Supermodel and entrepreneur Tyra Banks has once again managed to capture public fascination by introducing a product that seems to defy logic itself: “hot ice cream.” The phrase alone evokes contradiction, a paradox of temperature that instantly intrigues the imagination. Yet, for Banks, renowned for transforming every endeavor into a spectacle of creativity, this innovation is less about contradiction and more about culinary audacity. Since late September, she has unveiled two experimental versions of this unusual dessert—known collectively as ‘Hot Mama’—at her flagship Smize & Dream ice cream shop in Sydney, Australia. Although these distinctive concoctions were made available only for a brief one-week period, the trial proved significant enough that her team now plans to introduce the concept to New York City during the upcoming winter season.
Banks has employed her characteristic flair for promotion, turning social media into both a stage and a laboratory for curiosity. Her videos teasing the release have garnered well over a million views, fueling fascination and confusion in equal measure. Many viewers find themselves wondering: what does ‘hot ice cream’ even mean? Business Insider, equally baffled yet intrigued, reached out directly to Smize & Dream—the brand Banks founded as a reflection of her love for indulgent yet playful desserts—to glean more detailed insights into the process, the product, and its physics-defying premise. However, the company has remained enigmatically reserved, offering only teasing hints. Their response, framed with deliberate mystery, was, “We love that you’re curious… that’s kind of the point.” With that, curiosity became part of the marketing strategy itself.
In official statements, Smize & Dream representatives clarified that Hot Mama is not, as some skeptics guessed, merely melted ice cream served warm. Neither should it be mistaken for a latte, nor for any variety of hot chocolate. Instead, they positioned it as the complete reimagining of what ice cream could be when freed from the boundaries of tradition. A press release describes Hot Mama as a velvety, churned, and carefully simmered dessert—a liquid treat designed to be relished warm rather than cold. It is poured elegantly into a stylized couture 3D cup, adorned with the distinctive ‘SMiZE flair’ that the brand has become known for. According to the Smize & Dream team, it represents ‘the liquid version of your favorite ice cream scoop’—an edible paradox that defies logic yet delights the palate through its unexpected harmony of texture and taste.
For consumers whose curiosity only deepened after these poetic descriptions, Banks offered a more detailed glimpse into the developmental journey behind Hot Mama. She revealed that it took her and her culinary team more than a year to perfect the formula, a process that involved extensive experimentation with base textures, proportions, and serving temperatures. The initial trials were far from flawless. When standard ice cream bases were simply heated, the results turned out to be sticky, overly viscous, or frustratingly thin—none of which met Banks’ criteria for creating something indulgent yet novel. The key breakthrough, she explained, came when the team identified a precise balance of viscosity—a state that was neither too thick nor too runny—allowing the ‘hot’ ice cream to mimic the silky, dreamlike sensation of conventional frozen varieties while maintaining its warmth.
Behind this success lay significant scientific recalibration. Smize & Dream’s culinary developers re-engineered traditional ice cream foundations, adjusting the relationships among fats, sugars, and stabilizers to ensure that the dessert maintained its signature ‘melt-on-the-tongue’ sensation even at elevated temperatures. The process reflected a blend of gastronomic science and artistry, akin to rethinking the very physics of a dessert normally defined by its chill.
Those fortunate enough to sample Hot Mama during its Sydney debut provided early testimonials on social media. One TikTok reviewer described the texture as thicker than milk but lighter than cream, evoking the comfort of a warm milkshake that somehow managed to feel decadent rather than cloying. In their words, it was like ‘putting a milkshake in the microwave—but in a way that isn’t gross,’ concluding simply that the drink was ‘so good’ and ‘delicious.’ Others speculated that the concoction bore resemblance to crème anglaise, the velvety French custard sauce often served warm as a dessert accompaniment. Yet, for the majority intrigued by descriptions alone, the only definitive way to understand Hot Mama remains to taste it firsthand—a fact that seems intentionally woven into its mystique.
Banks’ connection with ice cream stretches back several years. In 2020, she first announced plans to develop a premium ice cream brand, inspired largely by her mother and their shared love of the dessert. According to Banks, her mind is rarely free from thoughts of ice cream—she has described herself as an ‘ice cream sommelier,’ someone who contemplates flavors, textures, and sensory combinations day and night. The first official Smize & Dream flavor, ‘The Best Vanilla I Ever Had,’ launched in 2021 and quickly became available for nationwide shipping across the United States. Earlier this year, Banks expanded her global footprint by opening her flagship shop in Sydney, giving international audiences their first chance to experience the brand in person.
Now, with Hot Mama poised to debut in New York City, Banks continues her journey as both innovator and provocateur in the ever-evolving world of desserts. Whether regarded as a culinary curiosity, a sensory experiment, or simply an irresistible novelty, the product reinforces her reputation for challenging conventions and merging playfulness with sophistication. Whatever ‘hot ice cream’ ultimately proves to be, one thing is certain: it captures the very spirit of reinvention and intrigue that Tyra Banks has built her brand upon—turning even the simplest indulgence into an experience worth talking about.
Sourse: https://www.businessinsider.com/tyra-banks-hot-mama-hot-ice-cream-smize-dream-nyc-2025-10
