By Rosemary McCoy

Dakota Snow is making an ice cream treat that’s new to the area.

“You can’t get this anywhere near here,” Jess Rooney said of the subzero ice cream maker she and her husband, Matthew, bought for their mobile business. They are making rolled ice cream dishes on the spot in an almost endless number of combinations.

They put a liquid ice cream base and other ingredients on the stainless steel surface that reaches 15 degrees below zero. Within seconds, the base begins to freeze. It’s mixed together with the ingredients, spread out again and scraped into rolls. Other toppings can be added to the bowl, and it’s ready to eat within a few minutes.

“It’s great because it’s all fresh ingredients with no preservatives,” Rooney said.

Jess Rooney stands behind the subzero ice cream maker, which is covered in frost.

The price of a dish ranges from $6.50 to $8, depending on the venue where it’s being sold. There are a half-dozen suggested creations such as salted caramel and cookie monster, but customers can design their own versions.

“We even tried adding the syrups for the frozen ice, and that works, too,” she said.

Dakota Snow has been in business for a year, selling shaved ice and Blue Bunny ice cream. The Rooneys are out six days a week in the summer, parking at events like KSFY’s Fridays on the Plaza.

The idea for the subzero ice cream maker popped up on social media, and Rooney said she knew it would be a perfect addition to their mobile truck. The couple had to order the machine from an international supplier, and that was an adventure of its own, she said.

The $1,200 machine arrived this week, and a larger $4,000 version is on its way.

Dakota Snow will be a vendor at the Sioux Empire Fair this year, and the Rooneys expect the subzero ice cream to be a hit.

Finding Dakota Snow isn’t hard. The business uses Facebook to let customers know where it will be each week.

They’ll be debuting the subzero ice cream until 9 tonight at The Empire Mall. Saturday, the truck will be in Brandon for Hometown Days, and it will be back on the north side of the mall from 2 to 6 p.m. Sunday.

“If this takes off, we’ll look at getting a permanent location,” Rooney said. “People love ice cream even in the winter.”