Scooped: Rhubarb Frozen Greek Yogurt
The addition of tangy, thick Greek yogurt complements the rhubarb's own tart flavor and adds creamy depth and intensity, making for a dessert that is at once brightly refreshing and indulgently satisfying. More
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Scooped: (Basic but Fantastic) Dark Chocolate Ice Cream
In a recent moment of self-reflection, my Scooped partner in crime and I decided that our column, and Serious Eats overall, is lacking in basic ice cream recipes. Along those lines, I've tried to rein in my penchant for off-the-wall flavors and focus this entry on one of my favorite building-block ice cream recipes: a simple (and completely irresistible) dark chocolate ice cream. More
Scooped: Buttermilk and Lekvar Ice Cream
Lekvar is a traditional Jewish plum paste, most often used as a filling in pastries. It is sour and sweet, with a sticky, chocolate richness that warms the back of your tongue and reminds you of the Old Country. More
Scooped: Mango-Clove Popsicles
Mango, for me, is a quintessential summer flavor. Tart, sticky, and sweet, it is the fruity embodiment of the warmth and brightness of summer. Cloves, on the other hand, are darker, spicier, and deeply autumnal. The two together? Perfect for a warm summer evening in early March. More
Scooped: Lemon, Honey and Thyme Frozen Yogurt
This ice cream is light and tart, as any good frozen yogurt should be, but with a deep, floral richness from the honey and a bright, herbaceous finish. The thyme leaves are this frozen yogurt's answer to cookie dough chunks, or chocolate chips—bittersweet and slightly crunchy, they provide a burst of a different and unexpected flavor and texture. More
Scooped: Green Coconut and Grapefruit Shaved Ice
Disappointed by the meager snowfall we've seen in New York City this winter, I decided that if I can't enjoy snow on the ground, I might as well enjoy it (or a better-tasting lookalike, at least) on my plate. More
Scooped: Dairy-Free Almond Tofu Ice Cream with Honey Swirl
One of my favorite tofu dishes is a Chinese dessert, a light, creamy tofu pudding topped with honey, sometimes flavored with bitter almond. I decided to try it as a dairy-free ice cream, swirled with honey and topped with orange zest—not because I have any objection to dairy-based ice creams, but because I wanted a frozen dessert that highlighted the flavor of the tofu itself. More
Scooped: Dark Rum and Apple Cider Shaved Ice
In the days after Thanksgiving's excesses, I find myself craving the sweet simplicity of apple cider. Good apple cider is tart and spicy, with a texture reminiscent not just of the apple but also of the branch it grew on, the tree, the soil, a chilly breeze. Frozen into a solid block and then scraped with a spoon, it becomes snowy and light, the flavor of the fall with the texture of winter. More
Scooped: Acorn Squash and Cashew Sorbet
Pumpkin ice cream has become widespread enough to be considered something of a mainstream flavor. The pumpkin's close cousin, the acorn squash, however, is usually considered a savory ingredient. But its flavor, a delicious combination of rich and nutty, and green and vegetal, works just as well in a dessert. More
Scooped: Black Bean Ice Cream
Red bean ice cream is a staple of the Asian dessert freezer—the combination of soft, sweet beans with cream, sugar, and sub-zero temperature is delicious, and makes fast converts of even people more accustomed to eating beans in savory rather than sweet form. In this recipe, I've adapted the red bean model to a Central American context, using black beans instead of red, and flavoring with cinnamon, piloncillo, and a splash of dark rum. More
Scooped: Honey Mustard Ice Cream
We all love honey mustard, and just because it usually appears on a turkey sandwich or on a hot dog doesn't mean that it won't also make a great dessert. This ice cream is a great combination of sharp and sweet, with the richness of the custard base cut by the honey's depth and the vinegar of the mustard. More
Scooped: Halvah Ice Cream
I've also had the opportunity, after dark or hiding in the back corner of half-open ice cream shops, to taste some great ice creams. One flavor that was particularly delicious was a halvah ice cream, made with the region's signature sesame paste. Sweet and creamy with a nutty base note that pairs perfectly with the mixed-in almonds, cashews and pistachios. I've attempted to recreate the recipe here. More
Scooped: Apple-Rhubarb (and Cardamom) Ice Cream
Apple season has come early in the back garden of my old English row-house in London. Maybe because of the chilly London summer, or because of the particular breed of apple (one I can't identify, crisp and tart and almost pear-shaped) but it's not even August and I've already got more apples than I know what to do with. More
Scooped: Blueberry-Basil Ice Pops
Blueberry and fresh basil, for me, are the quintessential flavors of summer. Basil doesn't get enough credit for its versatility, and pairing it with summer blueberries brings out its soft, grassy sweetness and a minty buzz. More
Scooped: Avocado and Passionfruit Sorbet
I'm writing this post from Bukavu, a small city on Lake Kivu in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. I'm here helping a friend with some research, but I've also had the opportunity to sample the local cuisine. Pounded cassava and dried fish stewed with tomatoes are delicious, but probably not the best ingredients for an ice cream flavor. More
Buttermilk and Lekvar Ice Cream
@Beauty Marks: Thanks for catching that typo! Glad you like the recipe.
