Gingerbread Ice Cream

Spicy gingerbread cookie crumbs thicken and flavor this satisfying winter ice cream.

Scooped: Ginger Mint and Chocolate-Covered Espresso Bean Gelato

Gelato just might be the most misunderstood form of ice cream in our great, ice cream-lovin' nation. We know it's smooth, intense and delicious but what makes a gelato real gelato? Here are the three elements that differentiate real-deal gelato from the traditional American stuff, and a recipe for a caffeinated twist on mint 'n' chip.

Scooped: Lemon, Honey, and Brandy (or Guggle Muggle) Ice Cream

With no Jewish grandmother in sight, I made the common cold cure-all drink my family has always whipped up in the face of illness: a guggle muggle. If you hail from Mittleuropean or Slavic Jewish stock, the thought of a guggle muggle probably warms your heart and soothes your throat. I set out to unify the diverse and diffuse guggle muggle camps under a banner they could all get around: ice cream.

Beer Caramel Ice Cream

Really good caramel ice cream comes from playing chicken with your sugar. Don't let it intimidate you while melting it; the sugar should be the color of dark stained wood. I let it smoke, then slowly count to 3 before plunging in butter and cream. Those last three seconds are where those beautiful smoky flavors develop.

Scooped: Apple, Browned Butter, & Sour Cream Ice Cream

The time has come for us to end this ice cream series, October being halfway to Halloween. We wanted something to complement fall's palette of desserts: crumbles, crisps, cakes, and quickbreads, filled with apples, pears, walnuts, and cinnamon. With that in mind, apples and sour cream were a no-brainer, a lusciously tart rejoinder to rustic late-harvest food.

Speculoos-Stroopwafel Ice Cream

Speculoos spread, also known as Biscoff spread, can be found in specialty groceries, European import shops, and on the web.

Ginger Beer, Rum, and Coconut Sorbet

Only after I served this was I told it was basically a scoopable Dark and Stormy. But that's no problem for me—the combination of ginger beer and dark rum is pretty awesome.

White Chocolate Ginger Shortbread Ice Cream

Trader Joe's makes the best white chocolate for this ice cream. It's extremely creamy with strong notes of vanilla, chocolate, and herbs.

Homemade Speculoos Ice Cream

Biscoff cookies, whether real or copycat, give this silky ice cream an intriguing caramel flavor, while dairy dilutes the spices into something mellow and mild. With a shot of espresso, it makes an amazing twist on affogato.

Ginger Green Tea Ice Cream

Bittersweet matcha pairs beautifully with the crisp, refreshing heat of ginger.