Innovative Ice Cream Novelties: Manufacturing and Varieties

Ice cream novelties are among the most exciting segments of the frozen dessert industry. These single-serve, portion-controlled products go far beyond the standard scoop – they come in creative shapes, feature multiple flavours, sport chocolate coatings, and deliver a unique eating experience every time. Whether it’s a chocolate-coated bar from a street vendor or a layered Cassata from an ice cream parlour, novelties are where dairy science meets consumer delight. Let’s explore how these products are made, the key manufacturing systems behind them, and the most popular varieties you’ll find on the market.

What exactly are ice cream novelties? 🔗

In the frozen dairy world, the term “novelty” refers to any single-serve, portion-controlled ice cream product designed for immediate consumption. These are not your regular tubs or family packs. Instead, novelties are individually shaped, flavoured, and packaged items that offer something distinct – a unique shape, a surprise filling, a crunchy coating, or a multi-layered design. They can range from simple frozen bars on sticks to elaborate multi-flavour creations with intricate patterns.

Globally, ice cream novelties enjoy a massive market share. In Europe and Asia, they are often the dominant format for impulse purchases, which is why the industry also refers to them as impulse products. Every conceivable flavour, shape, and size is offered – from standard ice cream and frozen yoghurt to sorbets and non-fat options. Manufacturers are constantly developing new items to compete for shelf space and consumer attention, making this one of the most innovative corners of the dairy processing industry.

Manufacturing systems: brine vs. extrusion 🔗

The production of ice cream novelties depends on two primary manufacturing systems – the brine system and the extrusion system. Each method offers distinct advantages and determines the kinds of products a manufacturer can create.

The brine (moulding) system 🔗

In the brine system, semi-frozen ice cream from a continuous or batch freezer is poured into moulds. These moulds are then submerged in a refrigerated calcium chloride brine solution at temperatures around −29°C (−20°F) to freeze the product solid. Once partially frozen, sticks are inserted into the moulds – at this stage, the ice cream is firm enough to hold the stick in place. The freezing continues until the product is fully hardened.

To remove the finished product, the moulds are briefly dipped in warm water to loosen the bar from the mould wall, and the novelty is then extracted by pulling the stick. After extraction, the product can be coated with chocolate, rolled in nuts, or wrapped and sent to cold storage. The moulds cycle back through a washing and sanitising stage before being refilled.

The brine system is particularly well-suited for products with flat sides and regular shapes – think classic popsicles and standard ice cream bars on sticks. It also allows for creative intermediate steps, such as sucking out the unfrozen centre of a partially frozen bar and refilling it with a different flavour or colour to create a layered effect.

The extrusion system 🔗

The extrusion method is where novelty manufacturing becomes truly creative. This system is used for products that have irregular shapes or no sticks – items that simply cannot be pulled out of a conventional mould. Here, ice cream is frozen to a stiffer consistency (drawn from the continuous freezer at approximately −6°C to −7°C) so it retains its form after exiting the extrusion nozzle and before entering the hardening tunnel.

There are two types of extrusion:

Horizontal extrusion is used to produce products resembling chocolate bar shapes. Ice cream flows from a freezer barrel onto a conveyor belt and is sliced into bars by a reciprocating heated wire or knife blade. These bars then proceed to enrobing or hardening stations.

Vertical extrusion offers even more versatility. Ice cream exits a vertical freezer barrel, is cut into slices, and each slice falls onto stainless steel plates on a conveyor chain. This method is used for everything from chocolate-enrobed slices to fancy-shaped novelties on a stick.

The real magic of extrusion lies in multi-flavour nozzles. By feeding two or more continuous freezer barrels into a single extrusion head with nested nozzle devices, manufacturers can create products with multiple colours and flavours in a single cross-section. Complex designs like faces with eyes, noses, and mouths, or geometric patterns, become possible by placing different extrusion devices inside each other.

