By the evening edition.
It’s “the best part of ice cream” for some. The little piece of chocolate at the bottom of the ice cream cone. Is it there only for our indulgence, or does it have a specific use? This is the subject of “the not-so-stupid question”, the podcast offered by the evening edition.
It’s summer, you’ve almost finished your vanilla-chocolate cone and all you have left is this little piece of chocolate at the bottom of the cone. The best part! But what is this bite for? This little piece of chocolate is not there by chance. It has a functional character, to keep the crispness of the wafer cone.
Usage dates back to the beginning of the 20th centurye century. At the time, people were starting to get excited about wafer cones. Manufacturers are therefore looking for a way to produce cones including both ice cream and wafers, without losing their crispness.
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Keep it crispy
The Neapolitan ice cream manufacturer, Spica, found the solution in the 1960s. He developed the famous Cornetto. Thanks to a layer of sugar, chocolate and oil, it manages to isolate the waffle from the ice cream. And to prevent the ice cream from leaking when tasting, a little chocolate is placed at the bottom of the cone. A little treat that is a real hit with customers.
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Quickly, this hint of chocolate became a commercial asset for brands. But be careful, this last little pleasure of a cone can be dangerous for your health. To prevent it from melting in the heat, ice cream makers use a hydrogenation process which charges the piece of chocolate with saturated fatty acid. To be enjoyed sparingly.
