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How to beat Mister Softee at his own soft-serve game.
ByMax Falkowitz
Updated October 20, 2023
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Why It Works
- Half-and-half fortified with cornstarch and gelatin makes for an ice cream that'll hold its form when soft and on the verge of melting.
New Yorkers can debate all they want about who makes the city's best ice cream, but we all know the answer is really Mister Softee.
Mister Softee (and his knockoff siblings Master Softee and Captain Softee) does not truck in dalliances like chorizo-uni ice cream served in kale-chip cones. Mister Softee doesn't trade in trends of any kind. He's above fashion. And before you eventhinkabout how much you want an ice cream cone, he's right there on the corner waiting for your craving to catch up with you.
Lest you go off on a rant about how Mister Softee'show-is-this-not-meltingsoft serve isn't "real" ice cream, consider this article about the company in theNew York Times:
It passes the legal definition of ice cream, which cannot be said of soft serve from Dairy Queen and McDonald's, which sell "ice milk." Mister Softee ingredients include milk, cream, cane sugar, corn syrup, nonfat milk, whey, mono- and diglycerides, cellulose gum, as well as natural and artificial flavorings.
That's right—Mister Softee is totally real ice cream, and its ingredients are pretty straightforward: milk, cream, sugar, and some stabilizers that are quite common in the ice cream industry.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/__opt__aboutcom__coeus__resources__content_migration__serious_eats__seriouseats.com__images__2014__06__20120217-193069-vanilla-bean-soft-serve-primary-4b902cb9a2b645ca8197a83ec9d0aa3d.jpg "Mr. Softee-Style Vanilla Bean Soft-Serve Recipe (2)")
And here's the thing—with a little fiddling, you can make your very ownMister Softee ice cream at home. The key is a not-too-fatty milk-and-cream base fortified with cornstarch and a little gelatin, for an ice cream that'll hold its form when soft and on the verge of melting, just like the real Mister Softee. And with this home recipe, you can freeze and thaw your soft serve again and again with no loss in quality.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/__opt__aboutcom__coeus__resources__content_migration__serious_eats__seriouseats.com__images__2014__06__20140616-chocolate-dip-soft-serve-vicky-wasik-2-eb2b44c2ea9a48d4a1a54b52ebb0a835.jpg "Mr. Softee-Style Vanilla Bean Soft-Serve Recipe (3)")
To start, churn up a fresh batch of your Mister Softee ice cream. The base will wobble and shimmy a little like jello.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/__opt__aboutcom__coeus__resources__content_migration__serious_eats__seriouseats.com__images__2014__06__20140616-chocolate-dip-soft-serve-vicky-wasik-3-94fe8f8755824000bd50113838bedf82.jpg "Mr. Softee-Style Vanilla Bean Soft-Serve Recipe (4)")
Churn the ice cream until it's light and fluffy, and a spoon spread across it leaves a stable swoop. Then transfer it to a container and let it chill for an hour in the freezer.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/__opt__aboutcom__coeus__resources__content_migration__serious_eats__seriouseats.com__images__2014__06__20140616-chocolate-dip-soft-serve-vicky-wasik-4-a73d6989194646eba73127f5d51183fa.jpg "Mr. Softee-Style Vanilla Bean Soft-Serve Recipe (5)")
Only a wafer cone will do for a proper Mister Softee scoop. (For bonus points, line the bottom of the cone with chocolate dip a la theKing Cone.)
