“Ice cream has powerful potential to instil and evoke deep-set emotional memories,” says Sam Bompas. “Since time immemorial it has lent itself to some of the best culinary innovations from cooling, melting, flavouring, pairing, dispensing, garnishing and serving. This all provides a wonderfully rich social, cultural and culinary history to explore.” Ice cream, it seems, is culturally cool once more.

“Gone are the days where it was a toss-up between a Fab or  a 99 Flake,” agrees food writer and trends expert Rachel Walker. “Ice cream is now spanning whole genres and global cuisines.”

From the sublime to the ridiculous, companies are being experimental with what they offer consumers. “There’s Korean ‘bingsu’ shaved ice – check out Jinjuu where it’s included in the bottomless brunch – and Chinese ice cream cone art – see the Taiyaki fish-shaped cones at Bake, and the Cantonese-style egg waffle ‘cones’ at Bubblewrap, both in London’s Chinatown,” says Walker.

“The south-east Asian street-food trend for freeze-fried ice cream rolls has also reached the UK through new chain, Pan-n-Ice. Then there’s the stretchy Turkish dondurma made using mastic, sweet Indian kulfi and Italian gelato that’s cropping up at some local cafes, meaning that the standard scoop of Wall’s has got more competition than ever.”

Where to buy the coolest ice creams in the UK