Food52 Ice Cream and Friends

Sure, this ice cream is surprising—it’s savory curry in ice cream form: earthy lemongrass, ginger, heat. But the flavors are in just the right balance so that they end up exciting instead of unexpected for the sake of being different. Derek, our former test kitchen manager, gives “bonus points if you make yourself a float with good, dry ginger beer.”

5 cups (1.2L) heavy cream

2½ cups (590ml) whole milk

1½ cups (300g) sugar

½ teaspoon kosher salt

8 ounces (225g) fresh ginger, peeled and sliced thinly

2 stalks lemongrass, trimmed, cut into 2-inch (5cm) lengths, and crushed with the back of a knife

4 Thai bird chiles, halved (do not remove seeds or ribs)

12 egg yolks

1 cup (150g) crystallized ginger, finely chopped (optional)

1. In a saucepan, whisk together the heavy cream, milk, 1 cup (200g) of the sugar, and the salt. Add the fresh ginger, lemongrass, and chiles and cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until just simmering. Off the heat, cover and let steep for 30 minutes.

2. Blend the mixture until it’s as smooth as you can get it (you may need to work in batches). Pass through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl and discard the solids.

3. Clean the saucepan and return the mixture to it. In a heatproof bowl, whisk your egg yolks. Whisk the remaining ½ cup (100g) of sugar into the yolks until it dissolves and the yolks are pale in color. Temper the eggs by gradually whisking in a few cups of the strained puree. Whisk the egg mixture into the saucepan.

4. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture coats the back of a spoon.

5. Pass the ice cream base through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl and chill completely in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours but ideally overnight.

6. Pour the chilled base into an ice cream maker and churn it according to the manufacturer’s instructions. During the last minute of churning, add the crystallized ginger.

Like balsamic butterscotch , Kathy Wielech Patterson’s miso caramel follows in the footsteps of salted caramel, confirming (again) that caramel + salt = great. To make a pint, in a heavy saucepan, bring ¾ cup (150g) sugar and ¼ cup (60ml) water to a boil over medium-high heat without stirring. When the sugar becomes a deep golden brown and wisps of smoke start to form, take it off the heat and carefully stir in ½ cup (120ml) heavy cream. If the caramel seizes up, put the pan back over low heat and stir until liquid again. Then, the zinger: Then whisk in 2 tablespoons of white miso (darker miso will be stronger). Let cool before refrigerating in an airtight container. Remelt the sauce in the microwave.

Mochi

Makes about 2 cups (220g) | From Cynthia Chen McTeman

The tender chew of mochi—which you may think of as a bouncy topping for frozen yogurt or a chubby wrapper for a sphere of ice cream—comes from sweet glutinous rice. Traditionally, the grains are soaked, steamed, and then—in a feat of immense strength, coordination, and rhythm—pounded with heavy wooden mallets in a Japanese ceremony called mochi-tsuki .

But there’s a shortcut: sweet rice flour . Buy a bag at an Asian grocery store (it’s usually labeled as mochiko ), then find the rest of the ingredients in your pantry. Whisk, bake, cool, and cut into softer, stickier gummy bear-like treats.

The recipe’s creator suggests adding a tablespoon of rose water or a half teaspoon of almond or peppermint extract. Mix a teaspoon or two of matcha powder with the dry ingredients, or replace the water with Thai tea (and place atop a Thai tea snow cone , of course!).

1 cup (160g) sweet rice flour (mochiko), plus more for dusting

1 cup (200g) sugar

½ teaspoon baking powder

¾ cup (175ml) full-fat coconut milk

1. Heat the oven to 275°F (135°C). Line a 9 by 13-inch (23 by 33cm) glass baking dish with parchment paper, leaving extra parchment hanging over the long sides of the pan. Butter the paper and stick the pan in the fridge.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the rice flour, sugar, and baking powder. In a separate bowl, whisk together 1 cup (240ml) water and coconut milk. Whisk the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.

3. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Cover loosely with aluminum foil. Bake for 1 hour—the mochi is done when it is soft and gelatinous but holds its shape when touched. (If you’ve already baked the mochi for an hour and it hasn’t set, raise the temperature to 300°F/150°C and bake, uncovered, for 10 to 15 minutes more.) Let cool completely.

