Houston is party to several new dessert trends, including couture ice cream sandwiches, ice cream made tableside at fancy restaurants, popsicle carts, healthy(ish) acai bowls and Hong Kong egg waffles. Now you can add doughnut ice cream cones – fried baked to a sturdy crisp and rolled in cinnamon sugar – to the mix. A “dough cone” tastes like a churro with crispier edges, and Houstonians can sample it at The DoughCone food truck that’s parked in Rice Village on Amherst by Prego Restaurant.
We recently drove over to the month-old pastry-kitchen-on-wheels to try out this newfangled treat. The DoughCone’s menu is simple: Choose either the DoughCone or a “Conedae” (chopped up DoughCone in a cup, as shown at top). Both are filled with homemade organic vanilla bean ice cream and crowned with unlimited toppings ($6.99 for either dessert). You also choose either Nutella or cookie butter to line the inside of the cone or create layers in the Conedae. For a “surprise finish,” ask for organic strawberries. (We won’t ruin the surprise by revealing what that means.)
The customizable aspect of the dessert is certainly attractive, with cookies (cappuccino wafers, Oreos, chocolate caramel almond lace cookies), chocolate and candy (gummy worms, gummy bears, mini marshmallows, peppermint patties) and nuts (walnuts, peanuts, sliced almonds) as toppings. Note that depending on what time you go, they sometimes run out of certain options. In fact, when another My Table contributor went at 9 pm on a Saturday night, there were no other customers waiting but she was told there would be a 20-minute delay as they make all cones from scratch on the truck.
We opted to try both desserts, and the staff generously added in heart-shaped macaron shells (from Macaron by Patisse in River Oaks) that were left over from Valentine’s Day. Our DoughCone (above) showcased gummy bears and macaron pieces precariously piled on a mountainous swirl of soft-serve ice cream. The DoughCone currently uses Horizon and Texas’ local Mill-King Dairy for the ice cream base.
The Conedae is vibrant as well and beautifully made, layers of Nutella and cookie butter creating contrasting shades of color enhanced by our choices of sliced almond sprinkles and a lace cookie. These treats are definitely indulgent, plenty big enough for sharing. On the other hand, if you’ve got a hankering for something big and decadent … well, no judgement.
In the meantime, bring your families and friends for a few customized servings. It’s an ideal option for after-dinner fun in the Village if you’ve got a few extra minutes. The DoughCone is open late on Fridays (to 9 pm) and Saturday (10 pm). For specials and complete list of operating hours visit The DoughCone’s Facebook page.
2531 Amherst The DoughCone’s Facebook page
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