Cocoa Amaretto Ice Cream with Cowboy Bark

A subtle amaretto and brown sugar custard base gets a burst of chocolate from cocoa almond spread and chocolate bark. It’s sure to be a crowd pleaser! For my latest diabolical ice cream creation, I drew inspiration from my favorite nocciola (hazelnut) and amaretto Italian gelato flavors. As I’ve found home ice cream makers and…

Voodoo Doughnut-inspired “Memphis Mafia” ice cream

It is quite possibly the most ridiculous ice cream inspired by an equally ridiculous pastry. Here we have a surprisingly elegant but decadent ice cream, inspired by a gluttonous fritter that in turn is a pop food culture to Elvis Presley and his legendary love of (fried) peanut butter and banana sandwiches. What?? Such a…

Salt and Straw: Portland’s haute ice creamery

Lines stretching far beyond the door are commonplace at each of Portland, Oregon’s Salt and Straw ice cream shops. Locals and visitors alike flock to them – and for good reason. Salt and Straw is an ice cream innovator, concocting dairy and non-dairy ice cream varieties you won’t find anywhere else. By now, you know…

Watermelon frozen Greek yogurt

Delicate, light, and refreshing, this easy frozen yogurt is a guilt-free dessert you’ll love. Whether you’re looking for a novel idea for a baby shower or cookout, or just a Tuesday night, try it out. Start to finish in under an hour! Watermelon is easy is fresh and easy to come by in the summer….

The oddest ice cream I ever ate: The corn sundae

Ice cream.  What could be more perfect on a sweltering day? When you’re traveling in foreign lands, you might get a reminder of how something that seems universal really means something different to other cultures.  When I visited Thailand, several years ago, I had that realization when I encountered the corn sundae. ‘DipNote’:  Before I continue, I’d…

Bourbon Brown Sugar Caramel Ice Cream

Looking to America for culinary inspiration, I bring you an ice cream to wow your friends or guests. Brown sugar, caramel, and cream accentuate the Southern charm of bourbon. Crumbled caramel-cashew cookies add buttery sweetness and crunchy texture to this grown-up dessert. I wrote my first blog post several months before the launch of The…

Omani Halwa-Inspired Cardamom-Pistachio Gelato

Cardamom, nutmeg, and pistachios bring the exotic taste of Arabia to your kitchen and guests in this sophisticated, refreshing gelato, perfect for spring and summer. Many kabobs and savory dishes in Middle Eastern cuisine are subtly spiced; the desserts not so much. Spicy cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg, rose water, and lavender are a few unmistakeably exotic…

The best ice cream I ever ate

Who doesn’t like ice cream? If you are lactose intolerant, diabetic, or have a milk allergy, you are not allowed to answer. We all have our favorite flavors and experiences with frozen dairy desserts. The wide variety of niche and chain ice creameries, gelaterias, frozen yogurt shops in the U.S. alone show us that ice…

Belgian-inspired Speculoos cookie ice cream

Winter and ice cream certainly aren’t synonymous, but this ice cream, inspired by a house-made ice cream at one of Brussels’ trendiest restaurants, is perfect for a cozy winter dinner party or indulgent treat. When I created this recipe, I was surprised at how well the flavors and textures melded together; I would count this…