4. Dust a work surface with sweet rice flour. Lift the parchment and invert the mochi onto the dusted work surface. Remove the parchment paper and sprinkle rice flour over the mochi. Cover a knife blade in plastic wrap, then cut the mochi however you want; possibly bite-size pieces for topping or a couple of big squares for an ice cream dumpling. Dust the mochi pieces again with rice flour, transfer to an airtight container and store for up to 1 week in the fridge, or frozen for months. (Cynthia suggests trying them just slightly thawed right out of the freezer!)

For those of you out there who find lavender ice cream soapy—or vegan ice cream icy—be prepared to eat your words (and more lavender–coconut milk ice cream, pictured on page ii). Coconut milk doesn’t have enough fat to freeze up convincingly silky, but with a little help from coconut cream, it can churn into a very scoopable ice cream the texture of satin and the flavor of pure coconut (in addition to—not dominated by—lavender). You can find coconut cream at Asian groceries or online (or skim off the thick top of a chilled can of full-fat coconut milk). Be sure not to buy cream of coconut in its place; it’s heavily sweetened and belongs in your piña colada.

1. In a pot, bring the coconut cream, coconut milk, sugar, corn syrup, and tapioca starch to a simmer over medium heat; the fat in the coconut milk and cream should start to “melt.” Simmer, whisking occasionally, for 5 minutes. Blend with an immersion blender for 1 minute.

2. Off the heat, add the lavender and vodka. Let steep for 30 minutes. Pass the base through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl, then blend for 30 seconds. Chill the base completely in the refrigerator at least 5 hours but ideally overnight.

3. Pour the chilled base into an ice cream maker and churn it according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Corn syrup has an image problem—it’s processed, it’s not good for us, it’s really sticky. Last time we checked, though, sugar wasn’t the best thing for us either, and here we are, writing an ice cream book. Corn syrup is tap-dancing around this book because it helps ice cream melt slower, makes ice cream less icy, gives ice cream a good texture, but doesn’t add any flavor like honey or agave might. It’s especially needed in recipes that are low in fat, like sorbets, so the final product doesn’t end up gritty. You will see recipes that have some corn syrup in addition to sugar—that’s because using only corn syrup might mean diluted flavors (it’s a liquid, and sugar just tastes better), a really dense consistency, and a humorously slow churn.

One sweltering summer Saturday, we were waiting for Bobbi, one of our photographers, at a barbecue. She was running late because she was figuring out how to affix her gelato cake to her bike—and keep it from melting as she rode over. “The cake is worth it,” she justified, and since the party ended with us pesky editors asking for the recipe, you know she was right. Unlike other ice cream cakes, it’s light and fresh more than creamy—and green (see it on the next page).

Now that you know a little about Bobbi, you won’t be surprised to know that this was the first time she’d made this cake, combining two recipes she typically makes separately (as you could, too). The gelato, adapted from Good Company magazine, is spry with basil and basil’s ruffled-edge Asian cousin shiso, which tastes like a more gingery mint. The cake is a classic Japanese sponge Bobbi adapted from the website Japanese Cooking 101. For even more flair, make it into two layers, add matcha to the cake, top with crumbled meringues made from the gelato’s leftover egg whites, and/or bring the cake on a bike.

Basil-Shiso Gelato

2 cups (475ml) whole milk

1 cup (240ml) heavy cream

½ cup (100g) granulated sugar

¼ cup (50g) lightly packed light brown sugar

6 egg yolks

1½ cups (30g) loosely packed fresh basil leaves

½ cup (10g) loosely packed fresh shiso leaves

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

Pinch of kosher salt

Castella Cake

¼ cup (60ml) whole milk

⅓ cup (110g) honey

7 eggs, at room temperature

1¼ cups (250g) granulated sugar

1½ cups (190g) bread flour, sifted

1. To make the gelato, in a saucepan, whisk together the milk, heavy cream, and both sugars. Bring to a boil, then immediately lower the heat and simmer, stirring until the sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, then whisk in about a third of the milk mixture. Whisk the tempered yolks back into the milk mixture, until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Let cool.

