Food52 Ice Cream and Friends

If you’re more of a barely-sweets person, or an after-dinner cheese wedge kind of person, then this ice cream is for you! It’s more milky than cheesy, with a briny spunk and a buttery golden tint to each scoop (that’s the egg yolks talking). There’s plenty of sweet—this is ice cream, after all!—with teeny-tiny notes of pepper perking it all up. You’ll want to freshly grind the peppercorns as fine as possible so you don’t get a startling crunch in an otherwise smooth, custardy spoonful. Include it on a cheese plate for dessert or on the menu between courses with watermelon or strawberries, beet ice milk —or a balsamic, maybe butterscotch, sauce (this page ).

6 ounces (170g) feta cheese, at room temperature

5 ounces (140g) cream cheese, at room temperature

¾ cup (175ml) whole milk

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1¼ cups (300ml) heavy cream

⅔ cup (135g) sugar

¼ cup (20g) skim milk powder

4 egg yolks

1. In a large bowl, combine the feta, cream cheese, ½ cup (120ml) of the milk, the lemon juice, and black pepper. Using an electric mixer, whip on medium speed until smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

2. In a pot, whisk together the heavy cream, ⅓ cup (65g) of the sugar, the remaining ¼ cup (55ml) milk, and the milk powder. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-low heat, then remove from the heat.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks with the remaining ⅓ cup (70g) sugar for 30 seconds. 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 base thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.

5. Blend the base with the feta mixture until smooth, 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.

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

We’re going to say it: This sherbet is as cool as a cucumber. The sweet greenness of cucumbers is amplified by honey and a zip of lime juice, then smoothed out with crème fraîche (make it even smoother by passing the pureed mixture through a fine-mesh sieve before churning). The crème fraîche is also what makes this frozen dessert more of a sherbet than a granita—there’s dairy, but still no eggs. To really show off the secret star, serve with an extra dollop of crème fraîche on top (and honeycomb, too, if you’re a lily-gilder).

2 English cucumbers (peeling optional), coarsely chopped

⅔ cup (225g) honey

⅓ cup (80ml) crème fraîche

Juice of 2 limes

3 tablespoons vodka

2. Pour the mixture into your ice cream maker and churn it according to the manufacturer’s instructions, until granita-like.

3. Serve the sherbet straight from the machine, or spoon it into a container and freeze if you want it to be firmer.

Sometimes you get caught lazing in the sunshine and forget about the ice cream very quickly melting into something you could never eat with a spoon. Don’t rush the container to the freezer—the next time you dig in, it’ll be unappealingly icy. Instead, Momofuku Milk Bar’s Christina Tosi gives us permission to keep on doing nothing: Let the ice cream melt fully, then rechurn it (you’ll need at least half a tub for it to work). This is also the key to fixing the flavor of an ice cream you may not love. If you’re without an ice cream maker, make lemonade, by which we mean milkshakes (this page )—just add less milk than you would with firm ice cream.

After having corn budino (an Italian custard) at New York’s Locanda Verde and then seeing a recipe for one in a James Beard Foundation newsletter, Sarah started playing with the combo of corn and cream in dessert form. What she ended up with is a semifreddo cake that works from all angles of savory, sweet, and herby: a corn semifreddo (the kernel of the idea, if you will) on a rosemary crust with jammy blueberries over top. Sometimes, she’ll swap the compote for caramel sauce to play on caramel corn. We don’t care how it’s served to us: As our art director said when she tried it one day before noon, “This one is really special.”

Rosemary Shortbread

1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour

2½ teaspoons fresh rosemary leaves, coarsely chopped

½ teaspoon kosher salt

½ cup (110g) unsalted butter, at room temperature

⅓ cup (65g) sugar

Corn Semifreddo

2 ears corn, shucked

4 cups (950ml) heavy cream

¼ vanilla bean, split lengthwise

8 egg yolks, at room temperature

¾ cup (150g) sugar

½ teaspoon kosher salt

Blueberry Compote

4 cups (600g) blueberries

½ cup plus 3 tablespoons (140g) sugar

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

1. To make the shortbread, heat the oven to 300°F (150°C). Combine the flour, rosemary, and salt in a bowl.

2. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until creamy. Fold in the flour mixture ¼ cup (30g) at a time. Gather the dough into a ball, cover in plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

3. Roll the dough into a rectangle that’s ½ inch (1.3cm) thick, and cut into rectangles that are about the same size.

4. Arrange the rectangles on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake the shortbread until lightly browned, about 30 minutes.

