Ice cream is one of Canada’s most popular desserts. Whether you’re eating it plain on a cone or smothering it with hot fudge, there’s a lot to love about this treat. Ice cream is a versatile dessert that pairs well with cake or cookies. Pour espresso over ice cream to make an affogato, or enjoy ice cream on its own in a dish or cone. As ice cream trucks increase in popularity, so do the options for customizing this delicious dessert. You can find ice cream trucks that offer gourmet flavours and unique toppings. Although ice cream is available in many forms, the two classic options are soft serve and hard ice cream. Many people assume soft serve and hard ice cream differ only in the way they are served. Ice cream enthusiasts know that these two treats have a different preparation process, texture, and serving style.

What Is Soft Serve?

Before you purchase your favourite flavour of soft serve from one of our trucks, take a closer look at how we make this treat! Soft serve ice cream usually comes from a powder or liquid mix. This mix consists of a base of milk, cream, and sugar. It also contains an emulsifier and a stabilizer to get that perfect texture. The stabilizer prevents the ingredients from separating and forming ice crystals, which ensures that every bite is silky smooth.
A soft serve ice cream machine churns all the ingredients together. Inside this machine, the cold liquid base mixes with the desired flavour. As the mixture churns, the machine pumps it through a cylinder that adds in air. This air gives soft serve its name. The result is a lighter, creamier ice cream that almost melts the instant it touches your tongue.
Our ice cream trucks sell soft serve that is freshly churned and dispensed from the machine. It is never pre-scooped or stored, which means you always enjoy it at peak freshness. When served, soft serve is between -4 and -6°C. This is approximately five degrees warmer than hard ice cream, making it easier to eat right away without needing to thaw or soften.

What Is Hard Ice Cream?

Like soft serve, hard ice cream combines cream, milk, sugar, and flavourings. Hard ice cream makers start with a liquid base, pasteurize it, and homogenize it to ensure safety and consistency. They cool the mixture and churn it in a batch freezer, blending and aerating it to add air. Once the ice cream reaches the right firmness, they add mix-ins such as chocolate chips, cookie dough, or fruit chunks that create fun bursts of flavor.
Hard ice cream is stored in tubs at -12°C. When it’s time to serve the ice cream, servers scoop it directly from the large tubs. By keeping the tubs at a temperature below freezing, hard ice cream keeps its dense, rich texture and doesn’t melt as quickly as soft serve. It also lasts longer in storage, which makes it perfect for packaging, selling in stores, and enjoying at home over several weeks.

Key Differences Between Soft Serve & Hard Ice Cream

Before you choose the perfect dessert for your next gathering, you should understand the differences between soft serve and hard ice cream. Soft serve is smooth and creamy, while hard ice cream is dense and rich. While soft serve melts in your mouth easily, hard ice cream can be a little tough when you bite into it.

You’ll also notice that soft serve is slightly warmer than hard ice cream. The warmer temperature means this treat melts evenly. It feels light and airy in your mouth. Since hard ice cream is stored and served much colder, it takes longer to melt and can sometimes harden around added ingredients.
Soft serve ice cream is churned fresh and served directly from the machine. You’ll enjoy a fresh, airy taste, free of ice crystals. Hard ice cream can be stored for weeks or months in tubs, so it may not taste as fresh as soft serve.

Soft serve’s higher air content means it generally has lower fat. Hard ice cream’s richer texture comes from the higher butterfat content. While soft serve generally has around 5 percent fat, hard ice cream’s fat content may be as high as 15 percent, giving it a heavier mouthfeel and richer taste.

With soft serve, you can enjoy it plain in a dish or on a cone. Many people love their soft serve dipped in chocolate, strawberry, or caramel syrups. You can top it with sprinkles, nuts, and candy. You can get hard ice cream plain or topped with hot fudge, hot caramel, whipped cream, and more. For both styles, the choice of toppings makes a big difference in the experience.

Which One Should You Choose?

If you’re looking for a rich, heavy dessert, then hard ice cream might suit your tastes. If you want a dessert that tastes light and airy, then soft serve is a clear winner. Soft serve is refreshing and fun, especially on a hot day. It’s a great choice for kids, families, and parties. Everyone can customize their soft serve dessert with their favourite toppings, from candy pieces to syrups, which makes it feel more interactive and exciting.

Why We Think Soft Serve Is Better Than Hard Ice Cream

Soft serve is a fresh and fun dessert made on the spot for the freshest taste. This treat offers endless opportunities for customization. You can place it between two cookies for the perfect ice cream sandwich, or top it with syrup or candy for added richness. If you can’t decide on a flavour, you can swirl two flavours together and get the best of both worlds. With soft serve, you’ll enjoy consistent flavour in every bite. You won’t have to worry about ice crystals or freezer burn taking away from the fresh taste.

Treat Yourself with Soft Serve

While both soft serve and hard ice cream are great dessert options, soft serve offers a fresher taste. Kids and adults will enjoy customizing their soft serve. When you hear the jingling of the ice cream truck in your neighbourhood, don’t forget to ask for soft serve! If you’re booking an ice cream truck for a block party, wedding, or child’s birthday party, you can add an extra touch of fun with an ice cream truck. Your guests will love the nostalgic charm, and everyone can walk away with a cone tailored exactly to their taste.