3. Blend the basil, shiso, and ½ cup (120ml) of the milk-yolk mixture until smooth. Stir the herb puree into the milk-yolk mixture, followed by the lemon zest and salt.

4. Chill the base completely in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours but ideally overnight.

5. Pour the chilled base into an ice cream maker and churn it according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Spoon into an airtight container and freeze. Makes a quart (950ml) of gelato.

6. To make the cake, heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease the bottom and sides of a 9-inch (23cm) springform pan and a loaf pan, line them with parchment paper, and grease again.

8. Using a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the eggs on medium-high speed, adding the sugar in 3 additions, until the mixture triples in volume, about 7 minutes.

9. Turn the mixer speed to low and alternate adding the flour and the milk mixture in 4 total parts, beating after each until fully incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and fold gently.

10. Pour the batter into the prepared pans. Bake for 10 minutes, then lower the oven temperature to 320°F (160°C) and bake until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean, 20 to 30 minutes for the loaf cake and 30 to 40 minutes for the springform. If the cakes are browning too soon, cover with aluminum foil.

11. Remove the cakes from the oven and immediately hold the springform pan about 5 inches (13cm) above a counter and drop it. This will release the air in the cake so it doesn’t collapse. Take the cake out of the pan, remove the parchment, then transfer to a wire rack to cool. Let the loaf cake cool completely before turning out.

12. Soften the gelato until it’s stirrable. Return the round cake to the springform pan. Spread the softened gelato evenly over the cake. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for 1 hour.

13. Remove the sides of the springform pan, cut the cake into slices, and serve.

This tart twist on the cherry lime rickey puts the cherries in sorbet form, swaps lime for lemon, and tosses in a few sprigs of thyme for kicks. The key to the punchy cherry sorbet is roasting the fruit, which Cristina learned from another Food52 superstar, Emily Connor. Because this step really concentrates the cherry flavor, it works great with frozen cherries—save the fresh ones for snow cones (this page ).

Cherry Sorbet

4½ cups (700g) frozen, pitted cherries

½ cup (100g) granulated sugar

1 tablespoon kirsch

⅛ teaspoon kosher salt

1 medium lemon, halved

2 tablespoons turbinado sugar

Lemon-Thyme Soda

2 cups (475ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 cup (200g) granulated sugar

1 tablespoon grated lemon zest

6 sprigs thyme

Sparkling water, for topping

1. To make the sorbet, heat the oven to 400°F (200°C). In a 9 by 13-inch (23 by 33cm) baking pan, toss together the cherries, granulated sugar, kirsch, and salt. Settle the cherries into a single layer. Nestle in the lemon halves, cut side up.

2. Bake until foamy and bubbling, about 30 minutes. Pour 1 cup (240ml) water into the pan and continue baking until the cherries have fallen apart, 15 minutes longer. Let the cherries cool, about 30 minutes.

3. Blend the cherries, their juices, and the turbinado sugar. Juice the lemon halves into the blender. Puree until smooth, about 1 minute. Chill the base completely for at least 4 hours but ideally overnight.

4. Pour the chilled base into an ice cream maker and churn it according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Spoon the sorbet into a container and freeze until firm, at least 3 hours.

5. To make the syrup for the soda, in a pot, whisk together the lemon juice, granulated sugar, lemon zest, and ½ cup (120ml) water. Add the thyme and bring to a boil over medium heat. Lower the heat and simmer until thickened, about 40 minutes. Off the heat, let steep for 20 minutes. Strain the syrup through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl and let cool. (Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.)

6. Divide the syrup among 6 glasses. Add a scoop of the sorbet. Top with sparkling water and serve with long spoons and straws.

As with all age-old recipes, the iterations for this smooth-as-silk Venetian cocktail are endless, but the method with the most integrity, according to our Italian correspondent Emiko Davies, goes like this: Whisk softened lemon sorbet until it resembles frosting. Add an equal amount of Prosecco slowly, whisking until incorporated. Drink from fancy glasses: the sorbet supple, the bubbles still bubbling.

