The traditional grasshopper pie is a green pie in an Oreo cookie crust, a “white trash” cooking sort of dish, made with marshmallow fluff and topped with Reddi-Wip. We’ve made the pie much better with homemade vanilla ice cream, now green and minty with the addition of only 1/4 cup of crème de menthe. The secret to gussying up any recipe is to use good ingredients, freshly and properly made. Changing the quality does not necessarily change the character of a dish; it’s still a little “white trash.”

Of course for this grasshopper pie you can buy perfectly good vanilla ice cream, but I like ours better because it’s not as sweet as commercial brands. Master it and you’ll not only have a great vanilla ice cream but also an ice cream base for most of the ice creams we make at Campanile. There are many simple, reasonably priced electric ice cream makers on the market that are perfect for these small batches. Despite all of these convenient new machines, I still think the best machines are the ones that use ice and rock salt and make a horrendous grinding sound as they operate. If you use this type of ice cream maker, you’ll definitely want to run it outside or in an unoccupied room, with the machine sitting in a much larger bucket and the door closed.—Mark Peel

convert Ingredients
For the crust
1 1/2 cups chocolate cookie crumbs, made from the wafer part of Oreo cookies or other chocolate wafers
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, cut in 1/4-inch pieces
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and hot
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the vanilla ice cream
2 1/2 cups whole milk
2 cups heavy cream
2 vanilla beans, split and scraped
8 large egg yolks
2/3 cup sugar
Pinch of salt

For the grasshopper pie
1/2 recipe Vanilla Ice Cream (above)
1/4 cup green crème de menthe
Whipped cream, for serving (optional)

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Method
Make the crust
1. Put the chocolate cookie crumbs and chocolate in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade and process until the chocolate is finely grated. With the machine running, add the melted butter and vanilla, and process until evenly incorporated.

2. Transfer the mixture to a buttered 9-inch pie or tart pan and press evenly into the bottom and sides of the pan. It helps to place a piece of plastic wrap over the mixture and press on that so your hands don’t get sticky and covered with the mixture. Place in the freezer.

Make the ice cream
1. Combine the milk, cream, and vanilla bean seeds and pod in a heavy, medium saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Immediately remove from the heat and cover the pan with plastic wrap. Allow the mixture to steep for 15 minutes.

2. Fill a large bowl with water and ice, and set a medium bowl in it. In a medium bowl, beat together the egg yolks, sugar, and salt until the egg yolks are very frothy and thick.

3. Bring the milk mixture back to a simmer over medium heat and remove from the heat. Making sure the liquid is not boiling, whisking constantly, slowly pour 1/2 cup of it into the egg yolks. Using a heatproof rubber spatula, scrape the now-tempered egg yolks into the saucepan with the milk and cream, whisking constantly. Place the saucepan over medium-low heat and insert a thermometer. Stir constantly with a rubber spatula, moving the spatula in a figure 8 and scraping the sides and bottom of the pan, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula, and reaches 170ºF (77ºC). Run your finger down the middle of the spatula. The sauce should not run back into the canal created by your finger.

4. Immediately remove from the heat and continue to stir for 1 minute, then strain through a medium strainer into the bowl set in the ice bath. Allow to cool, stirring often, to 40ºF (4ºC). At this point you can refrigerate the base (which is a custard sauce) for up to 2 days.

Assemble the grasshopper pie
1. Whisk together the vanilla ice cream base and crème de menthe, and freeze in an ice cream maker, following the manufacturer’s instructions. Spread the ice cream in the grasshopper pie crust, and place in the freezer until solid.

2. Thirty minutes before serving the grasshopper pie, transfer to the refrigerator. Use a serrated knife dipped into hot water to slice the pie and serve. Top each serving with whipped cream, if desired.

Recipe © 2009 Mark Peel. All rights reserved.
© 2009 Leite’s Culinaria, Inc. All rights reserved. Terms of use.

Here, the pecan brittle adds the excitement to the caramel ice cream sandwiched between the banana bread by providing the crunch. But don’t add the brittle too far in advance, as it will begin to dissolve into the ice cream. If pecans are not your favorite, you can substitute a nut that’ll make a brittle more to your liking.—Tom Colicchio

convert Ingredients
For the banana bread
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup grapeseed oil
3/4 cup banana puree (1 1/2 medium bananas, pureed until smooth in a blender)
3/4 cup mashed bananas (1 1/2 medium bananas, mashed with a fork)
3 large eggs, preferably pasture-raised
3/4 cup sour cream
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

For the caramel ice cream
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon water
2 cups heavy cream
2 cups milk
9 large egg yolks, preferably pasture-raised
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the pecan brittle
1 1/2 cups shelled pecans
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
6 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Sea salt

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Method
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Brush a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with butter and line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.

Make the banana bread
1. Whisk together the sugar and oil in a medium bowl. Add the bananas, eggs, sour cream, and vanilla and whisk together until smooth.

2. Sift the flour, baking soda, and salt into the banana mixture. Using a rubber spatula, fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and set on a baking sheet.

3. Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, rotating the pan 90 degrees after 30 minutes, until golden and firm to the touch and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove the cake from the oven, let rest in the pan for 5 minutes, then remove from the pan and transfer to a cooling rack.

Make the caramel ice cream
1. Place 1 3/4 cups of the sugar in a large saucepan with about 1 tablespoon of water; it should look like damp sand. Cook over high heat until the sugar melts and becomes a very dark, smoking caramel.

