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Where Was Chocolate Ice Cream Invented?

Column: industry Tag: Chocolate,Ice Cream,Facts Published: 2024-07-30 15:41 Source: www.mashed.com Author: NAOMI KENNEDY

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As far as ice cream flavors go, chocolate and vanilla are both iconic. Yet, when pitted against one another, vanilla almost always comes out on top. Not only did Mashed award vanilla the top spot over chocolate in our ranking of the 30 best ice cream flavors, but according to a 2024 survey conducted by the International Dairy Foods Association, more Americans prefer vanilla over chocolate. Furthermore, when forced to choose their absolute favorite flavor, 11% of respondents named vanilla the superior frozen dairy treat, while chocolate took second place with 10% of the vote.

Some may say that's evidence that chocolate ice cream is living in vanilla's shadow, but there's at least one place where the classic flavor beats out its longtime competitor: history. Believe it or not, chocolate ice cream predates vanilla (which began appearing as an ice cream flavor as early as the 1760s) by nearly 70 years and is largely considered the first modern ice cream flavor. Yet, neither Mexico nor Guatemala, both of which had a hand in the birth story of chocolate, are responsible for the beloved dessert.

Rather, the roots of chocolate ice cream are in Naples, Italy (yes, the same Naples that holds a significant role in the history of pizza). It was there that Antonio Latini published "The Modern Steward" in 1692, which contained not one but two recipes for frozen chocolate — though they weren't quite the same as the chocolate ice cream we enjoy today.

Antonio Latini's recipe was based on a beloved drink

Where Was Chocolate Ice Cream Invented?

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During the early days of ice cream's lengthy history, the dessert's texture resembled an icy drink, so beverages like coffee and tea were frequently used to flavor ice cream when Antonio Latini published "The Modern Steward." Hot chocolate (or, simply, chocolate) — having finally started spreading throughout Europe after its introduction in the early 1500s – also became a popular drink during the 17th century, and it served as the flavor for the duo of frozen recipes that Latini penned in 1692.

As Jeri Quinzio writes in her book, "Of Sugar and Snow: A History of Ice Cream Making," both required just two ingredients: sugar and chocolate. One recipe called for them to be frozen into blocks, while the second required constant stirring during freezing to create a frothy, mousse-like consistency. The latter seems more comparable to modern chocolate ice cream in terms of texture, but flavor-wise, there may have been a few differences.

Hot chocolate at the time was typically made with spices including cinnamon, anise, and even chili peppers. Latini, however, didn't specify in either of his recipes whether he was using plain chocolate or the spiced version, so it's unclear what the first recorded chocolate ice cream from Naples actually tasted like. Still, it was chocolate ice cream nonetheless, cementing it in history as the first modern ice cream flavor to come along —even before vanilla.

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