Hire an Ice Cream Truck Today!

Ready to wow your guests with fresh, creamy soft serve ice cream made right on the spot? Mega Cone Creamery’s trucks are serving up cones (dipped and sprinkled), sundaes, and ice cream sandwiches, providing something special for everyone. Perfect for backyard birthdays, corporate events and even weddings, we’ll make dessert the highlight of your day. Don’t settle for just ordinary ice cream. Book a Mega Cone truck today and turn your celebration into something unforgettable.

I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream!

Let’s be real. Is ice cream ever a bad idea? We don’t think so. In fact, we’d like to think it’s completely acceptable 365 days a year (366 if it’s one of those special Leap Years).

With that said, an ice cream party turns into an absolute must-have for a few special occasions.

Let’s get on with them!

Birthday Parties

Birthday cake, shmirthday cake, right? It’s time to take a newer twist on your birthday dessert. After all, when was the last time you saw someone stoked on a boring sheet cake?

Whether you’re turning 5 or 95, you’re never too old or too young for an ice cream party. Besides, what better way to celebrate another year of life than with your favourite sweet treat?

Take your birthday party extravaganza to the next level by offering your guests handmade ice cream sandwiches, mega shakes, or classic popsicles and treats.

We think this is the perfect treat if you have an outdoor party or pool bash either in a home-based or location-specific party (like at the park).

Think of it this way: less planning, organization, and commitment on your end. You just hire out the truck, and the rest is up to the company. Simple as that!

Weddings

They say that people go to weddings for two things: an open bar and the food.

Chances are, you’ve already planned out your alcoholic beverages and your meal catering services. Have you thought about adding in a unique dessert that everyone’s guaranteed to love?

Attending a wedding isn’t cheap, especially after you factor in the cost of travel, transportation, attire, and gifts. If you’re in the bridal party? The price jacks up considerably more- upwards to a thousand dollars for your day.

That’s why it’s so important for you to make your guests feel special and appreciated on your happy day.

With many weddings extending several hours to half a day, it’s important to keep them fueled on tasty foods throughout the party.

Your wedding is a perfect occasion for an ice cream party. It’s time effective, stress-free, and budget-friendly! It’s also a creative dessert- people will be talking about it long after the wedding day is over.

Plus, imagine the joy and surprise on everyone’s faces when the ice cream truck rolls around! It’s that same look of sheer happiness children have when the truck cruises down their street.

And, in case you were wondering if you had to choose between a traditional wedding cake and an ice cream, don’t worry! There’s no rule that says you can’t have both, and we bet most guests would be happy to have their choice.

Corporate Events

Are you in charge of coordinating your company’s next corporate event? Do you have any input on the menu and budget? If so, skip the traditional affair and make it way more memorable and interesting for your colleagues.

When it comes to planning a killer corporate event, you want to make sure that you’re keeping your colleagues entertained and appreciated. Otherwise, it’ll feel like just another work meeting obligation.

With that in mind, you’ll also likely need to adhere to a strict budget. Fortunately, an ice cream party fits into those requirements, with most packages costing less than $5 per employee.

Lighten up the mood by kicking it old-school with everyone’s favourite ice cream. Who knows? Maybe you’ll learn that your boss and you equally love the same flavor.

Graduation Parties

Got a high school graduate in the house? What about a college or graduate school graduation?

No matter the occasion, it’s always a great idea to celebrate a special graduation with a special ice cream treat. Since these events usually take place near May or June, it’s optimal weather for your favourite ice cream.

Graduation is a time of celebration- it took the person a lot of time, work, and discipline to get to that milestone.

And, with more and more people throwing extravagant, large events for graduation, incorporating ice cream is a great way to keep all your guests entertained.

Grand Openings

If you’re in charge of a business, you may be considering the virtues of officially opening your doors with a grand opening.

Grand openings serve many exciting purposes. They generate buzz and media publicity around your store, and they can attract plenty of new customers. Plus, they’re great for the community, as they help you establish yourself and network with other small businesses.

With that said, you want to take your company’s grand opening seriously. It needs to be fun, dynamic, and compelling- otherwise, you’re not only wasting time and money, but you’re giving your business a pretty bad impression.

And, let’s be real: just like with most events, food is absolutely going to be your selling point. After all, no matter who your target customers are, they’re going to want to eat.

You can incorporate your ice cream party as a surprise, or you can build hype by announcing it on your flyers and social media.

No matter how you choose to do it, people will eat the ice cream and they will be introduced to your company. Talk about a win-win for everyone.

And, what to

Final Thoughts on Your Ice Cream Party

No matter what kind of event you’re hosting, ice cream will always take your party to the next level.

Ready to entertain your guests with unforgettable fun and sweet treats? At Mega Cone, we’ve got you covered.

Contact us today, and let us help serve the sweetest party of your dreams.

