Pastry chefs have been incorporating salty and savory flavors into desserts for years, from salted caramel sauce to crushed pretzels on top of ice cream. As chefs and ice cream makers look to continually innovate, we’re seeing some take a decidedly more savory twist. Ice cream, with its neutral base, creates a blank canvas for chefs to play with; it’s only our assumption and experience that dictates it should be sweet and not savory. As we reach the peak of summer, we take a look at different ways they are surprising us by further stretching flavor boundaries with frozen desserts. From the more approachable heat of a chile sauce on top of a sweet scoop of ice cream, to those infused with unexpected vegetables or seafood flavors, these chefs are making us think twice about what frozen desserts can be, and how you can end a meal. 

Carbonate is a brand communications and creative services agency specializing in lifestyle, food, beverage, hospitality, and food technology.