I remember when I first had Dippin’ Dots, after waiting in line for what felt like forever at a baseball stadium, just to get a taste of the “Ice Cream of the Future!” (exclamation point my own). It tasted like magic and dreams and I was Judy Jetson, careening through the cosmos with nitrogen-blasted flavor pellets on my tongue. Now that Dippin’ Dots aren’t so much of a thing anymore, what’s a futuristic dessert lover to do?

NPR’s The Salt blog devoted itself to catching dessert-lovers up on the icy treats that could become our favorite treats when we’re all living on Mars one day. While these ice cream innovations are by no means hand-churned, they’re not all fancy chemical processes, either.

Wikipearls: There’s Wikipedia, Wikileaks, and probably Wikirelationships, so why not a Wiki ice cream? These pearls resemble doughnut holes but come with an ice cream filling. Created by a bioengineering Harvard professor with grape skins on the brain, the edible casings are an attempt to eliminate plastic packaging. There are three flavors to date: mango with coconut skin, chocolate covered in hazelnut and vanilla inside a peanut skin. They’re set to make their U.S. debut later this year.

Willy Wonka would be proud: Flavor release ice cream calls to mind that three-course gum devoured by Violet Beauregarde in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Designed by a graduate student in 2011, this ice cream uses micro-encapsulation technology to create an ice cream that goes from vanilla to cherry seconds later. It’s not on the market yet, however, so cross your fingers that the future will be a delicious one. Its inventor does work in product development at a yogurt company, so there’s hope yet.

Ice cream for dinner: My grandpa used to spoil us by allowing an ice cream cone as an appetizer for dinner. But why stop at sweet? The future of ice cream could be in flavors like meat, cheese, nuts and vegetables. Those combos are the specialty of a San Francisco duo who go for raw ingredients. Why not get your three squares a day in ice cream form?

For more on the future of ice cream and what your tastebuds can anticipate, check out the source link below.

Move Over, Dippin’ Dots: 5 Futuristic Ice Creams [The Salt]

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