Extrusion vs. moulding: a quality perspective 🔗

From a product quality standpoint, extrusion generally delivers a superior result. According to the Dairy Processing Handbook, extrusion is a continuous process, so pressure does not build up in the production line. This means manufacturers can freeze out more water before shaping, resulting in a firmer texture and smaller ice crystals. In contrast, moulding and filling are indexed (stop-and-start) processes where high viscosity from frozen water can create pressure build-ups, limiting how much water can be frozen before the product is shaped.

Chocolate coatings: the most popular finishing touch 🔗

Over one-third of all ice cream novelties feature some form of exterior chocolate coating, making it the single most popular finishing treatment in novelty manufacturing. A standard chocolate-coated bar consists of vanilla ice cream frozen on a stick and then dipped in a liquid chocolate coating that hardens instantly upon contact with the frozen surface.

A typical chocolate coating formulation includes chocolate mass (65-70 parts by weight), coconut oil (27-32 parts), cocoa butter (1-1.5 parts), dextrose (1-1.5 parts), and lecithin (0.3-0.4 parts) as an emulsifier. Refined deodorised coconut oil serves as a thinner to improve the coating’s flow and coverage. When the proportion of chocolate mass is higher, more coconut oil is needed to keep viscosity manageable. Coconut oil is preferred over other fats because most alternatives have melting points that are too low for satisfactory performance in frozen coatings.

Popular types of ice cream novelties 🔗

The novelty category is vast, but several classic product types have remained consumer favourites for decades. Here’s a closer look at each one.

Chocolate-coated bars 🔗

The most recognisable novelty worldwide. These consist of a creamy ice cream core – usually vanilla – frozen on a stick and enrobed in a chocolate shell. The coating provides a satisfying crunch that contrasts with the smooth, cold ice cream inside. Some premium versions incorporate a layer of caramel, cookie crumbs, or nuts between the ice cream and the chocolate shell.

Ice cream cakes and pies 🔗

These novelties are perfect for celebrations and group consumption. Ice cream cakes are made using freezer attachments designed for filling cake or pie plates directly. The plate is usually inserted into a cardboard package to support the product’s shape during handling and delivery. Ice cream pies feature a crust about half an inch thick, often made by hardening vanilla ice cream between two plates. The filling can be preserved fruit, fruit ice cream, or even fruit-flavoured gelatin. Both open and closed pie variations are possible, and the finished product is typically decorated with whipped cream or other toppings.

Aufait ice cream 🔗

Aufait (also written as “au fait”) is a layered novelty consisting of a layer of fruit sandwiched between two layers of ice cream. It is one of the simpler novelty products in terms of construction, but the contrast between the smooth ice cream and the fruity centre gives it a distinctive appeal. The fruit layer can be made from preserves, fresh fruit compote, or flavoured syrups, depending on the manufacturer’s preference.

Cassata ice cream 🔗

Cassata is one of the most visually striking and complex ice cream novelties. While the concept has its roots in traditional Sicilian dessert-making – where sponge cake was layered with ricotta cheese and candied fruit – the Indian adaptation has become enormously popular in South Asia. The Indian version features multiple layers of differently flavoured ice cream (such as vanilla, strawberry, pistachio, and tutti frutti) set on a sponge cake base and topped with nuts.

The manufacturing process for Cassata involves hemispherical aluminium moulds. The outer layer – usually chocolate ice cream – is first filled into the mould from a freezer. A smaller mould is then inserted and pressed so the ice cream occupies only the annular space between the two moulds. After hardening, the inner mould is removed. A second layer of ice cream (different flavour) is filled, and an even smaller mould is inserted to form the middle layer. This process is repeated for the innermost layer. Once all layers are frozen and hardened, the ice cream hemisphere is inverted onto a sponge cake that has been coated with a thin layer of whipped cream to act as an adhesive. The finished Cassata is then transferred to cold storage until firm enough for slicing.

During the 1970s and 1980s in India, Cassata was considered a luxury dessert due to its higher price and elaborate preparation compared to other ice creams. Today, it remains a popular choice for special occasions.

