NOTE: “Active times” do not include the making of the bases.
Makes about: 1½ quarts | Active time: 1 hour 20 minutes to 1 hour 25 minutes
This ice cream smacks of sassafras, once the main ingredient in root beer soda until the FDA banned it for commercial use some forty years ago. (Something about liver damage and cancer.) That’s enough for us not to use it, but if you’ve ever tasted sassafras tea, you’ll recognize the earthy, maple-like, slightly spicy tinge in this flavor. You can almost taste the frothy root beer head.
Reserve ½ cup of root beer. Pour remaining root beer into a 4-quart saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the water evaporates and root beer has reduced to about ½ cup, about 1 hour. Be careful not to overheat or it will turn to candy. Cool at room temperature.
Stir reduced root beer and reserved ½ cup root beer into base and mix well.
Process in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions.
Scrape into an airtight storage container. Freeze for a minimum of 2 hours before serving.
Instead of making root beer syrup, buy root beer flavoring from a well-stocked baking shop or online (at a site such as Lorannoils.com). Add 1 teaspoon at a time, tasting after each addition, until you reach the desired flavor.
Makes about: 1½ quarts | Active time: 15 to 20 minutes
Chocolate Oreo cookies give crunch, and the filling provides a nice sugary jolt to the cream base. Think of the joy you experience upon dipping an Oreo into a glass of milk. When sandwiched between Snickerdoodle Cookies, this is the most popular ice cream selection when we cater birthday parties for kids.
Process base in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions.
Transfer to a bowl and fold in cookie pieces.
Scrape into an airtight storage container. Freeze for a minimum of 2 hours before serving.
Double Chocolate Cookies or Snickerdoodle
Peter Cook-ies and Cream: Snickerdoodle Cookies + Cookies & Sweet Cream Ice Cream (see Building the Perfect Sandwich)
Oreo cookies also make a great addition to the Chocolate Custard Base or in Dirty Mint Chip Ice Cream, in place of the chocolate chips.
A knighted English architect, Sir Peter Cook was a cofounder of Archigram, an experimental design collective that was active during the 1960s and 1970s and has been called “the Beatles of architecture.” He is currently the director of the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London and is a widely published author.
Dirty Mint Chip Ice Cream + Double Chocolate Cookies = Mint-imalism
Makes about: 1½ quarts | Active time: 20 to 30 minutes
We have news for you. That supermarket mint chip ice cream with the nuclear-green color? It doesn’t have any mint leaves in it. It has mint oil or fake mint flavoring, and that nasty color comes from artificial coloring.
Real, fresh mint leaves give our Dirty Mint a fresh, cool intensity. Why is it “dirty”? Because we use brown sugar in the base, which gives the ice cream a deep caramel punch and a natural light brown color. It is also “dirty” because we don’t strain out the mint. Leaving it in deepens the flavor the longer the ice cream is in the freezer.
(Warning: This has been known to convert mint ice cream haters.)
Stir mint leaves, dark brown sugar, and salt into base. Mix well.
Process in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions.
Transfer to a bowl and fold in chocolate chips.
Scrape into an airtight storage container. Freeze for a minimum of 2 hours before serving.
Chocolate Chip Cookies or Double Chocolate Cookies
The Buck-mint-ster Fuller: Chocolate Chip Cookies + Dirty Mint Chip Ice Cream (see Building the Perfect Sandwich)
Mint-imalism: Double Chocolate Cookies + Dirty Mint Chip Ice Cream
R. Buckminster Fuller, a.k.a. “Bucky,” was a certifiable American genius. And we say “certifiable” because he was actually the president of Mensa for nine years between 1974 and 1983, the year he died. Originally from Milton, Massachusetts, Fuller attended Milton Academy and later Harvard University, from which he was twice expelled (once for apparently using tuition money to throw a party for dancing girls in New York City—awesome!). The dude was so prolific that he held twenty-eight patents (he was also an inventor), wrote twenty-eight books, and received forty-seven honorary degrees. He was an architect, a poet, an environmentalist, and a humanitarian to boot.
Makes about: 1½ quarts | Active time: 15 to 20 minutes
Tahitian vanilla beans are expensive but worth every bit of the price. Their floral—almost chocolaty—flavor permeates the base for a scrumptious, aromatic result.
Scrape vanilla seeds from pod and stir into base (reserve pod). If using Plain Custard Base, continue with recipe, heating base to 165 to 180 degrees. Add reserved vanilla bean halves to base, pour base into a clean airtight container, and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours.
Remove vanilla bean halves before processing. Process in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions.
Scrape into an airtight storage container. Freeze for a minimum of 2 hours before serving.
Mies Vanilla der Rohe: Chocolate Chip Cookies + Tahitian Vanilla Bean Ice Cream (see Building the Perfect Sandwich)
German-born Ludwig Mies van der Rohe served as the last director of Bauhaus, the influential German school of modernist design, art, and architecture. A fan of steel and plate glass and a pioneer of the modernist movement, van der Rohe headed the Illinois Institute of Technology (then the Armour Institute) and made a lasting impression on the landscape of cultural, educational, and corporate structures.
HEADS UP: Overripe fruit is perfect for fruity ice creams. The riper the fruit, the more sugar and the more pronounced the flavor. Plus, riper fruit is softer and easier to puree.
Makes about: 1½ quarts | Active time: 40 to 45 minutes
Putting açai and goji berries—healthy “superfruits”—in ice cream is a clever way of having your antioxidants and enjoying them, too. The chewy, cranberry-like dried goji berries add a slight crunch when frozen, while açai juice contributes a jammy tang. The blueberries balance the tartness.
Açai juice and dried goji berries can be found at Whole Foods and natural and health food markets.
In a heavy saucepan, combine blueberries, sugar, açai juice, and lemon juice and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until berries burst and mix thickens slightly, 15 to 20 minutes.
Strain mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl to remove seeds. Discard solids left in sieve. Set syrup aside to cool.
Process base in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions. Transfer to a bowl and fold in blueberry syrup to make an attractive swirl (see Swirling Tips). Fold in goji berries.
Scrape into an airtight storage container. Freeze for a minimum of 2 hours before serving.
Makes about: 1½ quarts | Active time: 20 to 25 minutes
Think fall apple-picking season in New England, with the nostalgic fragrances of cinnamon and clove wafting from the kitchen of a quaint country inn. In this reinvention of an aromatic classic, the mellowness of the fruit lingers well after the last lick.
Stir applesauce, cinnamon, brown sugar, nutmeg, cloves, salt, and vanilla into base and mix well with an immersion blender or a whisk.
Process in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions.
Scrape into an airtight storage container. Freeze for a minimum of 2 hours before serving.
Renzo Apple Pie-ano: Oatmeal Raisin Cookies + Baked Apple Ice Cream (see Building the Perfect Sandwich)
Born into a family of builders in Italy, Renzo Piano had a predisposition for construction. His Shard building in London is the tallest skyscraper in Europe. He also recently designed the Art Institute of Chicago’s new Modern Wing and is at work on the new Whitney Museum of American Art, which is between the High Line (see sidebar) and the Hudson River in New York City. Piano’s daughter, Lia Arduino, is also pursuing a career in architecture.
