Ice Cream/Frozen Desserts

Recent Recipes

• 1

  Tiramisu Baked Alaska

  Baked Alaska is a dessert I always seem to forget about, but one that definitely should not be overlooked. This version, inspired by one of my favorite desserts—tiramisu—begins with a layer of brownie, followed by coffee ice cream, coffee-soaked ladyfingers, mascarpone vanilla ice cream, all wrapped up in a layer of toasted Swiss meringue. It’s a showstopper (designed specially for New Year’s Eve), but with store-bought ice cream, it doesn’t require as much active cooking time as it looks. This dessert is really rich, which means you can cut small pieces and serve many.

  Tips & Tricks:

  • Although Grand Marnier in the coffee soak is technically optional, I’d recommend adding it, as the alcohol helps prevent the ladyfingers from hardening in the freezer. If you don’t have Grand Marnier, you can substitute it with brandy, marsala wine, or Kahlua.
  • To make this ahead, you can fully complete the recipe up until the step where you toast the meringue and serve. Swiss meringue is really stable, which means it will hold up in the freezer once you’ve swirled it onto the ice cream. Freezing it after applying the meringue is even recommended to ensure the ice cream stays as cold as possible when you torch it.
  • If you don’t want to make homemade brownies, use store-bought brownies or a brownie mix.
• 2

  No-Churn Apricot & Honey Ice Cream

  Ditch the ice cream maker and still enjoy creamy, homemade ice cream. For this recipe, I use a simple two-ingredient base made of sweetened condensed milk and heavy cream, and swirl in homemade apricot jam and honey. The sweetened condensed milk and whipped cream take the place of the custard base in typical ice cream recipes, which helps to create a rich, smooth and fluffy texture similar to store-bought.

  Tips & Tricks:

  • If you have a hard time finding apricots, substitute with peaches or nectarines instead.
  • Don’t skip the salt! It will help bring the other flavors out and personally, I love a bit of saltiness in my sweet treats.
  • Freezing the ice cream for four hours should be enough if you want to enjoy it the same day, but if you have time, I recommend making it ahead and freezing it at least overnight.
  • Turn the ice cream into popsicles by pouring the mixture into a popsicle mold instead of a loaf pan.
  • If stored properly, homemade ice cream can last for up to a month, although I recommend eating it within two weeks for ultimate freshness.
  • Make sure to wrap it well in plastic wrap and place it in a large freezer bag for extra protection.
• 3

  Homemade Choco Tacos

  Rumor has it Choco Tacos may be coming back this year, but that shouldn’t stop you from making your own. The shell is made with the same method you would use to make tuile cookies–spread into a thin circle and baked in the oven until golden brown and filled with (store-bought) vanilla fudge swirl ice cream. In true Choco Taco fashion, they’re also dipped in a chocolate magic shell mixed with peanuts.

  Although baking the shells in the oven allows you to make several at a time, if you want to skip this step too, you can use stroopwafels instead. Just warm them in the oven and shape them the same way I do in this recipe. However, making the shells is really the majority of the work, because once those are done, all you have to do is add ice cream and dip them in chocolate.

  Tips & Tricks

  • I highly recommend using a silicone silpat for these, as it ensures more even browning and also makes removing the cookies from the sheet pan much easier. If you don’t have one you can use parchment paper, but they may brown quicker and won’t be as even colored.
  • The original Choco Taco uses fudge-swirl ice cream, but for some reason that can be hard to find. Use vanilla, chocolate chip, or any other favorite ice cream. You can also brush the insides of the shells with melted chocolate.
  • If you’re the lucky owner of a waffle cone waffle iron, use that to make the shells individually instead of baking them.
  • Make them in advance and store them in the freezer to enjoy as a dessert or as an after school treat.
• 4

  Strawberry Sorbet From The River Café

  In honor of Genius Recipes turning 10 years old, and this iconic three-ingredient Strawberry Sorbet from The River Café that started it all, we’re sharing a new video, with tips for adapting to the fruit and equipment you have, and a podcast episode with the story behind that whole chopped lemon (finally), plus two new sorbet buddies that require no special machinery at all. Serve this at a sorbet party along with the Peach & Lemon Sorbet or Mascarpone Sorbet from The River Café (both on Food52), or all on its own. The sorbet will be at its best and most dramatic with ripe, in-season fruit, but, as River Café co-founder Ruth Rogers advises, the most important thing is to taste the fruit and the sorbet before churning and adjust as needed—it should challenge you a little, and feel like the fruit is exploding in your mouth. Adapted from The River Café Cook Book (Ebury Press, 1996) by Rose Gray and Ruth Rogers. This post contains products independently chosen (and loved) by our editors and writers. As an Amazon Associate, Food52 earns an affiliate commission on qualifying purchases of the products we link to.Hear more about this recipe from Ruthie herself, on our podcast The Genius Recipe Tapes.