5. Transfer the shortbread to a wire rack to cool completely. (Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.)

6. To make the semifreddo, cut the kernels from the corn cobs, reserving the cobs. In a large saucepan, combine the kernels, cobs, heavy cream, and vanilla bean seeds and pod.

7. Bring to a rolling boil over medium heat, transfer to a large bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and chill for at least 12 hours, or up to 2 days.

8. Bring a medium pot with 1½ inches (4cm) of water to a simmer. In a stainless-steel or glass bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, ½ cup (100g) of the sugar, and salt. Set the bowl on top of the simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. Whisk until the egg mixture is pale, thick, and creamy, 10 to 15 minutes. Put the bowl into a larger bowl of ice water to cool completely.

9. Discard the cobs and vanilla pod from the heavy cream mixture. Beat the cream on medium-high speed until thick. Add the remaining ¼ cup (50g) sugar and beat until stiff peaks form, 5 to 7 minutes.

10. Mix a quarter of the whipped cream into the cooled custard. Gently fold the remaining whipped cream into the custard.

11. Line a 9 by 13-inch (23 by 33cm) baking pan with two pieces of parchment paper, leaving extra parchment hanging over the long sides of the pan. Break up the shortbread into coarse crumbs with a mallet or in the food processor.

12. Spoon the custard mixture into the prepared pan and sprinkle with the shortbread. Cover the top with the extra parchment. Freeze for at least 8 hours, or up to 3 days.

13. To make the compote, in a saucepan, combine 2 cups (300g) of the blueberries, the sugar, and lemon juice. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until the juices release, 8 to 10 minutes.

14. Increase the heat to high, bring the mixture to a boil, and cook, whisking frequently, until the compote thickens, about 2 minutes. Transfer the compote to a bowl and gently fold in the remaining 2 cups (300g) uncooked berries.

15. Let the semifreddo sit at room temperature for 5 minutes. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

16. Gently loosen the parchment and invert the pan onto the prepared baking sheet, lifting the pan and unmolding the semifreddo. Remove the parchment from the top of the semifreddo. Cut into squares, plate, and top with the blueberry compote.

Three of summer’s sweethearts and little else (no milk, cream, or even much sugar) blend together for this season-screaming, not-too-sweet dessert. Yes, it’s one of those times that perfectly ripe produce is essential. You’ll know why when you taste it.

⅔ cup (135g) sugar

½ cup (10g) fresh basil leaves

2 pounds (900g) tomatoes (about 2 or 3 large)

1 pound (450g) peaches (about 2)

1. In a pot, whisk 1 cup (240ml) water and sugar over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Add the basil and let steep for 10 minutes. Strain the syrup through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing with the back of a spoon to extract all the liquid. (You can refrigerate the syrup in an airtight container for up to 3 days.)

2. Stem and halve the tomatoes. Use a spoon or your fingers to pull out the seeds; discard. Grate the tomato using the large holes of a box grater; discard the skins. Use a knife to peel and halve the peaches, remove and discard the pits, and coarsely chop the flesh.

3. Blend the basil syrup, tomato, and peaches until very smooth, about 1 minute. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve. Chill completely in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours but ideally overnight.

4. Pour the chilled base into an ice cream maker and churn it according to the manufacturer’s instructions. It’s best eaten right after churning, slightly slushy. If you do freeze it, take it out to soften for 15 minutes before scooping.

