Traditional ice creams in Mallorca

Mallorca is home to one of Europe’s oldest establishments, Can Joan de s'Aigo, which has been making delicious ice creams and quemuyars since 1700 — proof of the island’s long-standing tradition surrounding a product that was once enjoyed only in summer.

Raw almond and toasted hazelnut are the classic flavours, but the island’s chocolate-coated ice creams should not be overlooked. Among the drinks, there is aigo amb neu and almond horchata, along with the many different pastries traditionally served with them.

‘Snow’ and ‘aigo amb neu’

The Can Calent kiosk stands in the centre of Sa Pobla. Every day of the year, Fina opens this tiny premises and makes aigo amb neu using a more modern method than her grandfather did a hundred years ago. Back then, ice cream depended on the nevaters bringing snow down from the Serra de Tramuntana, before the magical mixture was prepared in a churn, usually made of copper. Fortunately, everything is now simpler, with identical results. So, when visiting Sa Pobla, one of the hottest towns on the island, it is well worth stopping at Can Calent to try this creamy, refreshing lemon drink.

Although Can Calent is the only place in Mallorca that makes aigo amb neu, the island is full of places where other traditional ice creams can be sampled. Five factories produce them, alongside numerous high-street ice-cream parlours and restaurants that make their own. The best-known example is raw-almond ice cream served with a plain ensaimada, which remains the quintessential Mallorcan snack, together with gató —an almond cake— served with mantecado ice cream. For some first-hand research, visitors can head to Valldemossa for its emblematic coca de patata with ice cream, or go to Palma where, provided they can find a table at one of Can Joan de s'Aigo’s two premises, they will understand why this historic establishment has become a city landmark.

No ice cream without a ‘quemuyar’

The cone is a relatively recent arrival. Ice cream was traditionally eaten on its own or with a quemuyar —something to dip into it—. At Fornet de la Soca, recipes from Palma’s old manor houses have been revived for some time, revealing all the varieties of baked goods once served with hot chocolate and, in summer, ice cream. These include popular pastries such as ensaimada, gató, coca de patata and quarto, as well as lesser-known creations: cojín imperial —a cross between ensaimada and coca de patata glazed with egg yolk—; serafí —a brioche similar to a Swiss bun that was made only in summer—; cubellet —an individual gató—; congret —similar to quarto, except that the icing sugar is added before baking—; and madritxo —a rather drier type of sponge finger—. 

Chocolate-coated ice creams

As well as being a compliment, a Mallorcan bombón is a song by Joan Miquel Oliver and one of the island’s most traditional ice creams. At JOP, the cubanito —vanilla ice cream coated with almonds— has been made almost by hand for 50 years. It has since been joined by the bombón campaner —a kind of whipped-cream stracciatella covered with even more chocolate—. This Campos-based factory has also turned pomada from Mahón —the emblematic gin-and-lemonade drink— into an ice cream. And do not hold back: anyone keen to try the only industrially produced ice cream made with 85% Mallorcan almonds will find that JOP is the staunchest defender of local produce.