Makes about: 1½ quarts | Active time: 20 to 25 minutes
We thought, wouldn’t it be cool to make an ice cream in homage to one of our favorite cereals? This delicious ice cream brings back childhood guilty-pleasure memories of drinking the colorful milk at the bottom of our breakfast bowls. The hints of strawberry and orange are reminiscent of that rainbow milk, with the same sugary crunch.
The amount of cereal may seem like too much, but it nearly dissolves in the milk.
Put Froot Loops in a bowl and pour hot base over them. Let stand to get soggy. Using an immersion blender or a whisk, mix until smooth. If using Plain Custard Base, refrigerate as directed.
Process in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions.
Scrape into an airtight storage container. Freeze for a minimum of 2 hours before serving. Sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons Froot Loops over ice cream for garnish.
Makes about: 1½ quarts | Active time: 20 to 30 minutes
Our Key lime pie is so authentic because of its pale yellow (not artificial green) color and bright, tropically tangy taste. A natural candidate for an ice cream flavor, real Key lime pie filling is a custard made from egg yolks, much like our base. The perfect slice of Key lime pie is topped with fresh whipped cream to cut through the tartness—exactly what the creamy infusion in our ice cream does. Graham cracker pieces lend a pie crust texture: not too crunchy, with a wonderful, buttery edge.
Stir lime zest and lime juice into base. Mix well.
Process in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions.
Transfer to a bowl and fold in graham cracker pieces.
Scrape into an airtight storage container. Freeze for a minimum of 2 hours before serving.
Highlime Pie: Snickerdoodle Cookies + Key Lime Pie Ice Cream (see Building the Perfect Sandwich)
A park built on an abandoned elevated train line, the High Line in New York City is a genius example of urban reuse. Unveiled in 2011, it runs from the Meatpacking District in Lower Manhattan up to 30th Street in Chelsea. Designed by James Corner Field Operations and Diller Scofidio + Renfro, the greenway is a favorite retreat for strolling New Yorkers. Our truck was a fixture at the High Line when it debuted; our Highlime Pie Ice Cream sandwich was a popular order.
Makes about: 1½ quarts | Active time: 20 to 25 minutes
We made artist-inspired flavors for Coachella, and the singer Santigold chose strawberry. We couldn’t resist adding gold sprinkles to her favorite flavor as a tribute to her golden-throated sound.
Our strawberry is a simple, vivid palate awakener that sings in the mouth—the kind of feeling that makes you want to “singjay” (Santigold’s deejay-like vocal style), as she does in her song “Creator.” Flecks of gold create the impression of a gemstone: A scoop looks like a beautiful rose quartz with a shimmer of fool’s gold. We recommend putting on her music while crafting this flavor and rocking out in the downtime!
Stir strawberry puree into base. Mix well with an immersion blender or a whisk.
Process in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions.
Transfer to a bowl and fold in gold sprinkles.
Scrape into an airtight container. Freeze for a minimum of 2 hours before serving.
Gold sprinkles can be found at specialty baking supply stores (see Sources).
Makes about: 1½ quarts | Active time: 20 to 30 minutes
The custard base for this ice cream is made with Greek yogurt and uses less cream than our customary base. Strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries sweeten up the tartness of the yogurt.
Use only full-fat yogurt to make this ice cream—preferably the most dense, thick, decadent one you can find.
Make base: In a 4-quart saucepan, combine milk, cream, and half of sugar. Set over high heat, and cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture comes to a boil, about 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk yolks and remaining sugar until smooth, heavy, and pale yellow, about 30 seconds.
When cream mixture just comes to a boil, whisk, remove from heat, and, in a slow stream, pour half of cream mixture over yolk-sugar mixture, whisking constantly until blended.
Return pan to stovetop over low heat. Whisking constantly, stream yolk-cream mixture back into pan.
With a wooden spoon, continue stirring until mixture registers 165 to 180 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, about 2 minutes. Do not heat above 180 degrees, or eggs in base will scramble. Mixture should be slightly thickened and coat back of spoon, with steam rising, but not boiling. (If you blow on the back of the spoon and the mixture ripples, you’ve got the right consistency.)
Add yogurt to base and mix well.
Pour into a clean airtight container and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours.
Process in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions.
Meanwhile, in a blender, puree berries with sugar. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl to remove seeds. Discard seeds left in sieve.
Transfer churned ice cream to a bowl and fold in berry puree to make an attractive swirl (see Swirling Tips).
Scrape into an airtight storage container. Freeze for a minimum of 2 hours before serving.
Makes about: 1½ quarts | Active time: 25 to 30 minutes
The sharp bite of serrano chile cuts through the sugary pineapple, with cilantro unifying the opposites. It’s a surprising blend, with a piquant piña colada-like flavor—the sort of ice cream you keep eating to taste all the elements as they unfold on your tongue.
Puree chile and pineapple in a bowl with an immersion blender (or in a regular blender or food processor) until well combined.
Mix pineapple-serrano puree into base with an immersion blender or a whisk.
Process in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions.
Transfer to a bowl and fold in cilantro.
Scrape into an airtight storage container. Freeze for a minimum of 2 hours before serving.
If you want to eliminate the alcohol from our boozy recipes yet keep the flavor of the liquor, use this method to boil off the alcohol before adding it to the recipe. The resulting liquid will be about half of what the recipe calls for, but do not add more—the flavor will be intensified.
1 Pour the alcohol into a wide saucepan with a lid.
2 Set the pan over medium heat and heat the alcohol until it just starts to bubble.
3 Take a long-handled lighter and ignite the alcohol in the pan.Keep the lid nearby to quickly smother the flame if it threatens to get out of control.
4 The flame should subside after about 1 minute. When it dies down, turn off the burner and drop the lid on the pan to be sure the fire is extinguished.
5 Let cool, and then add the alcohol to the base.
Makes about: 1½ quarts | Active time: 20 to 30 minutes
This torched, caramelized banana flavor combines all the excitement of tableside presentation with the sweet, bracing edge of flambéed rum and finishes with smooth, buttery, salty, and sweet notes.
Mix pureed bananas into base with an immersion blender or a hand mixer.
Process in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions.
Meanwhile, in a wide saucepan, melt butter and brown sugar together and bring to a boil over medium heat. Add rum, let flame, bring back to a boil, and turn off heat. Let caramel cool.
Transfer churned ice cream to a bowl and fold in caramel to make an attractive swirl (see Swirling Tips).
Scrape into an airtight storage container. Freeze for a minimum of 2 hours before serving.
Double Chocolate Cookies, Double Chocolate Sea Salt, or Maple Flapjack
Bananas Norman Foster: Double Chocolate Cookies + Bananas Foster Ice Cream (see Building the Perfect Sandwich)
That’s “Sir” Norman Foster to you. Raised in blue-collar Manchester, England, Foster was knighted in 1990 and, in 1999, was made a life peer with the title of Baron Foster of Thames Bank, of Reddish in the County of Greater Manchester. In addition to collecting titles, Foster is also credited with pioneering green building and design practices.
Makes about: 1½ quarts | Active time: 20 to 25 minutes
This ripe, tropical, sticky, and smoky smack-in-the-face ice cream features three ingredients that go well together because they evoke the landscape of Central America. The centerpiece of that harmony is mezcal, a close sibling of tequila. Harvested from the agave plant, the spirit has an herbal-charcoal flavor that balances the sweetness of the honey and mingles nicely with the tender texture of the banana.
