Hungary’s best ice creams of 2025 crowned at Ice Cream of the Year competition
Hungary’s love affair with artisan ice cream reached new heights this year at the “Év Fagylaltja” (Ice Cream of the Year) competition, hosted in the spa town of Hajdúszoboszló.
Organised by the Hungarian Confectioners’ Guild, the annual event brought together master ice cream makers from across the country to showcase their creativity and celebrate quality, tradition, and innovation.
Ice Cream of the Year 2025: A festive contest
This year’s festival-style contest was especially festive, marking the 100th anniversary of Hajdúszoboszló’s famous thermal waters. In honour of this milestone, organisers introduced a new “Pávai’s Favourite” category, inspired by Dr. Ferenc Pávai Vajna, the geologist known as the “father of thermal waters,” whose favourite dessert was apple pie, the Guild wrote in a Facebook post. Contestants crafted inventive apple-based ice creams and apple pie-inspired creations, some even enhanced with apple brandy or cider.
100 creations across 5 categories
A record 100 ice creams competed across five categories, with more than 130 flavours available for tasting. Both a professional jury and the public sampled everything from classic favourites to daring new combinations. This year’s trends included bold berry flavours—raspberry, currant, and even less common fruits like jostaberry and chokeberry—alongside innovative pairings such as orange-caramel brown butter, spiced masala tea, and malted pecan. Adventurous spices like wild Madagascan pepper (Piper borbonense) and timur pepper also made appearances.
Ice Cream of the Year: The winners
The coveted title of “Ice Cream of the Year” in the artisan category (“A” category) went to Sándor Márton of Bagaméri Fagylaltozó in Balatonfüred for his “Dörgicsei mandulás” (Dörgicse Almond). The “Free-From” (“M”) category, featuring ice creams without added sugar, gluten, or dairy, was won by Ágnes Böröczky-Asztalos (Margaréta Fagyizó, Balatonszemes) with her “Salted Pistachio Sorbet with Blackcurrant Blueberry.” In the new “Pávai’s Favourite” category, Sándor Márton triumphed again with his “Tündérpite” (Fairy Pie), an apple-based delight.
Special awards included the public’s choice for Pistachio with Candied Citrus and a nod to tradition with the “Balatoni mámoros csokoládé” (Balaton Chocolate Delight).
The event not only highlighted Hungary’s rich ice cream culture but also encouraged both locals and visitors to discover and savour the country’s ever-evolving world of artisan gelato.
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