This mint-basil chip ice cream is everything the green-hued mint chip of yesteryear isn’t—in the best ways. It’s lively, bright, floral, and, you know, tastes like mint. Whether your batch leans more toward basil or mint—or whether the two will be in perfect harmony—depends on the herbs you grab. Any which way, though, this ice cream will help you cope with a hard lesson: Giving up the groovy shade of green is worth it for flavor.

1. Warm the milk in a saucepan over medium-low heat. When gentle bubbles form on the edge, add the mint and basil. Off the heat, cover and let steep for 30 minutes or so.

2. Pass through a fine-mesh sieve into a small bowl, squeezing any remaining liquid out of the leaves. Return the milk to the saucepan along with 1 cup (240ml) of the heavy cream. Warm over medium heat.

3. Meanwhile, in a bowl, whisk together the sugar and egg yolks. Gradually whisk ½ cup (120ml) of the warm milk mixture into the egg yolks.

4. Pour the milk-yolk mixture into the saucepan, along with the remaining cup (235ml) of heavy cream.

5. Cook over medium heat 3 to 5 minutes, whisking all the while and being careful not to let it boil. When the base thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, remove from the heat. Chill the base completely in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours but ideally overnight.

6. Pour the base into an ice cream maker and churn it according to the manufacturer’s instructions. During the last minute of churning, add the chocolate.

When you “break”—meaning overcook or curdle—your ice cream base on the stove, transfer it to a high-powered blender (or bring out the immersion blender). Blend until smooth, pass it through a fine-mesh sieve to get rid of the lumps, and continue with the recipe like nothing happened. The texture might not be exactly the same, but how much do you want to bet that no one notices?

There are certain foods—pizza, tacos, bagels—too good to be contained to just one meal. Cinnamon rolls make that list, too. This ice cream has everything that is anything in the breakfast version: brown sugar, cream cheese icing reimagined as a cinnamon-laced swirl, and a good dose of vanilla. There’s even yeast to get the pastry taste without sogginess. If you’re still missing breakfast, though, make a pot of strong coffee, plunk a scoop of ice cream in—call it an affogato.

Ice Cream

4 teaspoons cornstarch

2 cups (475ml) whole milk

1½ ounces (45g) cream cheese, at room temperature

⅛ teaspoon kosher salt

1¼ cups (300ml) heavy cream

⅓ cup (65g) granulated sugar

⅓ cup (75g) packed light brown sugar

¼ cup (20g) skim milk powder

2 tablespoons light corn syrup

1 tablespoon dark rum

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ teaspoon active dry yeast

Swirl

4 ounces (115g) cream cheese, at room temperature

¼ cup (50g) light brown sugar

2 tablespoons solid coconut oil

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Whisk together the cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of the milk to make a smooth slurry. In a large bowl, whisk the cream cheese and salt until smooth.

2. In a 4-quart (3.8L) saucepan, whisk together the heavy cream, the remaining milk, both sugars, the milk powder, corn syrup, rum, and cinnamon. Add the vanilla seeds, pod, and extract. Bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat and boil for exactly 4 minutes—the timing is critical. Off the heat, slowly whisk in the cornstarch slurry. Return the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture is slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Off the heat, discard the vanilla bean pod.

3. Gradually whisk the hot milk mixture into the cream cheese. Pass through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Chill completely for at least 4 hours but ideally overnight. When cold, stir in the yeast.

4. Pour the chilled base into an ice cream maker and churn it according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

5. Meanwhile, to make the swirl, whisk together the cream cheese, brown sugar, coconut oil, cinnamon, and vanilla until smooth.

6. Spoon the ice cream into a container, layering it with spoonfuls of the swirl, and freeze.

Our COO, Bridget Williams, really likes affogatos—not with coffee, though, but rather Earl Grey tea poured over vanilla ice cream. Like any good exec, she encouraged us to innovate—what else could we affogato? Turns out, a lot! Rooibos tea and raspberry ice cream (this page ), matcha and basil-shiso gelato (this page ), mint tea and cucumber sherbet (this page ), English breakfast and apple–bay leaf ice cream , chamomile tea and cherry sorbet (this page ).