Stir honey into base. If using Plain Custard Base, proceed with recipe, heating and refrigerating as directed.
Mix bananas and salt into cooled base with an immersion blender or a whisk. Mix well.
Process in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions, adding mezcal during last 2 minutes of churning.
Scrape into an airtight storage container. Freeze for a minimum of 2 hours before serving.
Double Chocolate Sea Salt or Gluten-Free Coconut Almond Chocolate Chip
Serve with a sprinkling of earthy-smoky worm salt (sal de gusano) for an authentic Mexican twist. Yes, it’s made with real dried and ground worms. Find some online at www.firebox.com.
Makes about: 1½ quarts | Active time: 20 to 25 minutes
Salty, crunchy, malty, and caramel-y, this ice cream combines notes of toast and toffee, with a slight cocoa edge. It’s a primal thrill, sort of like watching football. Serve it to the guys at a Super Bowl party.
Add beer to base. Mix well.
Process in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions.
Transfer to a bowl and fold in pretzel pieces.
Scrape into an airtight storage container. Freeze for a minimum of 2 hours before serving.
Makes about: 1½ quarts | Active time: 30 to 40 minutes
Sweet blueberries, caramel-y brown sugar. Bright lime, refreshing mint, and the smooth citrus of rum. These are the makings of the perfect beach ice cream. Eat near a palm tree and a roaring surf for best results.
In a heavy saucepan, combine blueberries, sugar, and lime juice. Cook over low heat, stirring, until berries burst and mixture thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon, about 8 minutes.
Strain syrup through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl to remove seeds. Discard solids left in sieve. Set syrup aside to cool.
Add mint and lime zest to base and stir well.
Process in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions. Add rum during last 2 minutes of churning.
Transfer churned ice cream to a bowl and fold in cooled blueberry syrup, making an attractive swirl (see Swirling Tips).
Scrape into an airtight storage container. Freeze for a minimum of 2 hours before serving.
Makes about: 1½ quarts | Active time: 20 to 25 minutes
This is what to serve when you have girls coming to your Super Bowl party. They dig the deep chocolate and malty, hoppy buzz of cacao and vanilla.
Add chocolate stout to base and mix well.
Process in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions.
Transfer to a bowl and fold in chocolate-covered pretzels.
Scrape into an airtight storage container. Freeze for a minimum of 2 hours before serving.
Makes about: 1½ quarts | Active time: 40 to 45 minutes
This ice cream hits every point of the palate, with the salty, smoky bacon, the nutty, butterscotch tinge from the brown butter, the sweetness of molasses, and the warm punch of oaky bourbon.
In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Cook until it isa medium brown/caramel color, being careful not to burn it, about 4 minutes. Strain melted butter through a fine-mesh sieve into a small bowl. Set aside to cool.
In a large skillet, cook bacon strips over medium-low heat, turning, until just before crispy. Transfer to paper towels to drain and cool.
Finely dice cooled bacon. In a clean skillet, combine diced bacon and maple syrup and cook over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes, until syrup is thick and has reduced by half. Sprinkle with sea salt. Set candied bacon aside to cool.
Mix brown butter and candied bacon into base.
Process in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions. Add bourbon during last 2 minutes of churning.
Scrape into an airtight storage container. Freeze for a minimum of 2 hours before serving.
Makes about: 1½ quarts | Active time: 20 to 30 minutes
We call this flavor “Landscape Bourbonism.” The name was chosen by the James Corner Field Operations office when we launched the ice cream and treated the staff to it at a construction site in L.A.
Mint and Maker’s Mark are a match made in heaven—the combination is sweet, refreshing, woodsy, and substantial. It’s exactly like a mint julep, the traditional drink of the Kentucky Derby. It tastes even better if you wear a large hat and white gloves while you eat it.
Add mint leaves, dark brown sugar, and salt to base. Mix well.
Process in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions. Add bourbon during last 2 minutes of churning.
Scrape into an airtight storage container. Freeze for a minimum of 2 hours before serving.
Makes about: 1½ quarts | Active time: 15 to 20 minutes
This classic cocktail flavor is what happens when an ice cream social meets a sophisticated happy hour. The sexy smokiness of the bourbon fuses with a sweet zing from vermouth; syrupy Amarena dark cherries and bitters even it all out. The lingering finish brings up new notes of vanilla, oak, traces of cinnamon . . . the perfect scoop after a long day at the office.
Process base in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions. Add vermouth, bourbon, and bitters during last 2 minutes of churning.
Transfer to a bowl and fold in cherries.
Scrape into an airtight storage container. Freeze for a minimum of 2 hours before serving.
You can find Amarena cherries at gourmet stores or online at www.igourmet.com.
Makes about: 1½ quarts | Active time: 40 to 45 minutes
A visit to the Maker’s Mark plant in Kentucky inspired this ice cream—the perfect Thanksgiving dessert for families who like to drink. Though any bourbon will get the job done, we highly recommend Maker’s Mark for its distinctive flavor: toasty, with touches of mint, cocoa, and peanut butter. The creamy finish conjures pie, while pecans tossed in butter and dark corn syrup add a candy-coated crunch.
In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add pecan pieces and cook, stirring occasionally, until toasted, 5 to 10 minutes, removing pan from heat once butter starts to get foamy. Set aside to cool.
In a small saucepan, combine salt and corn syrup, and cook, stirring, over low to medium heat until mixture is candy-coated and sticky and registers about 235 degrees on a candy thermometer. Set aside to cool.
Process base in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions. Add bourbon during last 2 minutes of churning.
Transfer to a bowl and stir in pecan mixture.
Scrape into an airtight storage container. Freeze for a minimum of 2 hours before serving.
Makes about: 1½ quarts | Active time: 15 to 20 minutes
This is our homage to Terry’s Chocolate Orange candy, the one that breaks apart into little chocolate pieces shaped like orange segments. The ice cream’s straightforward chocolate-orange flavor is kicked up with the complex, spirited punch of Cointreau. We first served it at The Taste of LA at Paramount Studios—there was a two-hour line at the truck to try it. Customers said it was worth the wait!
Prepare Chocolate Custard Base: When cream mixture comes to a boil, stir in orange zest. Proceed with heating and refrigerating as directed.
Process in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions. Add Cointreau during last 2 minutes of churning.
Scrape into an airtight storage container. Freeze for a minimum of 2 hours before serving.
Makes about: 1½ quarts | Active time: 15 to 20 minutes
Imagine if you had an Irish coffee made with Guinness stout instead of whiskey. Coffee amps up the bitter chocolate profile of the creamy stout. This ice cream makes for a fantastic floater in a freshly drawn pint. Serve on St. Patrick’s Day.
Add Guinness, coffee, salt, and vanilla to base. Mix well.
Process in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions.
Transfer to a bowl and fold in chocolate chips.
Scrape into an airtight storage container. Freeze for a minimum of 2 hours before serving.
Makes about: 1½ quarts | Active time: 15 to 20 minutes
We like to think of this flavor as a mistake that worked. When our friends at Scorpion Mezcal were on the East Coast in the deep winter, they made some hot chocolate samples spiked with mezcal. They put the container with the hot chocolate in the trunk and promptly forgot about it. When they opened the trunk later, it had frozen. They tasted it and called us immediately, suggesting that it become a Coolhaus flavor.
