Introducing the world’s most expensive ice cream! According to CNN, Guinness World Records has awarded the title to a Japanese ice cream with a jaw-dropping price tag of 880,000 yen ($6,380). What makes this dessert truly exceptional is its star ingredient: white truffles sourced exclusively from Alba, Italy. The team at Cellato, the brand behind this masterpiece, dedicated over a year and a half to its development, conducting numerous trials and errors to achieve the perfect taste.
Technically classified as a gelato, Cellato has named their remarkable creation “byakuya,” meaning “white night” in Japanese, in honor of its most remarkable ingredient. This luxurious frozen treat not only features the prized white truffle, which can be sold for up to 2 million yen ($14,500) per kilogram, but also incorporates two varieties of cheese, edible gold leaf, and sakekasu—a paste-like substance derived from the sake-making process. To perfect the flavor profile, Cellato collaborated with Chef Tadayoshi Yamada, renowned for his expertise at the French-Japanese restaurant RiVi in Osaka.
As a delightful bonus, customers who can afford the ice cream will also receive a meticulously handcrafted metal spoon designed specifically for savoring this luxurious treat. Cellato advises fortunate connoisseurs to add the white truffle to the ice cream once it begins to soften. In case the dessert arrives too frozen, the company suggests allowing it to defrost at room temperature or microwaving it for precisely 10 to 20 seconds at 500 watts. For those interested in enhancing their indulgence with a touch of alcohol, Cellato recommends pairing the dessert with sake or French white wine.
In addition to their white truffle ice cream, Cellato also offers a black truffle variation. CNN reports that Cellato has plans to broaden their range of flavors to include other luxurious ingredients such as Champagne and caviar. While these additions may come with an additional cost, Cellato’s focus extends beyond price. The company aims to blend European ingredients with traditional Japanese cuisine, introducing consumers to extraordinary flavor combinations and expanding their culinary horizons.
The white truffles ice cream not only meets these ambitions but also establishes a new world record in the process.