While the snow and cold are still lingering spring is just around the corner. That means, in a short period of time it will be perfect weather for ice cream.

Of course, not just any ice cream will do. There are so many amazing ice cream shops in Canada that it’s worth a bit of a road trip to find the best.

Here are seven places to get ice cream in Canada.

1. Sweet Jesus

Sweet Jesus is one of the best places to get ice cream. They have several locations, mostly in Toronto. However, there are at least seven new locations opening up in 2018. They even have a location in Baltimore, Maryland, in the US.

Their goal is to combine, “conceptual thinking with high-quality ingredients and products,” so that you can taste something unlike anything else you’ve ever tasted.

They also make cakes and even their own beer like the Mocha Marshmallow Stout with 6.2% alcohol. Those who might be offended by their name needn’t be. The name derives from the exclamation of enjoyment shouted when someone tries their ice cream.

It’s definitely worth stopping by one of their locations to check out if their flavours make you declare, “Sweet Jesus!”

2. Moo Moos

Moo Moos ice cream is still made by hand. While it’s still a small shop located in St. John’s, New Foundland, it’s worth taking the trip.

They sell premium scoops of ice cream, pies, cakes, cookies, and tubs. They even make their ice cream at their location.

Best of all, if you have food allergies, this is one of the safest places to get ice cream. Their knowledgeable and helpful staff can help you avoid your triggers.

If you decide to stop by, finding their store should be easy, it looks exactly like a black and white cow.

3. Rain or Shine Ice Cream

Rain or Shine Ice Cream is the best place to get ice cream if you’re looking to do a good deed and get free ice cream. They’ve teamed up with the Canadian Blood Services to offer a “Pint for a Pint”. Donate a pint of blood, get a pint of ice cream for free.

They make their ice cream in-house using fresh, natural, and sustainable ingredients that have been sourced locally. They’re also known for putting some interesting ingredients like beer in their ice cream.

Their flavours change quickly, especially their seasonal flings. Stop by now if you want to try a sample of their Rosemary Olive Oil with Candied Pine Nuts.

If a cone isn’t your thing, you can also get sundaes, milkshakes, and cakes at Rain or Shine, and they even cater events.

4. Dutch Dreams

Dutch Dreams has been part of the Toronto community for over 25 years. During that time, it’s consistently been one of the best places to get ice cream for the whole family.

Their store was fashioned in the Dutch style to pay homage to their family ancestry. Walking into the store is akin to walking into a child’s fantasy and it’s a fun place to check out for tourists and locals alike.

They have passed down their pancake and waffle recipes for generations and it’s all made in-house. Being culturally aware, they also offer 32 flavours of ice cream that are kosher.

For those who can’t or don’t eat ice cream, they also offer an assortment of sherbet flavours.

5. Homestead Ice Cream

Homestead Ice Cream has been a fixture in Saskatoon, SK, since 1978. But they also have an ice cream truck they can rent out to you for events.

They make ice cream, sundaes, novelties, and yogurt. Each of them is made in small batches on-site.

There are 40 varieties available at one time but they rotate through 300 different flavours. They even have a great flavour called “Flower Power” that’s lavender flavoured.

If you’re throwing a party, don’t forget to try their dish called, “The Dogs’ Breakfast”. It includes 14 scoops of ice cream, 6 sundae toppings, 2 bananas, cookie crumbs, sprinkles, nuts, whipped cream and a cherry.

6. Cows

Cows is located on Prince Edward Island and is considered to be one of the best places to get ice cream on the island. That’s because the cow jokes are endless. They even sell items like t-shirts, pajamas, and beach towels with their name on them.

Their flavours are both tasty and whimsical with flavours available like Bessie’s Pumpkin Patch and Cows Moochiato. They also have flavours like vanilla for those with more traditional tastes.

For those not interested in ice cream, they also make and sell their own chocolates, gift baskets, and preserves.

Don’t fret if you don’t live near PEI, they have 11 locations altogether, including one in Beijing, China. But even if you’re not located in Canada or Beijing, you can still enjoy Cows ice cream. They’re willing to ship anywhere in Canada, the US, and even worldwide.

If it seems a bit pricey to have ice cream shipped to you from Canada, you still have an option to save. If you sign up for their newsletter, you’ll receive a 20% discount.

7. One of the Best Places to Get Ice Cream is Mega Cone

Mega Cone is one of the best places to get ice cream because they come to you. Also, their ice cream trucks offer a wide variety of amazing and tasty ice cream treats.

If you’re looking to wow your employees, renting a Mega Cone truck for an event will ensure that everyone has a great time. They’re also perfect for birthday parties, fundraisers, and even weddings.

Mega Cone offers every type of cold treats you can imagine like soft-serve, parfaits, banana boats, and ice cream sandwiches. For those guests who don’t enjoy or can’t eat ice cream, they also serve slushes.

Ready to Scream for Ice Cream?

Don’t wait until spring has arrived to book one of our trucks. They can book up quickly, especially once the weather turns warm.

Contact us now and give us the details of your next gathering. We’ll be glad to help you deliver an experience none of your guests will quickly forget.