As for the Mister Softee swirl, that's hard to get without some pretty specialized equipment. Instead, I prefer to mound the ice cream on top of the cone with a wide spoon, slowly sculpting it into a swirl-like tower.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/__opt__aboutcom__coeus__resources__content_migration__serious_eats__seriouseats.com__images__2014__06__20140616-chocolate-dip-soft-serve-vicky-wasik-5-ff6959b566b0474db404c1846ebe4b5d.jpg "Mr. Softee-Style Vanilla Bean Soft-Serve Recipe (6)")
As soon as your scoop is done, dip it into your waiting chocolate dip in one fast motion.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/__opt__aboutcom__coeus__resources__content_migration__serious_eats__seriouseats.com__images__2014__06__20140616-chocolate-dip-soft-serve-vicky-wasik-6-905f36f502cd4243bed2e4e29cac9016.jpg "Mr. Softee-Style Vanilla Bean Soft-Serve Recipe (7)")
Rotate it above the dip so excess can drip away.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/__opt__aboutcom__coeus__resources__content_migration__serious_eats__seriouseats.com__images__2014__06__20140616-chocolate-dip-soft-serve-vicky-wasik-7-a5fe5dd965824fc4a8c516ce82a60ffe.jpg "Mr. Softee-Style Vanilla Bean Soft-Serve Recipe (8)")
And let the dip harden completely before biting in. It'll go from glossy to fudgy-looking to completely matte.
Then take a big bite.
Watch out, Mister Softee. We're coming for you.
February 2012
Recipe Details
Mr. Softee-Style Vanilla Bean Soft-Serve Recipe
Prep5 mins
Cook10 mins
Active30 mins
Churning/Freezing Time5 hrs 30 mins
Total5 hrs 45 mins
Serves6to 8 servings
Makes1 quart
Ingredients
3 1/2 cups half-and-half, divided
3 tablespoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
1 Tahitian vanilla bean, split and scraped (see note)
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon Scotch whisky
Directions
Pour about 1/4 cup half-and-half in one small bowl and 2 tablespoons in another. Use a fork to whisk cornstarch into the first bowl until no lumps remain, and sprinkle gelatin in second bowl. Add remaining half and half to a saucepan along with vanilla bean, sugar, and salt. Bring to a boil, then turn off heat, cover, and let steep for one hour.
Remove vanilla bean (reserving for another use) and whisk in cornstarch slurry. Heat dairy on medium heat, whisking frequently, until a custard forms and a swiped finger leaves a clean line. Turn off heat, taste for seasoning, then stir in Scotch and gelatin mixture. Whisk until gelatin fully dissolves. Transfer to an airtight container to chill, 4 hours to overnight. The custard will set into a wobbly gel.
Churn in an ice cream maker until ice cream has the texture of soft serve and is not at all runny. Eat immediately, or chill in freezer in an airtight container. To regain soft serve texture, let ice cream thaw to the verge of melting after freezing.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/__opt__aboutcom__coeus__resources__content_migration__serious_eats__seriouseats.com__images__2014__06__20140616-chocolate-dip-soft-serve-vicky-wasik-1-5e977a02885d46fcba62bac7fe6bee18.jpg "Mr. Softee-Style Vanilla Bean Soft-Serve Recipe (9)")
Special Equipment
Ice cream machine
Read More
- The Best Homemade Chocolate Dip (a.k.a Magic Shell)
- Novelty Ice Cream Week: How to Make Your Own Ice Cream Pops
- The Ultimate Mister Softee Secret Menu
- Ice Cream
- American
| Nutrition Facts (per serving) | |
|---|---|
| 220 | Calories |
| 11g | Fat |
| 27g | Carbs |
| 4g | Protein |
Show Full Nutrition Label
×
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings: 6to 8 | |
| Amount per serving | |
| Calories | 220 |
| % Daily Value* | |
| Total Fat 11g | 14% |
| Saturated Fat 7g | 37% |
| Cholesterol 37mg | 12% |
| Sodium 184mg | 8% |
| Total Carbohydrate 27g | 10% |
| Dietary Fiber 0g | 0% |
| Total Sugars 23g | |
| Protein 4g | |
| Vitamin C 1mg | 5% |
| Calcium 114mg | 9% |
| Iron 0mg | 0% |
| Potassium 140mg | 3% |
| *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. | |
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)
