Lemon Poppy Seed Ice Cream

Don't let its loveliness fool you. The lemon packs a lot of punch and the poppy seeds provide a fun little crackle with each bite. 

Inspired by one of my favorite treats: lemon poppy seed bread.

Oreo Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches

Behold the Turducken of Oreos. For those who aren't familiar with the Turducken, it's a duck stuffed inside a chicken inside a turkey. This recipe is essentially Oreos inside Oreos stuffed inside Oreos (meta, I know). The cookies are blended into the ice cream base with large chunks mixed in. Then, the whole thing is stuffed inside an Oreo. 

Crunchy and gooey!

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.