Lindsay France/University Photography

Food science students create their flavors of ice cream in Stocking Hall Nov. 17 in preparation for the annual competition.

Lindsay France/University Photography

Kathryn Boor, the Ronald P. Lynch Dean of Agriculture and Life Sciences, serves as one of the judges in the competition in Morrison Hall Nov. 29.

Lindsay France/University Photography

Food Science 101 students pick up their ice cream after the competition.

Though the weather outside is frightful, the frozen flavors coming out of Stocking Hall are delightful. Students in the introductory Science and Technology of Foods course (FDSC 1101) have created such tasty ice creams as Haut Chocolat, Cinnamon Chai Latte and Bearry Cheesecake by infusing warm, comforting flavors into the traditionally cold dessert.

Haut Chocolat, the winning flavor of the annual student ice cream design competition, is based on spicy Mexican hot chocolate, featuring a mix of cayenne pepper and cinnamon with rich cocoa ice cream.

The judges -- Kathryn Boor, the Ronald P. Lynch Dean of Agriculture and Life Sciences; Dennis Miller, chair of the Department of Food Science; Steve Miller, executive chef of Cornell Dining; and Diane DellaValle, a researcher in the Division of Nutritional Sciences -- praised the imaginative combination of sweet and spicy.

"Haut Chocolat stood out because of the concept of 'heat' (due to the cayenne pepper) within the ice cream," said class instructor Alicia Orta-Ramirez. "It was a novel concept that we found innovative. Overall, though, all groups did a great job, and it was an excellent learning experience."

Runners-up Cinnamon Chai Latte was based on another winter warmer. Its student creators believed the ice cream would appeal to the large number of chai enthusiasts and fill a void in the ice cream market.

Bearry Cheesecake "lets you indulge in creamy and rich cheesecake without all of the calories you might find in a regular cheesecake," said the flavor's creators, and Aunt Maple's Walnut Toffee was created to bring Cornellians a "natural, local and simple" feel with local ingredients like maple.

Each fall, students in the introductory course design, create and brand their own ice cream flavor as their final project.

This year's cohort learned that the process of creating a new ice cream flavor is grueling. Split into four groups of about 15 students each, the students brainstormed together to concoct an idea for a flavor and then spent hours in the food lab trying to realize their vision.

During the Nov. 30 final presentations and judging, students expressed the difficulties of organizing large groups and coming to consensus, not to mention the obvious technical challenges of engineering an ice cream flavor. The proportions, mouth feel, overrun (air content) and ingredients had to be just right ... as did the price.

The students were asked not only to use their newly acquired food science knowledge, but also to think up creative and well-researched marketing plans, and they were required to cite a price point for their pints that would earn them profit while still remaining affordable to the target audience.

The creators of Haut Chocolat envisioned it as a super-premium ice cream to be sold alongside pints from more expensive ice cream retailers like Ben & Jerry's or Häagen Dazs, while Aunt Maple's Walnut Toffee was the most affordable, at $2.50 a pint.

Andrew Newman '14, a student in the Hotel School, said he took the course purely out of interest and wasn't disappointed.

The winning flavor will be sold at Slope Day along with other concessions.

Hannah Stamler '12 is a student writer for the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.