The afterburn of cayenne and cinnamon, plus the smolder of mezcal, adds heat to this ice cream. The final epiphany for us was pairing it with a Snickerdoodle cookie. The combo tastes just like a churro stick dipped in thick, gooey Mexican chocolate.
Make sure you use a Mexican (also called Ceylon) cinnamon stick, which is papery and soft, not hard.
Remove cinnamon stick before adding chocolate to base. Refrigerate as directed.
Add zest, cayenne pepper, and vanilla to base.
Process in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions. Add mezcal during last 2 minutes of churning.
Scrape into an airtight storage container. Freeze for a minimum of 2 hours before serving.
Find Mexican cinnamon sticks at www.mesamexicanfoods.com.
Makes about: 1½ quarts | Active time: 50 to 60 minutes
Think boozy peach cobbler, with syrupy-sweet peaches and pecans that highlight the Maker’s Mark bourbon.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter a baking sheet.
In a large skillet, melt butter and 4 tablespoons of brown sugar together over high heat. Cook until mixture becomes a thick, melted caramel, about 8 to 10 minutes. Deglaze pan with reserved peach juice, whisking until smooth. Bring to a boil and cook for 1 to 2 minutes to reduce slightly, then add peaches and cook until well caramelized, about 5 minutes.
With a slotted spoon, lift out peaches and transfer to a bowl. Discard any remaining mixture in pan. Refrigerate.
In a small saucepan, bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Add pecans and boil for 5 minutes; they will look waxy. Drain pecans and transfer to a bowl. With a rubber spatula, toss pecans with salt and remaining 2 tablespoons brown sugar until well coated.
Spread pecans in a single layer on prepared baking sheet and toast in oven, stirring once, until nuts are dry and sugar-encrusted, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and let cool slightly. Refrigerate until completely cool, then chop into small pieces.
Process base in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions. Add bourbon during last 2 minutes of churning.
Transfer to a bowl and fold in peaches and pecans.
Scrape into an airtight storage container. Freeze for a minimum of 2 hours before serving.
Makes about: 1½ quarts | Active time: 15 to 20 minutes
This milky, fruity concoction, a bottom-of-the-cereal-bowl gem, is sharpened with Irish whiskey and smoothed with sugary marshmallows. Touches of orange blossom, sherry, honey, and vanilla come from the whiskey. It’s a grown-up treat that’ll make you feel like a kid.
Process base in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions. Add whiskey during last 2 minutes of churning.
Transfer to a bowl and fold in cereal.
Scrape into an airtight storage container. Freeze for a minimum of 2 hours before serving.
Makes about: 1½ quarts | Active time: 80 to 90 minutes
An à la mode favorite, with a light and floral flavor. The buttery crumble adds a rich, deeply round texture to this ice cream.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix cornstarch and ½ cup of sugar in a small bowl. Toss with strawberries to coat evenly. Stir in lemon juice and salt. Place in a 9-by-13-inch baking pan. Set aside for about 30 minutes.
In a small bowl, combine remaining ½ cup sugar and flour. Drizzle with melted butter and mix to combine. Distribute topping evenly over strawberry mixture in baking dish.
Bake until bubbly and topping is golden brown, 45 to 50 minutes.
Let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until cold, about 1 hour.
Process base in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions.
Transfer to a bowl. With a wooden spoon, break up cooled strawberry crumble, then fold into ice cream.
Scrape into an airtight storage container. Freeze for a minimum of 2 hours before serving.
Makes about: 1½ quarts | Active time: 50 to 60 minutes
Best summed up in one word: decadent. This is the flavor that you reward yourself with when you’ve done something good. Something really, really good. It’s intense, rich, and pleasantly bitter, with tantalizingly gooey cookies.
Process base in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions.
Transfer to a bowl. Gently fold cookie pieces into ice cream.
Scrape into an airtight storage container. Freeze for a minimum of 2 hours before serving.
Double Chocolate Cookies or Red Velvet
Be sure not to overbake the cookies; the centers should be gooey for this ice cream.
Makes about: 1½ quarts | Active time: 25 to 35 minutes
We think the best part of a red velvet cake is the cheesy, salty frosting—it’s soul-strokingly alluring. Think of this ice cream as that frosting, with chunks of crunchy crimson cookies inside.
Stir cream cheese, mascarpone, and salt into base with an immersion blender or hand mixer. Mix well.
Process in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions.
Transfer to a bowl. Fold cookie chunks into ice cream.
Scrape into an airtight storage container. Freeze for a minimum of 2 hours before serving.
HEADS UP: Ice creams with cheese have an increased fat content. Since fats freeze easily, beware of overfreezing when churning.
QUICK FIX: Melt the overfrozen ice cream in the microwave in 30-second zaps until completely liquid, then blend with an immersion blender or a hand mixer, and refreeze. This fix works only once. If you overfreeze the ice cream again, it’s garbage.
Makes about: 1½ quarts | Active time: 50 to 60 minutes
The French electronic band Justice chose this flavor to represent them at Coachella. The elegant European flavors of this ice cream get a sugar slap from dried figs, mellowed by mascarpone. The chewiness of the figs contrasts nicely with the crunchy almonds, which add a toasty facet to the ice cream that will make you wanna D-A-N-C-E.
In a heavy saucepan, combine wine, sugar, cloves, and nutmeg and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and cook until slightly thickened, about 15 minutes. Add figs and simmer until they are infused with syrup, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove figs from syrup and transfer to a small bowl. Pick out and discard cloves and any syrup. Let figs cool slightly, then refrigerate until ready to use.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Spread almonds in an even layer on a baking sheet. Toast in oven for 5 to 10 minutes, or until fragrant and golden. Remove from oven and let cool.
Mix mascarpone and salt into base using an immersion blender or a hand mixer.
Process in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions.
Transfer to a bowl and fold in figs and almonds.
Scrape into an airtight container. Freeze for a minimum of 2 hours before serving.
Makes about: 1½ quarts | Active time: 40 to 50 minutes
This grown-up recipe features full-on dairy. It’s got texture, it’s got tang, and if you use the syrupy Italian Amarena dark cherries, it has a sour, lip-smacking richness that cozies up to the cheese. It’s the kind of ice cream to enjoy with a full-bodied red wine.
With an immersion blender or hand mixer, mix cream cheese and salt into base. Refrigerate as directed.
In a heavy saucepan, bring orange juice to a boil over high heat.
Mix cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of sugar in a small bowl, then whisk into orange juice. Cook until thickened, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Add cherries. Cook, stirring occasionally, until cherries are slightly softened and well covered with thickened sauce and mixture no longer tastes starchy, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Mix together graham crumbs, remaining ¼ cup sugar, and butter. Pack into an even layer onto baking sheet. Toast in oven for 5 to 7 minutes, until lightly browned. Cool.
Process base in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions.
Transfer to a bowl and fold in cherry mixture. Break cooled graham cracker crust into pieces and fold into ice cream.
Scrape into an airtight storage container. Freeze for a minimum of 2 hours before serving.
Makes about: 1½ quarts | Active time: 40 to 45 minutes
This flavor was born from the memory of an appetizer: arugula, flattened dates, prosciutto, and Parmesan baked until the cheese melted. Here we have a frozen, melty cheese plate—without the arugula (too bitter!). Sour and sweet from the balsamic, with just a tickle of acid, the ice cream has a velvety texture from the mellow mascarpone. Sugary figs contribute pleasant chewiness, evoking the Mediterranean.