Ruth Rogers and Rose Gray of The River Café have a secret for a more interesting, less sugary, crazy simple strawberry sorbet: lemon pith. Not only does it add depth to the otherwise sweet recipe, but it breaks down the sugar so that no simple syrup is necessary. It all happens in the food processor: Pulse a chopped lemon (we’ll repeat: the whole lemon, coarsely chopped—just leave out the seeds if you can) with 2 cups (400g) sugar in a food processor. Transfer the lemon mixture to a bowl—don’t bother cleaning the food processor. Puree 2 pounds (900g) strawberries in the food processor. Because we can’t get enough of this recipe, we tried it with other berries—and even frozen ones—with smashing success. Add the pureed berries to the lemon mixture, along with the juice of a second lemon. Taste and add more juice if you want. Churn in the ice cream maker until frozen.

If burning toast is something you’ve been avoiding since the first time you used a toaster, think about how much you like toast and butter. Then consider that “burning” is pretty much the same thing as caramelizing, which is a really good flavor to have in an ice cream. Now take our word when we tell you that putting burnt toast bits in an ice cream makes it—there’s no better word for it—toasty . It’s the slightest bit savory, buttery from the cream, and flecked with fine toast crumbs or “dust,” as Cristina calls it. Plus, think of how devilish you’ll feel burning the heck out of toast on purpose .

2 (¼-inch/6mm) slices country-style white bread

1¾ cups (415ml) heavy cream

1¼ cups (300ml) whole milk

½ cup plus 2 tablespoons (125g) sugar

½ cup (35g) skim milk powder

4 egg yolks

1. Toast the bread long enough to develop a deep brown color, even black in spots. Blitz the toast to dust in a food processor.

2. In a pot, whisk together the cream, milk, ½ cup (100g) of the sugar, and the milk powder. 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 2 tablespoons 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 base thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.

5. Add ¼ cup (25g) of the burnt toast dust to the ice cream base (use any extra for garnish). Let the warm base 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.

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

Burnt toast isn’t just special to us because it’s an awesome ice cream flavor. Burnt Toast was the original name for our company. And years later, it became the name of our podcast!

Oh, is it squash for dinner? Roast off even more and you’re a few steps closer to soup or salad and, more important, ice cream. When soothed by the heat of the oven, butternut squash can get sweet, so much so that earthy tahini gets called on to ground the flavors. What makes this a triple threat of an ice cream, though, is the caramelized almonds—they stay crunchy, they bring bites of caramelly sweetness, and they’re probably really good in that salad you’re making too.

Ice Cream

1 (1½-pound/680g) butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 2-inch (5cm) cubes

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cubed

2½ cups (590ml) whole milk

5 cinnamon sticks

¾ cup plus 3 tablespoons (185g) sugar

½ cup (120ml) heavy cream

½ cup (125g) tahini, stirred in the jar

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

5 egg yolks

Caramelized Almonds

¾ cup (70g) sliced almonds

3 tablespoons sugar

Pinch of kosher salt

1. To make the ice cream, heat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Put the squash on a foil-lined baking sheet and dot with the butter. Cover with more foil and roast until tender, about 45 minutes.

2. When the squash is cool enough to handle, puree in a blender or food processor until very smooth. Measure out 1½ cups (355ml) of the puree into a large bowl (save any remaining puree for dinner).

3. Bring the milk and cinnamon sticks to a boil over medium heat. Off the heat, cover and let sit for 30 minutes.

4. Pour 2 cups (475ml) of the cinnamon-infused milk into a separate saucepan. Stir in ½ cup (100g) of the sugar, the heavy cream, tahini, and salt and bring to a boil over medium-low heat.

5. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and the remaining ¼ cup plus 3 tablespoons (85g) sugar. Once the milk mixture boils, gradually whisk it into the bowl of egg yolks and sugar. Cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, until thickened slightly, about 7 minutes. Pour the hot custard into the squash puree and whisk very well. Let cool to room temperature, then chill completely in the refrigerator overnight.

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

7. Meanwhile, make the almonds. Cook the almonds, sugar, and salt in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is dark amber and caramelized, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate and let cool.