Mint chocolate chip is the only ice cream flavor where you typically see chocolate hanging out with herbs, but reverse the proportions, switch up the herbs, and you have this, a sophisticated ice cream that’s not at all uptight. It’s deeply fudgy, complicated by piney rosemary, and best served with a glass of red wine or a cup of coffee. Use this infusion technique to bring other hard-stem herbs into your ice cream: thyme-orange, marjoram-strawberry, oregano–olive oil, and so forth.

1½ cups (355ml) whole milk

1½ cups (355ml) heavy cream

¾ cup (150g) sugar

¼ cup (10g) chopped fresh rosemary

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise, or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

¼ cup (20g) unsweetened cocoa powder

4 egg yolks

6 ounces (170g) dark chocolate (70% cacao), very finely chopped

1. In a large saucepan, whisk together the milk, cream, sugar, rosemary, salt, and vanilla bean seeds. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Off the heat, cover and let steep for 30 minutes.

2. Pass the milk mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, discard the rosemary, and pour back into the saucepan. Bring to a bare simmer over low heat, then off the heat, whisk in the cocoa powder until smooth.

3. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Gradually whisk ½ cup (120ml) of the hot milk mixture into the yolks. Pour the milk-yolk mixture back into the saucepan and cook over medium heat until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Don’t let it boil!

5. Chill the ice cream base completely in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours but ideally overnight. Pour the chilled base into an ice cream maker and churn it according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Superuser Emily Connor loves a Dairy Queen shake, so, with inspiration from a Gourmet recipe, she set out to make her own. In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, stir to melt 3 ounces (85g) of finely chopped semisweet chocolate with ¼ cup (20g) unsweetened cocoa powder, ¼ cup (50g) packed dark brown sugar, ½ cup (120ml) golden syrup (preferably Lyle’s), and ⅔ cup (160ml) heavy cream. Continue to cook at a low simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Off the heat, add another 3 ounces (85g) of finely chopped semisweet chocolate, as well as 2 tablespoons unsalted butter cut into small pieces, 2 teaspoons vanilla, and a pinch of salt. Stir until smooth. Use the glossy, very chocolaty fudge on ice cream, or make it into a better-than-DQ shake with equal parts ice cream, milk, and hot fudge. Cooled sauce will keep in a covered container in the fridge for up to 1 week.

This isn’t a balloons-and-bounce-house ice cream cake. There’s fudge, yes, but it’s spiked—and the no-churn ice cream is also boozy from crème de menthe and crème de cacao. The other great news is there’s added insurance against melt: It won’t really start to soften until the 25-minute mark—just enough time to sing “Happy Birthday” and blow out some candles. For the chocolate cookie base, use your favorite chocolate shortbread recipe, Nilla chocolate wafers, or (our favorite) Effie’s Cocoacakes.

Crust

4½ cups (495g) chocolate cookie crumbs

½ cup (110g) coconut oil, melted

Fudge

3½ ounces (100g) dark chocolate (70% cacao), broken into pieces

2 tablespoons salted butter

¼ cup (20g) unsweetened cocoa powder

¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar

¼ cup (55g) packed light brown sugar

1 teaspoon cornstarch

1 cup (240ml) heavy cream

2 tablespoons light corn syrup

2 tablespoons crème de cacao

2 tablespoons crème de menthe

Grasshopper Ice Cream

1 (14-ounce/397g) can sweetened condensed milk

¼ cup (60ml) crème de menthe

¼ cup (60ml) white crème de cacao (brown will muddy the green color)

2 cups (475ml) heavy cream, well chilled

Chocolate sprinkles, sauce, or shavings, for decorating

1. To make the crust, evenly coat the cookie crumbs with coconut oil. Line a 9 by 13-inch (23 by 33cm) baking pan with parchment paper, leaving extra parchment hanging over the long sides of the pan.

2. Evenly press the cookie crumbs into the bottom of the pan and freeze until firm, about 30 minutes.

3. To make the fudge, simmer a pot with 2 inches (5cm) of water. Set a large, heatproof bowl with the chocolate and butter on top of the simmering water. Once the chocolate is melted, off the heat, whisk until smooth.