In a small heavy saucepan, bring vinegar and sugar to a boil over high heat and cook until reduced by half. Reduce heat to low, add figs, and reduce liquid until syrup just covers figs, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
Mix mascarpone and salt into base with an immersion blender or a hand mixer.
Process in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions.
Transfer to a bowl and fold in balsamic-fig mixture.
Scrape into an airtight storage container. Freeze for a minimum of 2 hours before serving.
Gluten-Free Coconut Almond Chocolate Chip or Oatmeal Raisin
Eric Owen Moss-carpone: Oatmeal Raisin Cookies + Balsamic Fig Mascarpone Ice Cream (see Building the Perfect Sandwich)
Balsamic Fig Mascarpone Ice Cream + Oatmeal Raisin Cookies = Eric Owen Moss-carpone
Eric Owen Moss’s architectural firm, Eric Owen Moss Architects, has won many awards internationally. His claim to fame: reinvigorating space for commercial use and as performance venues and spiffing up Culver City, California, where we have a Coolhaus shop. A fan of deconstruction and revitalization, Moss also has his own furniture line.
Makes about: 1½ quarts | Active time: 20 to 30 minutes
The ultra-smooth chocolate-hazelnut base makes this ice cream super-creamy. Add the crunch of Kit Kats and you’ve got the perfect fix for the munchies, though it’s a little more refined than your classic stoner flavors.
We made this flavor for Coachella for the Grammy Award–winning garage rock band the Black Keys. Think about it: Kit Kats equal edible black piano keys!
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Spread hazelnuts in a single layer on a baking sheet. Toast in oven for 5 to 10 minutes, or until fragrant and golden. Remove from oven and let cool. Smash into pieces.
In a 4-quart saucepan, combine the milk, cream, and half of sugar and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, beat yolks and remaining sugar until smooth, heavy, and pale yellow, about 30 seconds.
When cream mixture boils, add toasted hazelnuts, remove from heat, and let stand for 10 minutes. Strain cream mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Transfer hazelnuts to a blender and puree, adding a bit of cream mixture to help pureeing process.
Strain pureed hazelnuts through a fine-mesh sieve into bowl with remaining cream mixture and return liquid to saucepan. Discard any solids left in sieve.
In a slow stream, pour half of cream mixture over yolk-sugar mixture, whisking constantly until blended.
Return pan to stovetop over low heat. Whisking constantly, stream yolk-cream mixture back into pan.
With a wooden spoon, continue stirring until mixture registers 165 to 180 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, about 2 minutes. Do not heat above 180 degrees, or eggs in base will scramble. Mixture should be slightly thickened and coat back of spoon, with steam rising, but not boiling. (If you blow on the back of the spoon and the mixture ripples, you’ve got the right consistency.)
Pour into a clean airtight container and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours.
Process in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions.
Transfer to a bowl and stir in Kit Kat pieces.
Scrape into an airtight storage container. Freeze for a minimum of 2 hours before serving.
Makes about: 1½ quarts | Active time: 50 to 55 minutes
Toasted almonds give an extra twist to the hazelnut essence of this ice cream.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Spread hazelnuts in a single layer on a baking sheet. Toast in oven for 5 to 10 minutes, or until fragrant and golden. Remove from oven and let cool. Smash into pieces.
In a 4-quart saucepan, combine milk, cream, and half of sugar and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, beat yolks and remaining sugar until smooth, heavy, and pale yellow, about 30 seconds.
When cream mixture boils, add toasted hazelnuts, remove from heat, and let stand for 10 minutes. Strain cream mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Transfer hazelnuts to a blender and puree, adding a bit of cream mixture to help pureeing process.
Strain pureed hazelnuts through a fine-mesh sieve into bowl with remaining cream mixture and return liquid to saucepan. Discard any solids left in sieve.
In a slow stream, pour half of cream mixture over yolk-sugar mixture, whisking constantly until blended.
Return pan to stovetop over low heat. Whisking constantly, stream yolk-cream mixture back into pan.
With a wooden spoon, continue stirring until mixture registers 165 to 180 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, about 2 minutes. Do not heat above 180 degrees, or eggs in base will scramble. Mixture should be slightly thickened and coat back of spoon, with steam rising, but not boiling. (If you blow on the back of the spoon and the mixture ripples, you’ve got the right consistency.)
Pour into a clean airtight container and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours.
Process in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions.
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Spread almonds in a single layer on a baking sheet. Toast in oven for 5 to 10 minutes, or until fragrant and golden. Remove from oven and let cool.
Transfer churned ice cream to a bowl and stir in toasted almonds.
Scrape into an airtight storage container. Freeze for a minimum of 2 hours before serving.
Top with a sprinkling of sea salt.
Pretzel Chocolate Chunk or S’mores
David Rocky Roadwell: S’mores Cookies + Nutella Toasted Almond Ice Cream (see Building the Perfect Sandwich)
Nutella Toasted Almond Ice Cream + S’mores Cookies = David Rocky Roadwell
An American architect and designer, David Rockwell grew up in Chicago, New Jersey, and Mexico. His flair for the dramatic came from his upbringing by his dancer-choreographer mother. Rockwell’s work spans restaurants, hotels, theaters, and set design, including backdrops for Broadway productions and the Academy Awards.
Makes about: 1½ quarts | Active time: 20 to 25 minutes
We probably never argued over an ice cream like we did with this. Freya wanted to use crunchy peanut butter, while Natasha wanted creamy. In the end, creamy won.
Peanut butter makes the perfect salty, savory partner for the sweet custard base. The best part about it is that it takes to all manner of stir-ins: It provides a great canvas for brownie chunks, broken cookies, grape jelly, chocolate chips—even curry or candied bacon bits.
Because of the peanut butter, the quantity of cream is reduced, and adding ¼ cup more sugar ensures that the peanut butter doesn’t set too firmly once the ice cream is frozen.
In a 4-quart saucepan, combine milk, cream, and half of sugar and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, beat yolks and remaining sugar until smooth, heavy, and pale yellow, about 30 seconds.
When cream mixture comes to a boil, in a slow stream, pour half of cream mixture over yolk-sugar mixture, whisking constantly until blended.
Return pan to stovetop over low heat. Whisking constantly, stream yolk-cream mixture back into pan.
With a wooden spoon, continue stirring until mixture registers 165 to 180 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, about 2 minutes. Do not heat above 180 degrees, or eggs in base will scramble. Mixture should be slightly thickened and coat back of spoon, with steam rising, but not boiling. (If you blow on the back of the spoon and the mixture ripples, you’ve got the right consistency.)
Pour into a clean airtight container and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours.
Mix peanut butter and salt into base with an immersion blender or a hand mixer.
Process in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions.
Scrape into an airtight storage container. Freeze for a minimum of 2 hours before serving.
Double Chocolate Cookies, Peanut Butter with Cap’n Crunch, or Snickerdoodle
I. M. Pei-nut Butter: Double Chocolate Cookie + Peanut Butter Ice Cream (see Building the Perfect Sandwich)
For Peanut Butter Curry Ice Cream, add 1 tablespoon curry. For Peanut Butter and Jelly Ice Cream, add ¼ cup grape jelly. To create your own peanut butter flavor, add ½ cup of your favorite stir-in (cookie chunks, brownie chunks, candied bacon bits, chocolate chips). For all add-ins, transfer churned ice cream to a bowl and stir in before scraping into the airtight storage container and freezing.