Lemon, Honey and Thyme Frozen Yogurt
@ A Serial Cereal Eater: Absolutely, or with fat-free yogurt if you'd prefer, although using whole milk yogurt will give it a slightly smoother, creamier texture.
Black Bean Ice Cream
@kdroste: Yes, you can use dried beans too - soak them, cook them in water until al dente, then drain and chill them and use them in the recipe.
Scooped: Charoset Sorbet
@dbcurrie: The only thing that makes this "charoset" flavored is that it uses the key ingredients of charoset: apples and sweet wine. It is a fruit sorbet, kept soft by the sugar and alcohol from the wine, and in a flavor that matches one of the most traditional dishes on the Passover table.
Blueberry-Basil Ice Pops
@RoseCityRosie: Rosemary would be good, but I'd recommend using it sparingly. In the family of herb-berry combos, I particularly like rosemary with raspberries.
Scooped: Avocado and Passionfruit Sorbet
Unfortunately my internet connection here is too slow to upload a photo of the finished product. Sorry! The ice cream is bright green, and the passionfruit seeds are black in yellow pulp, spooned on top.
Avocado and Passionfruit Sorbet
@ cserjak: If you freeze the avocado beforehand, when you blend it the mixture will retain enough air that you won't need to mix it once it's in the freezer. The avocado's fairly high fat content will also help keep the sorbet creamy and scoopable.
Scooped: Earl Grey and Lemon Cookie Dough Ice Cream
@Brandon: Thanks for clarifying - we'd recommend doing all lemon, but if you want to use a mix of different citrus fruits (or any other flavors that inspire you) go for it.
@nyc_jyo: Depending on the ice cream machine you're using, it's possible for the cookie dough chunks to get caught between the churning paddle and the wall of the canister and jam the machine. If you know that won't happen with your machine, feel free to add them before taking the ice cream out.
Scooped: Massaman and Coconut Curry Sorbet
@Laura: Both coconut milk and cream should be readily available at Asian or specialty grocery stores, and many mainstream supermarkets have begun carrying them as well. Both are derived from pressing the meat of a ripe coconut - the milk contains both the water and the fat, while the cream has been drained of the water.
Scooped: Spiced Vanilla Ice Cream
@MikeSims and marikja: The spices are very similar to a masala chai. Feel free to add/subtract/embellish to suit your tastes! It's a great platform for basically any combination of spices.
@Umama: Thanks for catching the step we left out! We've updated the post. Regarding your question about the eggs, the best way to add them is by tempering them, which means adding a little bit of the warm milk-and-cream mixture to the egg yolks and sugar, mixing it together to heat the eggs up a little bit, and then adding it back into the pot to cook and thicken. If the eggs do overcook, just pour the whole mixture through a fine sieve, then use the round bottom of a ladle to push any remaining bits of egg through the sieve - that will make them small enough to reintegrate into the ice cream base. Hope this helps, and let us know if you have other questions!