4. In a separate pot, whisk together the cocoa powder, both sugars, the cornstarch, heavy cream, corn syrup, crème de cacao, and crème de menthe. Cook over medium heat until simmering, whisking occasionally, until the mixture begins to thicken, about 15 minutes. Off the heat, whisk in the chocolate mixture. Let cool, about 30 minutes. (You can refrigerate the fudge in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.)

5. Pour the cooled fudge over the crust and, using an offset spatula, spread it into an even layer. Freeze until the fudge is set, about 15 minutes.

6. To make the ice cream, stir together the condensed milk, crème de menthe, and crème de cacao in a large bowl.

7. Using a handheld electric mixer, beat the heavy cream on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form, 6 to 8 minutes.

8. Mix a few spoonfuls of the whipped cream into the condensed milk mixture to lighten it. Add the remaining whipped cream and fold until fully incorporated. Don’t overmix.

9. Spoon the ice cream over the fudge and smooth the top. Freeze for at least 5 hours but preferably overnight.

10. Lift the parchment paper to transfer the cake to a work surface. Decorate the top with chocolate sprinkles, swirls of chocolate sauce, or chocolate shavings. Cut the cake into 2-inch (5cm) squares and serve.

A carrot cake—even a great one—has many competing elements: strands of the namesake vegetable, then nuts, raisins, pineapple chunks, sometimes coconut, the occasional chocolate chip. And that’s not even taking the swath of cream cheese icing into account. It’s complicated to find your ideal cake—and in that cake, your ideal bite.

This ice cream quiets all that noise. With no dense, chock-full cake to fight against, the warm spices come to the foreground and the rum-soaked raisins and toasted walnuts can have presence. The cream cheese is incorporated into the base so that every bite has its tangy richness—no more competing with your loved ones for the most heavily frosted slice.

Carrots

12 ounces (340g) carrots

3 tablespoons light brown sugar

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 teaspoon peeled, grated fresh ginger

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg

Rum Raisins

2 tablespoons dark rum

⅓ cup (50g) raisins

Candied Walnuts

¾ cup (75g) walnuts

1 tablespoon egg white

1 tablespoon light brown sugar

Ice Cream

1¼ cups (300ml) heavy cream

¾ cup (175ml) whole milk

¼ cup (20g) skim milk powder

½ cup plus 2 tablespoons (125g) granulated sugar

4 egg yolks

1 cup (240ml) mascarpone cheese, at room temperature

4 ounces (115g) cream cheese, at room temperature

1 tablespoon dark rum

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Coarsely chop the carrots. In a heavy saucepan, add all the ingredients for the carrots and ½ cup (120ml) water. Cook, covered, over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the carrots are tender, about 20 minutes. Add more water as needed.

2. To make the raisins, bring a small pot with ½ cup (120ml) water and rum to a simmer over medium-low heat. Off the heat, add the raisins, cover, and let sit for 30 minutes. (The raisins can be refrigerated in their liquid for up to 3 days.) Drain the raisins, discarding the liquid.

3. To make the walnuts, heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). On a baking sheet, toss together the walnuts, egg white, and brown sugar. Bake until candied, about 10 minutes (watch them). Let cool, then coarsely chop. (They can be stored in a zip-top plastic bag at room temp for up to 2 days.)

4. To make the ice cream, whisk together the heavy cream, milk, milk powder, and ½ cup (100g) of the sugar in a pot. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat, then remove from the heat.

5. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks with the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar for 30 seconds. Whisk the milk mixture into the yolks until incorporated.

6. Pour the milk-yolk mixture back into the pot and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the base thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.

7. Add the carrots and their cooking liquid, mascarpone cheese, cream cheese, dark rum, and vanilla to the pot. Blend with an immersion blender until smooth, about 1 minute. Let steep for 30 minutes, then pass it through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Chill the base completely in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours but ideally overnight.

8. Pour the chilled base into an ice cream maker and churn it according to the manufacturer’s instructions. During the last 2 minutes of churning, add the raisins and walnuts.

Many ice creams have a good amount of milk (which is 90 percent water) and/or heavy cream (which is 60 percent water). So when the mixture goes into a frozen bowl and spins around, the water will freeze and you’ll get ice cream; but if there’s too much water, you’ll get ice crystals, which will render your ice cream gritty. Enter skim milk powder, which absorbs the excess water that could be thwarting your best, creamiest intentions. Be sure to store milk powder in a cool, dry place, or the refrigerator. It is milk, after all.