Born in China, schooled at the University of Pennsylvania, MIT, and Harvard, I. M. Pei is one of the world’s most prolific architects. His distinctive modernist work grew out of his schooling in, and dislike for, the modern decorative Beaux-Arts movement. During World War II, he volunteered for the National Defense Research Committee, a weapons technology think tank.
Makes about: 1½ quarts | Active time: 30 to 35 minutes
If you combine the wonderful taste of roasty, salty pistachios with the delicate sweetness of our base and the deep, earthy aromatics of black truffle oil, you get an explosion of taste. Because of its perfect sweet, salty, and savory balance, pistachio gelato is considered to be the best in Italy.
A few myths busted: Pistachio ice cream should not be bright green; it should have a faint yellow-olive color. And it should taste nothing like those nuclear-green brands.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Spread pistachio nuts in a single layer on a baking sheet, sprinkle with 1 pinch of salt, and toast in oven for 10 to 12 minutes, until aromatic.
Stir nuts (preferably still warm) into hot base. Let base cool slightly, then pour into a blender and puree until smooth. Add with remaining pinch of salt.
Pour into a clean airtight container. Refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours.
Mix black truffle oil into base, then process in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions.
Scrape into an airtight storage container. Freeze for a minimum of 2 hours before serving.
Makes about: 1½ quarts | Active time: 15 to 20 minutes
Salt sets off the über-sweetness of caramel while playing up the butterscotch notes in this ice cream.
In a 4-quart saucepan, combine milk and cream and heat over medium-high heat until just before boiling. Set aside.
Meanwhile, beat yolks and half of sugar with a whisk until smooth, heavy, and pale yellow, about 30 seconds.
Heat a large, heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. When hot, sprinkle remaining sugar into pan by the spoonful. As each spoonful melts, add another and gently mix with a long-handled whisk or wooden spoon. Repeat until all sugar is used.
The sugar will begin caramelizing very soon. The color will go from pale to golden to amber to dark. (Don’t panic! The color needs to be dark for the ice cream to have flavor.) When the bubbles get foamy and smoke rises, remove pan from heat. (Do not allow caramel to burn.)
Whisk a small amount of hot cream mixture into caramelized sugar. Be careful: It will steam up and bubble. Keep adding cream mixture, whisking, until it is all incorporated.
Return pan to medium-high heat and gently bring mixture to a boil. Whisk to gently incorporate any hardened “rocks” or pieces of caramel sticking to side of pan.
When caramel-cream mixture comes to a boil, in a slow stream, pour half of cream mixture over yolk-sugar mixture, whisking constantly until blended.
Return pan to stovetop over low heat. Whisking constantly, stream yolk-cream mixture back into pan.
With a wooden spoon, continue stirring until mixture registers 165 to 180 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, about 2 minutes. Do not heat above 180 degrees, or eggs in base will scramble. Mixture should be slightly thickened and coat back of spoon, with steam rising, but not boiling. (If you blow on the back of the spoon and the mixture ripples, you’ve got the right consistency.)
Transfer to a bowl and mix with an immersion blender or a hand mixer. Mix in sea salt.
Pour into to a clean airtight container and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours.
Process in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions.
Scrape into an airtight storage container. Freeze for a minimum of 2 hours before serving.
Snickerdoodle or Double Chocolate Sea Salt
Caramia Lehrer: Snickerdoodle Cookies + Salted Caramel Ice Cream (see Building the Perfect Sandwich)
Salted Caramel Ice Cream + Snickerdoodle = Caramia Lehrer
Originally from El Salvador, Harvard University Graduate School of Design alum Mia Lehrer is now the principal of her own landscape architectural firm. Her designs feature innovative solutions for water conservation and environmental preservation. She also has a penchant for found objects and architectural planters.
Makes about: 1½ quarts | Active time: 15 to 20 minutes
We love using Maldon sea salt because a little sprinkling over each serving adds a nice crunchy texture. The Maldon plays up the savory notes of cacao as opposed to the sweet. The resulting flavor is sophisticated, refined, and grown-up.
Process base in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions.
Transfer to a bowl and fold in candy pieces.
Scrape into an airtight storage container. Freeze for a minimum of 2 hours before serving.
Top with a sprinkle of sea salt.
Pretzel Chocolate Chunk, Red Velvet, or Gluten-Free Coconut Almond Chocolate Chip
Jennifer’s Joy: Gluten-Free Coconut Almond Chocolate Chip Cookies + Salted Chocolate Almond Joy Ice Cream (see Building the Perfect Sandwich)
Salted Chocolate Almond Joy Ice Cream + Gluten-Free Coconut Almond Chocolate Chip = Jennifer’s Joy
Founder of Office of Mobile Design (OMD), Jennifer Siegal has created what she calls the “Prefab home of the twenty-first century.” She is the editor of the Princeton Architectural Press publications and , and was founder and editor of
Makes about: 1½ quarts | Active time: 15 to 20 minutes
The white chocolate is a little floral, and the Kalamata olives (our favorite kind) bring in a little brininess, with a surprising hint of vanilla.
Process base in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions.
Transfer to a bowl and fold in olives.
Scrape into an airtight storage container. Freeze for a minimum of 2 hours before serving.
Top with a sprinkling of sea salt.
Makes about: 1½ quarts | Active time: 35 to 40 minutes
This flavor occurred to us while eating out at our favorite Chinese restaurant. Salty and crispy meets the aromatic blend of five-spice powder, with its notes of star anise, clove, fennel, cinnamon, and black pepper. A sweet swirl of hoisin sauce evens out the duck drippings. Don’t wait for Chinese New Year to enjoy this sugary-savory ice cream.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Place julienned duck skin on a baking sheet and roast for 5 to 10 minutes, or until fat is rendered. Reserve 1 teaspoon rendered duck fat. Set skin aside to cool.
Add reserved duck fat to base and stir to incorporate.
Process in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions.
Transfer to a bowl and swirl in hoisin sauce (see Swirling Tips). Fold in roasted duck skin.
Scrape into an airtight storage container. Freeze for a minimum of 2 hours before serving.
Top with a sprinkling of smashed fortune cookies.
Makes about: 1½ quarts | Active time: 35 to 45 minutes
Foie gras provides a wonderful silky texture and opulence to the base. All that richness needs some acidity and sweetness to balance it, and that’s where our sherry-honey–black pepper gastrique comes in—a powerful, pleasantly pungent counterpoint that turns up the luxurious liver-y edge in the ice cream. This is our Michelin-starred flavor.
In a 4-quart saucepan, combine milk, cream, and half of sugar and bring to a boil over high heat.
Meanwhile, beat yolks and remaining sugar with a whisk until smooth, heavy, and pale yellow.
When cream mixture comes to a boil, reduce heat to low, add foie gras, and poach in hot mixture until an instant-read thermometer inserted into foie gras registers 135 degrees, 8 to 10 minutes. Do not overpoach, or foie gras will become crumbly. Remove from heat and let cool for about 5 minutes.
