Teppanyaki ice cream rolls: How can you make ice cream with a Teppanyaki grill?

Japan is the pioneer of the hot Teppanyaki grill plate, while Thailand is known for its cold counterpart. There exists an ice cream variety you’ve probably never seen before: Teppanyaki ice cream rolls, created on an extremely cold Teppanyaki plate. Instead of scoops, Teppanyaki ice cream comes in the form of elongated rolls. Due to its unique shape and preparation method, Teppanyaki ice cream has become a famous trend on various social media platforms like Instagram. In this article, I’ll show you what Teppanyaki ice cream is all about and how you can make it at home.

What are Teppanyaki Ice Cream Rolls?

Teppanyaki ice cream or ice rolls are a delicious frozen dessert from Thailand that has become a real tourist attraction. Unlike other pre-made ice cream varieties, they’re freshly prepared by ice cream vendors. The key ingredients include a liquid base typically made from milk or soy milk. They come in various flavors like vanilla, chocolate, coffee, and strawberry. You can choose to keep the base flavor as is or add extra ingredients like fruits, cookies, chocolate, and nuts. Additionally, you can top your Teppanyaki ice cream rolls with toppings like chocolate sprinkles based on your preferences.

Teppanyaki ice cream rolls belong to the ice cream varieties that can be made from very affordable ingredients. This allows for a minimum of 400 to 500% profit per ice cream cup, making it lucrative for those interested in starting their own Teppanyaki ice cream business. The hype around these extraordinary ice rolls is still ongoing, making Teppanyaki ice cream a magnet for many ice cream shops. In cities like New York, Philadelphia, and Boston, customers often have to wait for more than an hour to savor the delicious Teppanyaki ice cream. There’s even a popular YouTube channel called ‘Ice Cream Rolls’ where millions of people tune in every week to see the latest ice cream creations.

How to Make Teppanyaki Ice Cream Rolls?

In Thailand, you’ll find many vendors selling Teppanyaki ice cream rolls on the streets. Unlike other ice cream varieties, these rolls are freshly made right in front of the customers. The vendors have their own Teppanyaki ice cream machine with a wide stainless steel surface and a cooling table for ingredient storage. Moreover, there’s always an extensive list of choices from which customers can select for their ice cream.

Firstly, for the ice cream base, options like whole milk, low-fat milk, or soy milk are available. The vendor pours the ice cream base onto a -30°C chilled stainless steel surface. The mixture starts freezing immediately. After about half a minute, the vendor uses two sharp spatulas to mix it until the mixture becomes smooth. Then come the other ingredients like fresh fruits, cookies, or any other goodies. The vendor chops these directly into the ice cream mixture on the stainless steel surface. Once well incorporated, they spread the mixture into a thin layer. The ice cream is then rolled into its cylinder shape using spatulas. Once done, the vendor places the ice rolls in a cup with some toppings like chocolate sprinkles if the customer desires.

Making Teppanyaki Ice Cream Rolls at Home

Teppanyaki ice cream rolls are a unique and fantastic innovation in the world of ice cream. To help you create your own, I’ve prepared a step-by-step guide for making Teppanyaki ice cream rolls:

Ingredients for Teppanyaki Ice Cream:
For the ice cream base, you’ll need:

200g heavy cream
200ml milk
1 teaspoon sugar
Optional: fruits, nuts, cookies, etc.

Preparing Teppanyaki Ice Cream Rolls:
Step 1: Prepare all the necessary materials. To make your own Teppanyaki ice cream rolls, you’ll need:

a baking sheet or a Teppanyaki ice cream kit like the ice plate from Tokiokitchenware
a spatula
a small pot
tongs
Step 2: Several hours before you plan to eat the Teppanyaki ice cream, place your baking sheet in the freezer. During this time, you can prepare the ice cream mixture. Start by mixing the heavy cream, milk, and sugar in a pot. If you’d like, you can also add some vanilla to enhance the flavor.