Chocolate jam sticks 🔗

These are a creative novelty that brings together chocolate, ice cream, and fruit jam in a single product. A chocolate jam stick starts with a vanilla ice cream bar on a stick. The vanilla portion is then injected with a flavoured syrup or jam base to form the innermost core. The entire bar is then coated in white chocolate.

The white chocolate coating is formulated with a thinner (usually coconut oil), cocoa butter, and lecithin as an emulsifier. An oil-soluble colour matching the jam flavour is added to the coating – so a strawberry-filled stick gets a pink coating, for instance. The syrup or jam base itself is made from sucrose, glucose syrup, citric acid, stabiliser, water, fruit pulp or concentrate, and flavouring. Its total solids content is adjusted so its freezing point is much lower than the vanilla ice cream surrounding it, keeping the centre slightly softer and syrupy. At the same time, the syrup must have sufficient viscosity so it doesn’t drip while eating.

Variegated (rainbow) ice cream 🔗

Variegated or rainbow novelties are created by mixing several different colours of ice cream as the product is being packaged. These colourful creations, along with variegated sundae-style products, are often packed in transparent plastic containers to showcase their vibrant appearance and boost consumer appeal at the point of sale.

Quiescently frozen stick items 🔗

These are items frozen without agitation (hence “quiescently”), meaning no air is incorporated during freezing. The most common example is water ice on a stick. A typical water ice formula consists of 85-95 parts water, 20-23 parts cane sugar, 5-7 parts glucose syrup, stabiliser, and citric acid, with a Brix reading of 22-24. The mix is prepared by dissolving the stabiliser with sugar in water at 60-70°C, adding the remaining sugar and glucose syrup, pasteurising at 80-85°C, cooling, and then adding acid, colour, and flavour. The mix is poured into moulds and frozen in a brine tank at −25°C to −30°C. Sticks are inserted once the product is partially firm, and freezing is usually complete within 15-20 minutes.

A more complex variation is cream-on-a-stick, which features an ice cream centre with a quiescently frozen outer shell. This requires a special filler attachment where one freezer produces the ice cream centre at 100% overrun while a second freezer produces the ice or sherbet shell at only 10-15% overrun.

The role of hardening and cold storage 🔗

Regardless of the novelty type, proper hardening is essential. After manufacturing, products must reach a core temperature of approximately −18°C or lower to ensure they maintain structural integrity and a smooth texture. For products made on extrusion lines or brine-based stick novelty freezers, hardening is typically built into the process – the product passes through a hardening tunnel immediately after shaping. Rapid hardening is critical because slow freezing promotes the growth of large ice crystals, which results in a coarse, icy texture. After hardening, novelties are transferred to cold storage maintained at around −25°C.

Innovation and the future of ice cream novelties 🔗

The novelty segment continues to evolve with consumer preferences. The growing demand for personalised and health-conscious products – low-sugar, high-protein, plant-based alternatives – is pushing manufacturers to innovate with new formulations and formats. Modern manufacturing technologies, including smart manufacturing and Industry 4.0 solutions, are being explored to optimise production efficiency and maintain consistent quality across large volumes. Multi-flavour extrusion technology, in particular, continues to advance, enabling ever more complex shapes, textures, and flavour combinations in a single product.

From a market perspective, the demand for premium, artisanal-style novelties is rising alongside the mass-market segment. Consumers increasingly want products that are not only visually appealing but also made from recognisable, high-quality ingredients.

What do you think? Which ice cream novelty format do you find most interesting from a manufacturing standpoint – the precision of brine moulding or the creative freedom of extrusion? And with the rise of plant-based and low-sugar trends, how do you see traditional novelties like Cassata and chocolate-coated bars adapting to meet new consumer expectations?

References

1. https://dairyprocessinghandbook.tetrapak.com/chapter/ice-cream
2. https://books.lib.uoguelph.ca/icecreamtechnologyebook/chapter/ice-cream-novelty-impulse-products/
3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cassata
4. https://www.slurrp.com/article/remember-the-cassata-discover-the-layered-history-of-the-nostalgia-inducing-dessert-1718539147369
5. https://www.teknoice.com/how-to-make-commercial-ice-cream/
6. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213846324000786