Scooped: Black Cardamom and Black Pepper Ice Cream
Thanks for the reminder - I left that step out of the recipe. Yes, you should pour the base through a fine-mesh sieve before spinning it. You can definitely substitute ground cardamom for the whole pods, but I'd add it (carefully) after you take it off the heat. You'll only need a pinch or two.
Scooped: Black Cardamom and Black Pepper Ice Cream
@Chris: The smoky flavor in black cardamom comes from the husk, since that's the part of the pod that gets the brunt of the smoking treatment. To avoid other flavors, you might try cracking open the pod and removing the tiny black seeds before infusing the ice cream base or whatever else you're doing with them. The seeds have the cardamom flavor, which can sometimes come across as medicinal or soapy.
Scooped: Really Dark Chocolate Sorbet
@Chemist: Don't worry, it's pretty simple to fix with an immersion blender, a regular blender/food processor, or even a sieve and a whisk. It's easiest with an immersion blender - just blend the mixture until it's smooth. If you're using a countertop blender, pour the mixture in and blend it on low until it emulsifies and loses it's graininess. If you prefer to go the low-tech method, pour the mixture through a fine sieve or chinois, using a ladle to force it through the mesh. That will break up any small chunks of egg, and then whisk the mixture hard (prepare for a good arm workout) until smooth. Hope this helps!
Scooped: Really Dark Chocolate Sorbet
@Groovetrain: Absoutely, go for it. The instant coffee in this recipe doesn't give the sorbet a distinct coffee flavor - it deepens the chocolate and gives it a little extra bitter kick (not that you really need more bitterness in a sorbet this dark, but still.) It's a pretty common component in brownie recipes, which is where I got the idea to use it in ice cream/sorbet. I'd say use about 1 cup of coffee and two cups of water instead of three cups of water.
Thanks for posting links to the other chocolate sorbet recipes! It's a flavor that doesn't get nearly the recognition it deserves.
Holiday Treat: Sweet Potato and Gingerbread Ice Cream Sandwiches
@CollinJ: The solution may be as simple as a higher whipped cream-to-base ratio. If that still doesn't work, try melting butter (3-4 tablespoons) and whisking it with about a cup of confectioners sugar. That'll form a thick paste that you can then carefully fold into your whoopie pie filling. Stick it into the fridge for an hour or so to firm up and you should be able to spread it on the cookies. The key here is going to be refrigeration - the butter and confectioners sugar will hold everything together but will start to soften if they're not kept cold. Let us know how it works!
Holiday Treat: Sweet Potato and Gingerbread Ice Cream Sandwiches
A whoopie pie is a great idea! You could fold the ice cream base carefully into fresh whipped cream (rather than freezing it in the ice cream machine) and spread that between the cookies. We'd still recommend storing them in the fridge though, just to hold everything together.
The Nasty Bits: Mantis Shrimp
They're actually pretty easy to find in Manhattan's Chinatown - check the various little fish markets on East Broadway, especially between Pell and Market. Big Apple Supermarket, on Henry just east of Market, usually has them too.
Scooped: Smoked Chocolate and Tequila Ice Cream
@lakesq and artstarbang: Thanks for catching that! We neglected to mention that black cardamom is actually smoked cardamom pods, so the smoky flavor in this recipe comes from infusing the half and half with the smoked cardamom.
Guerrilla Ice Cream: A New Cart With Flavors Inspired by Social Movements
@charm city, we make the chai masala ice cream using assam tea and a long list of spices - cinnamon, cloves, allspice, cardamom, ginger, black peppercorns, among others.
@fatjerk, no drugs of any kind were used in the making of this ice cream.
For questions about our mission, check out our website: www.guerrillaicecream.com. We'll be posting a little more background info on the different movements (and why we chose them) soon, and feel free to contact us with any questions!
Ethan Frisch hasn't favorited a post yet.
That walnut miso at Koya is absolutely spectacular, one of my favorite things to eat in London.