For an ice cream that tastes like autumn on the most sweater-weather day, you want a crisp apple flavor. So let sweet roasted apples—and a bay leaf for earthiness—infuse your dairy-forward base. One bite and you’ll get that feeling when you jump on fall leaves after eating too many apple-cider doughnuts.

1 large apple, like Granny Smith, coarsely chopped

½ cup plus 3 tablespoons (140g) sugar

⅓ cup (80ml) unsweetened apple juice

2 cups (475ml) heavy cream

1 cup (240ml) whole milk

½ cup (35g) skim milk powder

4 egg yolks

1 dried bay leaf

1. Heat the oven to 425°F (220°C). In a small casserole dish, toss the apple pieces with 2 tablespoons of the sugar, then pour the apple juice over the apples. Roast until the juice is bubbling and the apple pieces are tender, about 25 minutes. Remove from the oven, then mash the pieces with a fork.

2. In a pot, whisk together the heavy cream, milk, milk powder, and ½ cup (100g) of the sugar. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat, then remove from the heat.

3. In a bowl, whisk together the egg yolks with the remaining 1 tablespoon sugar for 1 minute. Gradually whisk the milk mixture into the yolks.

4. Pour the milk-yolk mixture back into the pot and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the ice cream base thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.

5. Stir the apple mash and the bay leaf into the ice cream base. Let steep for 40 minutes, then pass it through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl; discard the solids. Chill the base completely in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours but ideally overnight.

6. Pour the chilled base into an ice cream maker and churn it according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Bread can go in ice cream (this page )—and on top, too. Brooks Headley, author of Brooks Headley’s Fancy Desserts , uses toasted, lightly sweetened bread cubes as a crunchy counterpart to creamy gelato. Slit a loaf of bread down its middle, gut it of all the innards. Tear it into bite-size pieces and toss the pieces with sugar, a bit of salt, and olive oil. Bake at 350°F (175°C) until toasted, about 20 minutes, stirring halfway through. Use as a topping (or a bed!) for absolutely any ice cream.

The first bite of this horchata-inspired ice cream will remind you of traditional agua fresca , the second will make you forget the other flavors, and, well, it won’t take long for you to get to the last bite. Made in the traditional Mexican style—from rice, almonds, and cinnamon—it’s everything we want between two snickerdoodles or after a taco al pastor —or anything, really.

1. Using a spice or coffee grinder, blitz the rice until it resembles a fine powder. In a bowl, stir together the rice powder, almonds, cinnamon stick, and 1½ cups (355ml) boiling water. Cover and let stand overnight.

2. Discard the cinnamon stick. Blend the rice mixture with 1 cup (240ml) cold water until smooth, 2 to 3 minutes. Strain the mixture through a nut-milk bag or a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth.

3. Pour 1½ cups (355ml) of the horchata into a pot (chill leftovers to drink). Add the heavy cream, ½ cup (100g) of the sugar, the milk powder, and cinnamon and cook over medium heat, whisking occasionally, until the sugar dissolves.

4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks with the remaining ¼ cup (50g) sugar for 30 seconds. Gradually whisk the heavy cream mixture into the yolks.

5. Pour the cream-yolk mixture back into the pot and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the base thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Pass the base through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Chill completely for at least 4 hours but ideally overnight.

6. Pour the chilled base into an ice cream maker and churn it according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Despite common practice, throwing every sweet thing on top of ice cream is not going to get you a good sundae. Instead, practice restraint. For the sauce, consider chocolate sauce or ganache (this page ), caramel (this page ), butterscotch (this page ), or jam. Your creamy topping might be whipped cream, marshmallow fluff, or meringue. And the extra-special toppings can be anything from sprinkles (this page ) to chopped and roasted nuts, fresh fruit, cereal, candy pieces, or chocolate chips. If you have sundae boats, you’re probably already a pro at this sundae thing. For everyone else, get out a bowl or whiskey glasses. Start with an ice cream or two, then add sauce. Next the extra toppings, interspersed with the creamy topper. Then, go at it—unrestrained.