer for at least 30 minutes before frying them, but it is best to freeze for 1-2 hours before frying.
- If you don't have egg or prefer not to use it on this, you can coat the balls in a mixture of cornstarch and water. This will help them to stay together when they hit the hot oil.
- Fry the ice cream balls in batches. Don't crowd the pan, or the temperature of the oil will drop and the ice cream will melt.
- Serve immediately with your favorite toppings. This is one dessert you will prepare and everyone will get theirs at slightly different times because you don't want it to melt before they get to it. That's okay, it's part of the fun of this recipe.

There are lots of different ways that you can serve fried ice cream. Here are a few of our favorites:
- Top it with whipped cream or Cool Whip.
- Drizzle with caramel sauce, hot fudge sauce, chocolate syrup, or a fruit-flavored syrup.
- Add sprinkles, cookie bits, or candy pieces on top. This is great if you choose a different candy for the center - just add extra on the outside.
- Serve it with an extra scoop of ice cream on the side.
- Top it with the classic maraschino cherry.
- Turn it into a banana split with a fried ice cream ball in the center and two other flavors of ice cream on the sides along with the traditional toppings of chocolate, pineapple, and strawberry.

There are a few different things that you can use to coat the ice cream and give it a crunchy exterior. For this version, I used basic graham cracker crumbs.
You can also use things like crushed cookies, crushed cereal, or even plain bread crumbs with a bit of cinnamon and sugar mixed into them. Other ideas include a sweetened tempura batter, a tortilla dipped into butter and cinnamon sugar, or even just a cornstarch slurry with powdered sugar for sweetness.