Skip to main content

Spanish restaurant hacks a sandwich press to bake ‘hot’ ice cream. Say what?

hot ice cream sandwich maker oxymoron ii

Ice cream is good any time of year, but it’s particularly refreshing when you go indoors and away from the sweltering summer heat to an icy cold treat. So why would a restaurant decide that “hot” ice cream is a genius menu item? Because it just is.

Before you get too confused, it’s not the ice cream that actually gets hot. El Celler de Can Roca, a restaurant based in Catalonia, Spain, has reconfigured a sandwich press so that it can bake fresh batches of brioche with ice cream inside. Calling the machine the Oxymoron Maker II, all the baker has to do is scoop ice cream (and whatever other fillings you want) between two pieces of dough. The raw sandwich is then placed inside the machine for a few seconds to thoroughly cook the dough, and the result is a single piece of bread with a deliciously cool surprise inside. Take that, physics.

Designed by artist Andreu Carulla, the machine is made with stainless steel and bamboo plywood, custom made to bake just the perfect personal portion of ice cream brioche. “The contrast … is quite an experience,” he writes. “It is worth tasting!”

The Oxymoron Maker II, as Carulla indicates in the name, is the second edition of this device. The new version has better LED lighting to indicate on or off, and a cooling system to keep the machine from getting too hot and melting the ice cream too soon. Sadly, the machine is not for sale as El Celler de Can Roca wants to make this menu item an exclusive.

For those who won’t have to chance to fly to Catalonia in the immediate future, there’s always fried ice cream generously found at various restaurants and state fairs. If you want to hack your own version at home, however, we would recommend cutting slices of bread, flatting out the middle area for an ice cream scoop, and piecing your own using a regular sandwich press. We can’t promise the ice cream scoop won’t slop everywhere before your treat finishes cooking, but it can’t hurt to give it a shot for the sake of fattiness.

Editors' Recommendations

Natt Garun
Former Digital Trends Contributor
An avid gadgets and Internet culture enthusiast, Natt Garun spends her days bringing you the funniest, coolest, and strangest…
Get the AeroGarden Sprout hydroponic indoor garden for $35
aerogarden sprout hydroponic indoor garden deal woot may 2023 promotional render

With the rise of so much smart home tech it can be easy to feel a little disconnected from nature. With the AeroGarden Sprout Hydroponic Indoor Garden you can get the best of both worlds, and it’s discounted to just $35 at Woot! today. This is a really impressive sale price, as the AeroGarden Sprout regularly costs $100. Woot! is including free shipping for Amazon Prime members, but you’ll need to act quickly to claim this deal. It only lasts until midnight or until inventory sells out, whichever comes first.

Why you should buy the AeroGarden Sprout hydroponic indoor garden
AeroGarden makes several gardens that can make themselves right at home if you’re feeling a little overwhelmed in today’s tech world of screens and specs. The AeroGarden Smart Garden, for example, is one of its most popular indoor gardens and we think it’s one of the best indoor smart gardens. The AeroGarden Sprout is a simpler and more affordable indoor garden, and it allows you to grow up to three plants at a time, each of them up to 10 inches tall. It even comes with a gourmet herb seed kit to get you going, which includes Genovese Basil, Curly Parsley, and Dill.

Read more
Get no-stress, hands-free cleaning with LG’s CordZero and save big
LG CordZero all in one stick vacuum with auto empty dock.

This content was produced in partnership with LG Electronics.
Cleaning, or more specifically vacuuming your home, is one of those tasks that can be tedious, and genuinely unenjoyable, and yet we all have to do it. It doesn't matter whether you live in a studio apartment or a single-family home, cleaning is a must to get rid of dust, dirt, and other things you track inside. If you have pets or kids, then you'll also be cleaning up fur, pet dander, and various messes -- maybe even food or snack spills. With the right tools, like LG's All-in-One Cordless Stick Vacuum, the entire process is faster and more convenient.

Available with an auto-empty dock, that both automatically charges the unit between uses and keeps the dustbin free and clear of debris, the CordZero Stick Vacuum is a real game-changer when it comes to keeping any space clean. The unique Kompressor technology compresses dirt and dust, fitting more in the dustbin, and allowing you to clean with less stopping, especially thanks to the extended battery life. Normally $849, you can save 30% when you use promo code VAC30, bringing the price down to $594. Plus, you'll receive a free Total Tool Care kit, which includes several add-ons for the vacuum like a mattress tool, flexible crevice tool -- to get into hard-to-reach places -- and extendable hose. That deal is only valid between May 26 and May 29, so don't waste any time if you're interested.

Read more
Best Memorial Day air conditioner deals for 2023
A Frigidaire 3-in-1 portable room air conditioner installed with its exhaust vent connected to the window.

With Memorial Day comes the reminder that higher temperatures are here to stay, but with Memorial Day also comes great discounts. Right now you can beat the heat and save along the way, as there are several air conditioning units seeing discounts. Whether you're an apartment dweller in search of the best portable air conditioners or you're looking to keep a space cool with a window unit, we’ve got the details on how you can save on an air conditioner this Memorial Day.
LG LW5016 5,000 BTU Window Air Conditioner – $135, was $169

With an estimated cooling area of 150 square feet, this compact and manageable window air conditioner unit from LG will keep you cool as a cucumber during the hot summer months ahead. It’s excellent for small living or single-room cooling. It operates at sound levels as low as 50 decibels when in the low-mode setting, so you’ll barely notice it’s on, and you can sleep or nap in peace. Better yet, it’s easy to install and comes with everything you need – including a simple installation kit – plus a reusable and washable air filter. From May 26 to May 29, you can get it for 25% off when you use coupon code RA30 at checkout, dropping the price to $135.

Read more