A new kind of ice cream, dipped in salt and inspired by Mexican paletas, has caught the attention of dessert lovers in Hanoi.
Tuan Anh, aged 42, discovered the treat during his time working in tourism and meeting people from around the world. Paletas ice cream is known for its creamy fruit filling and frozen fruit shell, mixed with agave syrup and chilled honey.
With Vietnam's tropical climate and abundance of fruits, Anh spent three years creating his own version of fruit ice cream inspired by paletas.
"I want to share Vietnamese fruits with our international friends through this project," he said.
After eight years of hard work, Anh's ice cream brand has become well-known among many people.
Photo by Quynh Mai
In 2016, Anh opened his first store on Trang Thi Street, Hanoi, near the famous Trang Tien ice cream storefront.
"Despite its popularity among international tourists, many Vietnamese didn't seem to enjoy the ice cream [at that point]," he said.
He later relocated to Villa G6-BT7, Bui Thien Ngo Street, Long Bien District, where he established a combination of ice cream and coffee shop. Then the crowds of new Vietnamese customers started arriving.
Photo by Quynh Mai
Anh's ice cream is made from natural fruits without any artificial flavorings or preservatives. He travels to different provinces and cities across the country to handpick the fruits. He now serves strawberries from Moc Chau, avocados and durians from Dak Lak and Gia Lai, and guavas from Mekong Delta provinces.
After being selected, the fruit is processed and frozen at a hyper-cold temperature of -35 degrees Celsius.
"Freezing at low temperatures helps maintain the texture of the ingredients and preserves them for a long time without compromising quality," he explained.
Photo provided by Tuan Anh
In addition to his signature fruit ice cream, Anh also offers a line of milk-infused ice cream, incorporating a small percentage of milk to preserve authentic fruit flavors.
The fruit mixture or juice is poured into stainless steel molds and then frozen in an ice cream maker that freezes rapidly in about 15 to 20 minutes, without the formation of any ice crystals.
Photo provided by Tuan Anh
Each fruit variant requires its own recipe. It only took Anh about three months to perfect his formulas and conduct tests before introducing ambarella paletas to the market.
However, refining avocado, durian, or mango flavors took him from one to three years to attain satisfactory balances. As for apricot ice cream flavor, he has been researching for three years but says he has yet to achieve perfection.
"Because each fruit has its distinct texture and flavor, the process of developing the formula cannot be rushed," he said.
Photo provided by Tuan Anh
At the moment, Anh offers 14 fruit ice cream flavors, all certified for food safety and hygiene standards. Each ice cream flavor costs VND25,000 ($1).
The ambarella ice cream is a favorite among patrons. When enjoying the ice cream, diners dip the ambarella ice cream stick into a mixture of dipping salt and salted dry apricot.
Unlike other flavors, ambarella ice cream isn't soft and smooth. Instead, it's somewhat crunchy, with a subtle sourness from the ambarella juice. According to him, the saltiness helps balance out the sourness of the fruit, while also providing a refreshing sensation in the mouth.
Photo by Quynh Mai
The shop serves a variety of customers, from international visitors to loyal regulars. Some have commented on the texture of the ice cream, mentioning that it might not be as smooth as regular ice cream, even though it's priced slightly higher. Anh carefully listens to all feedback and consistently improves the flavors to ensure customer satisfaction.
Photo provided by Tuan Anh
With the shop producing approximately 1,000 ice cream servings daily, Anh ensures a shelf life of around 75 days for its fruit-based variants.
The storefront is located a bit far from the center of Hanoi, which means it doesn't get as many direct customer visits as the old shop. Right now, delivery to customers in the central districts of Hanoi, as well as to several provinces and cities like Hai Phong, Quang Ninh, Da Nang, or Ho Chi Minh City, is a central focus.
Photo provided by Tuan Anh