Pour half of cooled foie-cream mixture into a blender. Starting on low speed and working up to high, blend until smooth. Strain pureed foie mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean saucepan. Repeat with remaining foie-cream mixture.
Whisk pureed foie mixture in saucepan. Bring mixture to a boil over medium-low heat. When mixture just comes to a boil, in a slow stream, pour half of foie mixture over yolk-sugar mixture, whisking constantly until blended.
Return pan to stovetop over low heat. Whisking constantly, stream yolk-foie mixture back into pan.
With a wooden spoon, continue stirring until mixture registers 165 to 180 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, about 2 minutes. Do not heat above 180 degrees, or eggs in base will scramble. Mixture should be slightly thickened and coat back of spoon, with steam rising, but not boiling. (If you blow on the back of the spoon and the mixture ripples, you’ve got the right consistency.)
Pour into a clean airtight container and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours.
Process in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions.
Meanwhile, make sherry-honey–black pepper gastrique . In a heavy 2-quart saucepan, combine honey and peppercorns and cook over high heat until honey caramelizes (this will happen quickly—it will sputter, get foamy, and give off a little smoke), 1 to 2 minutes.
Carefully whisk in sherry vinegar. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and gently simmer until reduced to a syrup, about 15 minutes.
With a slotted spoon, remove and discard peppercorns. Let syrup cool.
Transfer ice cream to a bowl and swirl in gastrique (see Swirling Tips). Add a final grinding of fresh black pepper, if you wish.
Scrape into an airtight storage container. Freeze for a minimum of 2 hours before serving.
Double Chocolate Sea Salt or Snickerdoodle
Foie gras cubes from D’Artagnan (www.dartagnan.com) work well for this recipe and are not too costly. If purchasing foie gras from the market, ask for grade B for great flavor at a lower cost.
Makes about: 1½ quarts | Active time: 2 to 2½ hours
We started to wonder, What would be our next sensation, the equivalent of our Brown Butter Candied Bacon Ice Cream? That’s when we came up with this down-home, salty, sweet, Southern, finger-lickin’-great concoction. The brown butter base is enhanced with an herbaceous, slightly spiced Fried Chicken Caramel dotted with crispy skin—definitely one of Coolhaus’s unique triumphs. In fact, the caramel, which is sold in our signature Coolhaus jars, is one of our best sellers. Make it on its own and serve it over anything.
Refrigerate the caramel for 30 minutes. Mix with an immersion blender or a hand mixer to emulsify.
In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat and cook until medium-brown/caramel in color, about 4 minutes. Be careful not to burn. Remove from heat and strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a small bowl. Let cool.
Add brown butter to base. Stir to combine.
Process in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions. During last minute of churning, swirl in caramel.
Transfer to a bowl and fold in smashed waffle cookies.
Scrape into an airtight storage container. Freeze for a minimum of 2 hours before serving.
Makes about: 1½ quarts | Active time: 20 to 25 minutes
We enjoy eating at Mario Batali’s Los Angeles restaurant, Osteria Mozza, where there’s a terrific olive oil–rosemary cake on the menu. This is our translation of that dessert into ice cream. Rosemary is the star, but the fruitiness of olive oil quiets the herbaceousness of the rosemary so that each partner gives a great supporting performance.
Use a fruity extra-virgin olive oil. The reduced amount of cream in the base reflects the addition of the olive oil. The resulting texture is nice and velvety.
In a 4-quart saucepan, combine milk, cream, half of sugar, and rosemary sprigs. Set over high heat, and cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture comes to a boil, about 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk yolks and remaining sugar until smooth, heavy, and pale yellow, about 30 seconds.
When cream mixture just comes to a boil, whisk, remove from heat, and, in a slow stream, pour half of cream mixture over yolk-sugar mixture, whisking constantly until blended.
Return pan to stovetop over low heat. Whisking constantly, stream yolk-cream mixture back into pan.
With a wooden spoon, continue stirring until mixture registers 165 to 180 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, about 2 minutes. Do not heat above 180 degrees, or eggs in base will scramble. Mixture should be slightly thickened and coat back of spoon, with steam rising, but not boiling. (If you blow on the back of the spoon and the mixture ripples, you’ve got the right consistency.)
Pour into a clean airtight container and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours.
Remove rosemary. Drizzle olive oil into base and mix to incorporate.
Process in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions.
Scrape into an airtight storage container. Freeze for a minimum of 2 hours before serving.
Top with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of sea salt.
Makes about: 1½ quarts | Active time: 20 to 25 minutes
This flavor was inspired by the famous Franklin Barbecue restaurant in Austin, Texas. Imagine you had just eaten a spice-rubbed, long-smoked brisket doused with a tangy barbecue sauce. Then you plopped some chocolate cake onto the plate. The resulting sweet, smoky, zingy, peppery, perky, tangy blend is truly complex, as only great Texas barbecue can be.
Stir pureed chipotle pepper in adobo into cream mixture of base before heating. Proceed as directed.
Process in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions.
Transfer to a bowl and swirl in whiskey barbecue sauce (see Swirling Tips).
Scrape into an airtight storage container. Freeze for a minimum of 2 hours before serving.
Red Velvet, Gluten-Free Coconut Almond Chocolate Chip, or Snack Food Chocolate Chip
You can get whiskey barbecue sauce online from www.stubbsbbq.com or www.hotsauceworld.com.
Makes about: 1½ quarts | Active time: 40 to 45 minutes
The teetotaler version of Bourbon Brown Butter Candied Bacon Ice Cream, this has the same salty, smoky, sweet, rich goodness, but without the boozy edge. Sandwiched between chocolate chip cookies, it’s the center of the knockout sandwich known as the Louis Ba-kahn, one of our most popular combinations.
In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat and cook until it is a medium brown/caramel color, about 4 minutes. Be careful not to burn. Remove from heat and strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a small bowl. Let cool.
In a large skillet, cook bacon strips over medium-low heat, turning, until just before crispy. Transfer to paper towels to drain and cool.
When cool, finely dice bacon strips. In a clean skillet, combine diced bacon and maple syrup and cook over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes, until syrup is thick and has reduced by half. Sprinkle with sea salt. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
Mix cooled brown butter and candied bacon into base.
Process in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions.
Scrape into an airtight storage container. Freeze for a minimum of 2 hours before serving.
Chocolate Chip Cookies or Pretzel Chocolate Chunk
Louis Ba-kahn: Chocolate Chip Cookies + Brown Butter Candied Bacon Ice Cream (see Building the Perfect Sandwich)
Born as Itze-Leib Schmuilowsky in Estonia in 1901, this Philadelphia-based architect was an illustrious professor of architecture at Yale University and the University of Pennsylvania and is often hailed as one of the most influential designers of the twentieth century. His work, large and sculpture-like, has a back-to-basics feel.
Makes about: 1½ quarts | Active time: 20 to 25 minutes
The exotic, horseradish-like punch of wasabi sneaks up on the sweet chocolaty overtones of this surprising flavor, making the mouth sizzle. The ice cream is a natural partner to our Vegan Ginger Molasses Cookies.
Whisk wasabi into base.
Process in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions.
Scrape into an airtight storage container. Freeze for a minimum of 2 hours before serving.