Step 3: Set your stove to medium heat and heat the mixture. Make sure to stir continuously until bubbles form. This is necessary to properly dissolve the sugar in the cream and milk. Also, milk and cream can burn quickly, so you need to keep stirring. Once the mixture gets properly hot and starts to boil, remove the pot from the heat. Let it cool at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes. After the mixture has cooled down, pour it into a small bowl and refrigerate it for 30 to 40 minutes.

Step 4: Take the ice cream mixture out of the refrigerator and add your fruits, cookies, or nuts. Then, pour it onto the baking sheet. Use a sharp spatula to chop the fruits or whatever ingredients you’re adding. Chopping helps to mix the ice cream base and the fruits together.

Step 5: Spread the ice cream mixture evenly until it’s about 0.3cm thick. Place the baking sheet back in the freezer for at least 4 hours. Similarly, put the spatulas and serving bowls you plan to use for rolling the ice cream into the refrigerator an hour before rolling. Essentially, a chilled spatula is a useful tool for your Teppanyaki.

Step 6: Now, take the cold baking sheet out of the freezer and place it on the table or countertop. Use the spatulas to scrape the ice cream into rolls. Once done, use tongs to pick up the ice rolls and place them in a chilled bowl.

Tip: Sometimes, the ice cream doesn’t roll properly and becomes soft. This indicates that the ice cream wasn’t cold enough. I recommend putting it back in the freezer for at least four hours. Ensure that the spatula for the ice cream and the serving bowls are also chilled; otherwise, they’ll quickly melt the ice rolls.

Preparation with a Tokiokitchenware Ice Plate
The Tokiokitchenware ice plate not only allows you to prepare ice rolls but also various other frozen treats like slushies. It’s affordable and easy to use. Additionally, Tokiokitchenware provides the Teppanyaki ice plate with 2 spatulas, 6 molds, and 1 spoon-straw. This way, you don’t have to worry about the materials and can focus on the fun.

To use: Firstly, place your Tokiokitchenware ice plate in the freezer for a day (at least -17°C) before you plan to make ice cream. Ensure it lies flat to prevent the liquid beneath the Teppanyaki ice plate from leaking. You can check if your ice plate is ready the next day by gently shaking it. If you still hear liquid inside the plate, then re-freeze it.

The preparation of the ice cream mixture follows the same procedure as described above. Once your ice plate is ready, pour the ice cream mixture in a thin layer onto it. Place the ingredients in the center and then begin chopping them with the spatulas. If you’re using nuts or cookies, I recommend chopping them beforehand. Once everything is mixed, spread the mixture evenly on the plate. Let it cool briefly, then start scraping the ice cream.

Regarding the Tokiokitchenware ice plate: The plate significantly simplifies the preparation of ice rolls. It’s an inexpensive alternative to ice cream machines and cooling tables found in ice cream parlors. Thanks to its simple operation, you can make your own Teppanyaki ice cream rolls at home, even with your kids. However, the plate also comes with a few downsides. It only accommodates two servings, and since it cools down quickly, you need to be fast, or else the ice cream might melt before you can roll it.

Conclusion

The captivating videos showcasing the preparation of ice rolls made this cold specialty from Thailand known worldwide through social media. Unlike other ice cream varieties, the ice rolls are made on an extremely cold stainless steel Teppanyaki surface and shaped into rolls using spatulas. Just as plain vanilla ice cream goes well with almost anything, Teppanyaki ice cream rolls pair well with most ingredients. Whether it’s nuts, fruits, or cookies, the ice cream vendor fulfills your desire right in front of your eyes. And you know what’s best? You don’t have to travel to Thailand to try these delicious ice rolls. You can now make them at home with your kids. We’ve compiled a separate article on what other foods can be prepared on Teppanyaki plates.

Alternatively, you can use an ice cream maker like the Ninja Creami to prepare a delicious dessert for your grill party.