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Tyra Banks Is Bringing Hot Ice Cream To New York — What Is It?

If you have ever thought that ice cream was too cold for you, Tyra Banks has a solution for you. The supermodel and former America’s Next Top Model host launched “hot ice cream” in September, and fans have been wondering what that dessert exactly entails since. It is not a latte or flavored hot chocolate, as Banks distinguished in her video announcing the treat, but the internet still is not sure what hot ice cream is.  

Fans will soon be able to find out for themselves the taste and texture of Banks’ hot ice cream, which is coming to the United States this winter. Banks’ ice cream brand Smize & Dream is bringing the new innovative treat to New York City so that ice cream lovers can try it and squash the confusion.

What is hot ice cream?

Banks’ hot ice cream was only available for customers to try for a week at Smize & Dream’s flagship storefront in Sydney, Australia, leaving fans little time to decipher what the treat is. Fans have speculated that the product may just be melted ice cream or warmed ice cream. 

@smizeanddream

The weather isn’t the only thing warming up in Sydney 🔥 We’re bringing you the world’s first HOT ice cream. Not a latte. Not hot chocolate. But hot ice cream, transformed into a warm, pourable, sip-friendly dessert. After countless rounds of taste tests by Tyra herself, we’ve nailed the texture, mouthfeel and a new way to experience ice cream. We call it HOT MAMA 🙌 Because all our mamas are hustlers, and they deserve to indulge in a little bit of hotness. Can you handle the heat? Our first flavour drops tomorrow, and will only be available for a week at our flagship. #SMiZEandDREAM

♬ original sound – SMiZE & DREAM

“She’s just saying words,” TikTok user @h.melt said in the comments of Smize & Dream’s video announcing the dessert.

The hot ice cream may have a recipe close to custard, which adds egg yolks to traditional ice cream recipes in order to give the treat a richer and denser flavor. When making custard, the ice cream mixture is often warmed in order to create a thicker consistency. 

The specialty ice cream is officially called HOT MAMA hot ice cream, in honor of mothers and the hard work they do, Banks said. The first flavor featured toasted pecans, caramel butter and salted cream. 

What is Smize & Dream?

Smize & Dream is Banks’ ice cream store and business based in Sydney, Australia. Banks said creating her own ice cream business has been one of her biggest dreams since she was a child, inspired by countless Friday nights visiting the Häagen-Dazs ice cream store in Los Angeles

Banks first launched her ice cream business in 2021 under the name Smize Cream and opened a storefront in Santa Monica, California. When the storefront closed after just under a year of being open, fans wondered what would be next for the brand. 

Earlier this year, Banks reinvigorated Smize Cream under the name Smize & Dream, and opened the reimagined business’ flagship location in Sydney, Australia. 

When is hot ice cream coming to the United States?

The first flavor of Banks’ hot ice cream is coming to the United States this winter, but Banks has not clarified when in the three-month season that the ice cream will be sold. 

New York City residents can be excited as the city will be the first to try HOT MAMA hot ice cream. Banks’ announcement of the introduction of the treat to the United States did not clarify whether Smize & Dream will be opening their first storefront in New York City or conducting a pop-up store in the city.

Until Banks brings hot ice cream to the United States, you can always enjoy the traditional cold ice cream. Enjoy the last days of sunshine as fall progresses or relax with a pint while watching America’s Next Top Model and awaiting the arrival of Banks’ innovative dessert.  

Taylor Motley is a member of the Spoon University National Writers Program, reporting on food news and trends.

Beyond Spoon University, Taylor is a student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill majoring in Media & Journalism and English & Comparative Literature, with a concentration in Film Studies. She is the City & State Editor at The Daily Tar Heel, UNC-Chapel Hill's student-run newspaper, where she oversees coverage of local news and politics in Orange County, North Carolina. She has also written for Chapel Hill Magazine, reporting on local events and restaurants, as well as Coulture Magazine, where she covers film, music and culture.

In her free time, Taylor loves to watch all genres of movies, read new books and spend time with her friends and family. She is an avid cultural critic and enjoys reviewing films, theatre productions and restaurants.