8. Break up the almonds and add to the ice cream during the last minute of churning.

Without as much butterfat as ice cream, ice milk lets flavor ring through clear as a bell—and the texture, far from icy, is almost fluffy (like a good sorbet). So the ice milk is not shy in its beet-ness, simultaneously bright and rooty. As a result, it’s good with all the ingredients beets themselves are good with: a scoop of any-berry, no-cook sorbet (this page ) or feta ice cream (this page ); curlicues of candied citrus peel (see below); or chocolate. Have you ever had beet-chocolate cake? It’s good! Serve this ice milk with it, or half-melted over a warm brownie—and/or with chocolate shavings on top.

1 pound (450g) beets, peeled and chopped

2½ cups (590ml) whole milk

¾ cup (150g) sugar

½ cup (120ml) heavy cream

¼ cup (20g) skim milk powder

1 tablespoon vodka

1. In a high-powered blender or food processor, puree the beets, ½ cup (120ml) water, and ½ cup (120ml) of the milk, about 2 minutes. Pour into a pot, then whisk in the remaining 2 cups (470ml) milk, the sugar, heavy cream, and milk powder. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Off the heat, stir in the vodka.

2. Let the warm base steep for 30 minutes, then pass it through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Use a spoon to gently push through the juice; discard the pulp. Chill the base completely in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours but ideally overnight.

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

To make candied citrus peels, peel the fruit (any citrus will work), then cut the peel into thin strips. Bring a saucepan with the peels and cold water to a boil, then keep the strips in there for a minute or two. This will help mellow the peels’ texture and flavor—how long it cooks for really depends on the punchiness of the peel. Drain the peels into a bowl of cold water. If they still seem tough, blanch them again. In the same saucepan, bring a 1 to 1 ratio of water and sugar to a boil, stirring so the sugar dissolves. You’ll need about a cup of each (250ml and 200g, respectively) for 3 lemons. Add the peels and turn the heat down to simmer for about 15 minutes, until the peels are bendy and shiny. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the peels to a wire rack over a lined baking sheet. Once dried, let the sweet-tart peels twirl atop ice cream: beet ice milk, lavender–coconut milk ice cream , or rhubarb-gin sorbet to start.

The idea for this avocado gelado—that’s “gelato” intentionally misspelled because rhyming is fun—came from an avocado shake at a Brazilian restaurant where Abbie once worked. And while this surprisingly creamy (thanks, avocado!) gelado is great on its own—and in a shake—the options for experimentation are many. To start, make a shake with two scoops of the gelado and great chocolate milk. Then, try using lime juice instead of lemon or mixing in chocolate chips (this page ) during the last minute of churning. Drizzle over hot fudge (this page ) for an avocado sundae. Add some broiled citrus (see following page) to your bowl. Right about now, your avocado toast is starting to look just a little boring, isn’t it?

2 cups (475ml) whole milk

1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise

4 egg yolks

1 cup (200g) sugar

3 perfectly ripe avocados

Juice from 1½ lemons

1 cup (240ml) heavy cream

1. In a saucepan, bring the milk and vanilla bean seeds and pod to a simmer over medium-low heat, then remove from the heat and let steep for about 30 minutes.

2. Whisk in the egg yolks and sugar, then bring it back to a simmer over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, until a thick custard forms. Let cool again, then refrigerate the custard for at least 2 hours but ideally overnight.

3. Chop the avocado into cubes, then blend with the lemon juice and heavy cream. Discard the vanilla bean pod. Add the custard to the avocado mixture and blend until smooth.

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

If old-fashioned broiled grapefruit put on a little black dress, they’d look like this: slinky slices glazed with burnished sugar. To make broiled citrus slices, heat the broiler and position the rack 4 to 5 inches (10 to 13cm) from the heat. Cut the top and bottom off of any citrus and stand it up on one of the flat sides. Run your knife from the northern to southern hemisphere between the fruit and the pith to get rid of the peel and pith. Cut the citrus lengthwise into ½-inch (1.3cm) slices. Place the slices on a parchment-lined baking sheet and sprinkle with a thin layer of turbinado sugar. Broil so the sugar is deeply caramelized and edges start to blacken. Serve atop or below ice cream.