French Butter-Dipped Soft Serve

Credit: Evan Sung

Dominique Ansel

French pastry chef Dominique Ansel has long set the tone for pastry innovation, and at Papa d’Amour­, his latest bakery concept, he once again pushes the conversation forward.

The Butter Vanilla Soft Serve starts with housemade vanilla soft serve crafted from organic A2 milk and Madagascar vanilla beans, swirled into a waffle cone with a hidden vanilla mochi surprise at the bottom. The soft serve is then dipped into a delicate outer shell mix made from Isigny Sainte-Mère French butter and honey and finished with flecks of fleur de sel.

“Similar to a chocolate magic shell often served with soft-serve ice cream, we created our own version made with butter,” says Ansel. “The decadence of a high-quality French butter paired with the nostalgia and simplicity of a vanilla soft-serve ice cream cone creates both unique flavor and texture.”

Inspired by a family visit to the Isigny Sainte-Mère dairy farm in France, the concept reframes butter as the hero ingredient rather than a supporting player. The challenge was in precise temperature control, a crucial factor when working with butter and one Ansel and team know well. “We wanted the butter shell to be super thin, with a smooth, creamy texture, rather than something that turns too hard or cracks,” he says. “Too cold, and the butter layer becomes too thick. Too hot, and it melts the ice cream. I think we’ve gotten it just right.”

The ball of mochi tucked into the bottom of the cone not only ensures a modern interplay of textures all the way to the final bite but also serves a functional role by preventing messy drips from the bottom. The overall result is creamy, salty, crispy and chewy all at once, balancing nostalgia with novelty. Initially intended as a summer special, the cone has become an instant sensation and quickly earned a permanent place on the menu.

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