Almond Gelato

That's right, gelato. No heavy cream. No eggs. Just light creamy gelato. Oh, you want to know the secret? Read on. 

The almonds are just a topping, but if you like a little crunch in the gelato itself, I recommend adding some shaved almonds just before it finishes churning. Chocolate syrup is another great topping with this flavor.

Birthday Cake Ice Cream

Yesterday was my 25th birthday. In my quarter-century wisdom, I thought, "Why have cake and ice cream when I can have cake ice cream?" Yes, that "the old, the wiser" thing is true. And wow, this ice cream really does taste exactly like birthday cake. My only birthday wish: That none of those calories actually counted. 

Who says you need a cake to blow out the candles?

Pear Spice Sorbet

Most holiday desserts will make you feel more like a stuffed turkey than a hot chick. But unlike Paula's whoopie pies, this recipe gives you all the holiday flavor without the Santa-like waistline. The pear is silky and sophisticated, sexed up with some cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. And because no holiday is complete without a little liquor, there's a shot of rum to finish it off. 

Cloves, ginger, cinnamon.

Gingersnap Ice Cream

I'm no Cookie Monster, but a bite of this stuff squashes my inner Grouch. It may look innocent enough, but this flavor is not for the preschool palette. It's got a mean zing and crunch blended into a seductively smooth cream base with a mischievous hint of rum. 

How high can you stack 'em?

Clementine Sorbet

I'm addicted to Clementines. I could easily overdose on those sweet seedless slices in a single sitting.  Each year as the temperature drops, these "Christmas oranges" are flown in from California or South America or some other magical place where fruit, um, grows on trees. And just when I begin to bore myself crazy with pumpkin recipes, clementines bring back that summer fruit nostalgia.

If you want to be really sophisticated, add a scoop to a glass of champagne for a mind-blowing mimosa.

12 Recipes with 4 or Fewer Ingredients

A few weeks ago, I went to see Mark Bittman (AKA The Minimalist) speak about his new book Food Matters. It got me thinking about the minimalist's approach to ice cream and sorbet making. People often have the misconception that it's a long process with lots of complicated ingredients. In fact, many of the recipes on this site can be prepared in less than 20 minutes (pre-freeze time) and contain just a few basic ingredients. 

Scroll over the photos to see the flavors.

Culture of Content Creation Video

Over the summer, my friend Eve filmed me making ice cream and talking about blogging and social media for an online project commissioned by Elastic Lab about the culture of content creation. Watch as I whip up a batch of Rocky Road in my tiny kitchen and try to sound profound about the internet and food. There's a whole bunch of bloggers and podcasters who've been featured in the project. You can see the entire series here. Good work, Eve!