Makes about: 1½ quarts | Active time: 20 to 25 minutes
The essences of coffee, chicory, hickory, caramel, and mesquite combine with liquid smoke in this homage to a Cuban cigar. The smoke brings a burn to this flavor. Not surprisingly, the ice cream is a huge hit in our Miami market. Enjoy it after a great meal, when celebrating the birth of a baby boy, or after winning the lottery!
Before refrigerating base, stir in coffee powder, salt, and liquid smoke. Refrigerate as directed.
Process in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions.
Scrape into an airtight storage container. Freeze for a minimum of 2 hours before serving.
Double Chocolate Sea Salt or Gluten-Free Coconut Almond Chocolate Chip
Makes about: 1 quart | Active time: 20 to 25 minutes
Horchata, a Latin American beverage made from almonds, sesame seeds, and rice or barley, is big in L.A.; it’s an incredibly refreshing drink found at any taco truck. Ours is Mexican-style, which means it is made with rice milk, so it’s vegan-friendly. It’s milky, sweet, and cinnamony and tastes like frozen rice pudding.
In a 4-quart saucepan, combine sugar, rice milk, honey, kosher salt, and cinnamon. Heat over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, just until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.
Process in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions.
Scrape into an airtight storage container. Freeze for a minimum of 2 hours before serving.
Makes about: 1½ quarts | Active time: 15 to 20 minutes
The bitter nuttiness of coffee and the crunch of deep-chocolate cookie pieces pairs perfectly with our signature creamy base.
Stir coffee powder into base to dissolve. Refrigerate base as directed.
Process in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions.
Transfer to a bowl and fold in cookie pieces.
Scrape into an airtight storage container. Freeze for a minimum of 2 hours before serving.
Oreo Heckman: Red Velvet Cookies + Coffee Oreo Ice Cream (see Building the Perfect Sandwich)
Heckman is the founder of the interior design and real estate development firm ASH NYC, as well as the home design shop ASH NYC in Williamsburg, a neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York.
Makes about: 1½ quarts | Active time: 15 to 20 minutes
This slightly bitter, brightly citrusy, floral, and fragrant ice cream has an exotic finish.
In a small saucepan, heat about one quarter of base over low heat, being careful not to let boil. Add tea bags and steep for 5 to 6 minutes. Remove and discard tea bags.
Stir tea-infused mixture and salt into remaining base.
Process in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions.
Scrape into an airtight storage container. Freeze for a minimum of 2 hours before serving.
Snickerdoodle or Oatmeal Raisin
Le Corbus-tea-er: Snickerdoodle Cookies + Earl Grey Ice Cream (see Building the Perfect Sandwich)
Swiss-French writer, artist, and architect Le Corbusier, a.k.a. Charles-Édouard Jeanneret, took the pseudonym to honor his grandfather (with an altered spelling of the name). His raison d’être was to improve living conditions in overcrowded urban areas. He, with the cubist painter Amédée Ozenfant, established Purism, a postcubist artistic movement.
Makes about: 1½ quarts | Active time: 15 to 20 minutes
This ice cream is ridiculously easy to make, and it helps ease the digestion after a big meal or some sushi. We use high-quality matcha green tea powder to give the ice cream a vibrant color and an earthy flavor. A little smoky, a little bitter, with some cream and sugar, it’s Zen-tastic.
Stir matcha powder into base.
Process in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions.
Scrape into an airtight storage container. Freeze for a minimum of 2 hours before serving.
Vegan Ginger Molasses or Double Chocolate Cookies
Tea-dao Ando: Vegan Ginger Molasses Cookies + Green Tea Ice Cream (see Building the Perfect Sandwich)
Green Tea Ice Cream + Vegan Ginger Molasses = Tea-dao Ando
A self-taught Japanese architect, Tadao Ando is known for his creative use of natural light and for building to conform to the natural landscape, instead of vice versa. He has designed dozens of housing complexes throughout Japan.
Makes about: 1½ quarts | Active time: 15 to 20 minutes
This is what Christmas really tastes like: a cup of Grandma’s eggnog surreptitiously spiked with an illicit shot of brandy! Freshly grated nutmeg brings zip to the cream (ground nutmeg has much less impact).
Process base in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions. Add rum or brandy during last 2 minutes of churning.
Scrape into an airtight storage container. Freeze for a minimum of 2 hours before serving.
Makes about: 1½ quarts | Active time: 15 to 20 minutes
We always thought our favorite Thanksgiving side dish should be a dessert. The best way to amp up the sweetness? Our secret ingredient: Marshie Fluff, instead of the usual mini marshmallows. The fluff lightens the texture, while bringing out the natural sugar and earthy qualities of the sweet potato.
Mix sweet potato into base with an immersion blender or a hand mixer until smooth.
Process in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions.
Transfer to a bowl and fold in Marshie Fluff.
Scrape into an airtight storage container. Freeze for a minimum of 2 hours before serving.
Makes about: 1½ quarts | Active time: 80 to 90 minutes
There are few better ways to cool off than with this ice cream. The recipe was inspired by Natasha’s summers on Martha’s Vineyard. Her family would wait all year for the two weeks in August when the blueberries were ripe and they could eat blueberry cobbler every night. Lemon turns up the berry volume, while the buttery cobbler crunch in the ice cream adds comfort. Best enjoyed while watching fireworks on the Fourth of July.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Lightly butter a 9-by-6-by-2-inch loaf pan or other baking pan.
Mix ½ cup sugar with cornstarch in a small bowl. Toss with berries to coat evenly. Add lemon juice and salt. Spoon into prepared pan. Set aside.
In a stand mixer or in a bowl with a whisk, mix flour and remaining ⅔ cup sugar. Drizzle with melted butter, stirring, to make a crumble topping. Cover blueberry mixture with topping.
Bake until bubbly and topping is golden brown, 45 to 50 minutes.
Let cool at room temperature, then refrigerate until cold, about 1 hour.
Process base in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions.
Transfer to a bowl. With a wooden spoon, break up blueberry crumble, then fold into ice cream.
Scrape into an airtight storage container. Freeze for a minimum of 2 hours before serving.
Makes about: 1½ quarts | Active time: 30 to 35 minutes
We love to turn pies into ice cream. This one is great for Thanksgiving. Pumpkin pie spice, that familiar combo of nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon, and ginger, brings out the best in the squash, while our graham cracker “crust” makes it taste like a scoop of Thanksgiving.
Bring cream mixture in base to a boil. Stir in pumpkin pie spice while it is still hot. Proceed with base as directed.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter a baking sheet or line it with parchment paper.
In a small bowl, mix together graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and butter. Crumble mixture onto prepared baking sheet and toast in oven for 5 to 7 minutes, until gently browned. Let cool.
Mix pumpkin puree into base with an immersion blender or a hand mixer.
Process in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions.
Transfer to a bowl. Fold graham cracker crumbs into ice cream.
Scrape into an airtight storage container. Freeze for a minimum of 2 hours before serving.
Make your own pumpkin pie spice by blending 1 teaspoon each of allspice, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg.
Makes about: 1½ quarts | Active time: 15 to 20 minutes
Crunchy, bracing peppermint makes the chocolate base dance in this seasonal favorite.
Process base in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions.
Transfer to a bowl and fold in candy pieces.
Scrape into an airtight storage container. Freeze for a minimum of 2 hours before serving.
To break up candy canes, place them in a zip-top bag and bash them with a rolling pin.
