Family-Owned BR Frozen Custard Beats the Heat

Frozen treats are sought after in the summer when the temperatures soar, and the need for refreshing, ice cold, mouth-numbing food is in high demand. We're all familiar with ice cream, frozen yogurt, popsicles, maybe even Slurpees and slushies.

But frozen custard?

"It's just like ice cream," said Barbara Frank, one of the owners of family-run BR Frozen Custard. "All frozen custards are made with egg yolks and need to have 10 percent butterfat so the texture is both rich and dense."

What began as a small business selling homemade chocolates and brittle and fudge at the Dale City farmers market has now grown into a 1,230-square-foot shop, established in 2005. The sweets are still offered year round, but the addition of the frozen custard has made the business grow beyond just a candy store.

Husband and wife team Rory and Barbara Frank are no strangers to frozen custard, and by making it available in Woodbridge it has created a niche for them to introduce the chilly novelty to the area.

"We chose frozen custard as opposed to just ice cream because we wanted to bring in a product we grew up with back in Johnston, PA," said Frank.

BR Frozen Custard offers customers countless flavors that change monthly, from "Almond Joy" to "Death by Chocolate." For the more adventurous appetites, the menu also displays a six pound banana split that has three bananas, nine scoops of frozen custard, nine toppings and whipped cream.

The challenge is to finish the enormous concoction in under 30 minutes to not only receive it on the house, but to also get a t-shirt and a picture of the winner up on the wall.

"We've had about 500 people try," Frank said. "So far only 15 have made it through the banana split in 30 minutes."

When the summer season comes to an end, BR Frozen Custard aims more towards packaging homemade fudge and candies that gave the business its start.

"We offer our fudge, brittle, and chocolates all the time but the holidays is when we have the most demand,"said Frank. "We hand-wrap and package the treats for gifts and deliver anywhere within the United States."

By the way, what does 'BR' stand for?

"Barbara and Rory!" said Frank.

To get your six pound banana split, or maybe just a scoop of your favorite flavor, visit BR Frozen Custard at 4125 Merchant Plaza Woodbridge, VA 22192.