NEW HAVEN — From homemade marshmallow meringue on a scoop of s’mores campfire to bright blue cookie butter, the ice cream at Milkcraft on Crown Street starts off in a cloud of liquid nitrogen.
“We’re a small batch creamery, we make all of our ice cream and waffle cones fresh to order,” said John Southard, general manager for the New Haven Milkcraft. “It’s made with food-grade liquid nitrogen.”
The nitrogen, which sits at a negative 320 degrees, freezes the ice cream with small ice crystals as it mixes together.
“It makes it very creamy and smooth,” Southard said.
Since the shop opened in New Haven, members of the college and business community have been lining up for the ice cream served in a fluffy bubble cone. Other locations are in Fairfield and West Hartford.
“We work around the corner,” said Barbara Ruocco of Branford, who stopped in recently with co-worker Kathie Edwards of Durham.
“I had sea salted caramel and it was to die for,” Ruocco said.
Both customers remarked on the size of the bubble cones made in the waffle maker behind the counter.
The cones can be made with red velvet batter and are sprinkled with powdered sugar.
“Two of our top sellers are the the blue cookie butter and the s’mores campfire,” said Cheyenne Rogers, a Milkcraft chef.
Rogers makes the ice cream bases and toppings, like the chocolate marshmallow s’mores ice cream topped with homemade marshmallow meringue, which is torched for a smokey taste.
Rogers also makes the sugar cookie crumb topping for the popular cookie butter ice cream.
The blue cookie butter is made with Trader Joe’s cookie butter, which has the consistency and taste of a sugar cookie and gingerbread cookie.
“Everyone always wants to try it,” Southard said. “It has cinnamon and nutmeg in it.”
Other popular requests include gluten-free strawberry balsamic ice cream made with fresh strawberries.
Customers can eat their ice cream in a cup, bubble cone or even a glazed donut.
The creamery also offers milk fish waffles, commonly known as a Taiyaki waffle, which is in the shape of a fish, and soft serve options.
“We call it cow to cone,” Southard said of the ice cream. “Everyday fresh and ready to go.”
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