Food Artists Bompas & Parr Have Invented Non-Melting Icy Poles

They "last immeasurably longer than conventional ice lollies", and if they prove a hit, the London-based outfit will look at rolling out the desserts in supermarkets.
Sarah Ward
August 04, 2018

Summer might still be months away, but one of the season's main bugbears now has a solution. As everyone that's enjoyed an icy cold popsicle on a sweltering day knows, frozen sweet treats come with their own inbuilt game — can you lick your way through your icy pole fast enough to avoid getting covered in watery drips?

The answer is no, of course — until now. Dripping icy poles might become a thing of the past thanks to food artists Bombas & Parr, who've unveiled what they're calling the world's first non-melting ice lolly.

Their creation finds its basis in a substance that dates back seven decades, and one you probably haven't heard of. During World War II, inventor Geoffrey Pyke came up with pyrkete, a frozen composite material made with a combination of sawdust and wood pulp dispersed in ice. It was originally part of his lofty dreams to build a floating runway that could be used in the middle of the ocean during battle — all made of ice. The structure didn't end up eventuating, but his idea gave Bombas & Parr their starting point all these years later.

Bombas & Parr's version doesn't use any wood-related materials, but is made with edible fruit fibres instead. The London-based outfit says their pykrete-inspired icy poles "last immeasurably longer than conventional ice lollies", and if their experiment goes down a treat, they'll look at rolling out the desserts in supermarkets.

For now, those wanting to give the ice blocks a try will need to be in London, and will also need to visit Bompas & Parr's current SCOOP: A Wonderful Ice Cream World exhibition. On August 22, attendees will be able to buy and try the non-melting icy poles, and offer their feedback.

And if you're wondering about ice creams with the same properties, they're already a thing thanks to researchers in Japan.

Published on August 04, 2018 by Sarah Ward
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