New Non-Melting Ice Cream Is the Ultimate Summer Snack

by Rob Leane

I scream, you scream, we all scream when a glob of melted ice cream falls to the ground. Luckily, the solution to this very serious life problem has been found, thanks to a successful Kickstarter aimed at bringing non-melting ice cream to the masses.

Gastronaut Ice Cream was originally designed for astronauts, to provide them with a tasty treat while they’re off exploring the mysteries of the cosmos. But said galactic mysteries surely pale in comparison to today’s big question: What sort of witchcraft did Gastronaut founder Robert Collignon use to stop this new ice cream from melting?

The secret is freeze-drying, the process of rapidly freezing something before subjecting it to a high vacuum in order to remove the icy element by turning it into a gas (rather than leaving it in the product to melt when the temperature rises).

Treating ice cream in this way is not a brand-new idea, but Collignon is redefining it.

Freeze-dried ice cream, better known as Astronaut Ice Cream, is “sold at space museums and camping stores," Collignon says. "I’ve eaten it my whole life, but it doesn’t taste that good because they start with the cheapest ice cream imaginable.” 

In order to remedy this sub-par taste, Collignon explains, he has “sourced super-premium organic ice cream that's made in Brooklyn. You could scoop it up and put it on a cone. Instead, I slice it into rectangles and put it into a freeze-dryer for a day. After it’s freeze-dried, you pop it into your mouth, and it tastes just as good as the frozen ice cream it started with—actually better, because my secret is to add a touch of sea salt."

As of right now, Collignon has already raised nearly $40,000 on Kickstarter—based on a $9500 goal—to take his operation to the next level. A $12 donation to his campaign will get you two Gastronaut Ice Cream bars of your own, and no need to worry about wasted globs of frozen dessert ever again.