2. Remove the pan from the heat and very carefully whisk in the cream and then the milk. Return the pan to the heat and bring the liquid to a rolling boil.

3. Whisk together the egg yolks and the remaining 1/4 cup sugar. Temper the yolks by gradually whisking about half of the hot cream into the yolks and then returning it all to the pan and whisking it together. Add the salt and the vanilla. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve.

4. Chill this mixture over ice and transfer to an ice cream maker. Process according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Transfer the ice cream to a covered container and place in the freezer for about 2 hours, until firm.

Make the peanut brittle
1. Prehat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and butter a sheet pan.

2. Spread the pecans on a baking sheet and toast in the oven until they are fragrant and dark brown.

3. In a 4-quart pot, mix the sugar, water, butter, and corn syrup and bring to a boil. Cook over high heat, stirring occasionally to avoid sticking to the bottom, until a light caramel color [or, if using a candy thermometer, until it reaches 300°F (150°C)].

4. Remove from the heat and very carefully stir in the baking soda, pecans, and salt. Working very quickly before it cools, spread the mixture over the buttered sheet pan using a heat-resistant rubber spatula. Once it is completely cooled, break into small pieces.

5. When ready to assemble, let the ice cream defrost at room temperature for 15 minutes. Mix the brittle into the softened ice cream. Evenly spread the ice cream over 4 (1/2-inch-thick) slices of banana bread, covering them all the way to the edge. (The ice cream must be soft enough to avoid ripping the bread.) Sprinkle some sea salt over the ice cream, close the sandwiches with a matching 4 slices of banana bread, and place in the freezer for at least 1 hour before serving.

Recipe © 2009 TC Enterprises. All rights reserved.
© 2009 Leite’s Culinaria, Inc. All rights reserved. Terms of use.

I’ll admit that my favorite selection from the shiny white Good Humor jalopy that cruised our neighborhood was simply called “Toasted Coconut”: vanilla ice cream on a stick, coated with lots of sugary-sweet coconut.

On the last fateful day that I’d ever see the Good Humor man, the bully next door decided to spray him with water from a hose as he slowly circled our block. He beat a hasty retreat and never came back. Being blackballed by the Good Humor man made that the worst summer of my life. I don’t know what happened to the neighborhood bully, but now that I’m an adult I can have Toasted Coconut Ice Cream whenever I want. And I do.—David Lebovitz

The photo above features Toasted Coconut Ice Cream swirled with Mango Sorbet, one of Lebovitz’s favorite combos.—Linda Avery

convert Ingredients
1 cup dried shredded coconut, preferably unsweetened
1 cup whole milk
2 cups heavy cream
3/4 cup sugar
Big pinch of salt
1 vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise
5 large egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, or 1 teaspoon rum

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Method
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Spread the coconut on a baking sheet and bake for 5 to 8 minutes, stirring it frequently so it toasts evenly. Remove it from the oven when it’s nice and fragrant and golden brown.

2. In a medium saucepan, warm the milk, 1 cup of the heavy cream, sugar, and salt and add the toasted coconut. Use a paring knife and scrape all the vanilla seeds into the warm milk, then add the pod as well. Cover, remove from the heat, and let steep at room temperature for 1 hour.

3. Rewarm the coconut-infused mixture. Set a mesh strainer over another medium saucepan and strain the coconut-infused liquid through the strainer into the saucepan. Press down on the coconut very firmly with a flexible rubber spatula to extract as much of the flavor from it as possible. Remove the vanilla bean halves (rinse and reserve them for another use), and discard the coconut.

4. Pour the remaining 1 cup heavy cream into a large bowl and set the mesh strainer on top. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm coconut-infused mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.

5. Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. Pour the custard through the strainer and stir it into the cream. Mix in the vanilla or rum and stir over an ice bath until cool.

6. Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Recipe © 2007 by David Lebovitz. All rights reserved.
© 2009 Leite’s Culinaria, Inc. All rights reserved. Terms of use.

For the Greek who lives by this sensationally frothy iced coffee frappe and the non-Greek initiate who swears by it, the way they drink their frappe—one; two, or more teaspoons (level, rounded, or heaping) of coffee; with milk or black; unsweetened, medium-sweet, or super-sugary—is a matter of personal expression. Setting down specific quantities for its preparation therefore contradicts the frappe spirit. The amounts suggested below are best used only as a departure point; adjustments should then be made according to personal taste and mood.—Daniel Young

convert Ingredients
2 teaspoons instant coffee
2 teaspoons sugar
Cold water
Ice cubes
2 tablespoons evaporated or regular milk

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Method
1. Place the coffee, sugar, and 2 tablespoons cold water in a shaker, jar, blender, or drink mixer. Cover and shake well for 30 seconds, or, if using a blender, drink mixer, or handheld frother, mix for 15 seconds to produce a thick, light-brown foam.

2. Place a few ice cubes in a tall glass. Slowly pour the coffee foam into the glass. Fill the glass with water, adding milk if desired. Serve the frappe immediately with a thin, flexible straw and glass of cold water on the side.

Recipe © 2009 Daniel Young. All rights reserved.
© 2009 Leite’s Culinaria, Inc. All rights reserved. Terms of use.

by Adam Ried
from Thoroughly Modern Milkshakes
(W.W. Norton, 2009)
Makes about 3 1/2 cups

In this classic Mexican combination of chocolate, almond, cinnamon, and chile I use powdered chipotles, which are dried, smoked jalapeños. The chipotle powder imparts a subtle, smoky note that complements the chocolate, as well as a bit of heat to the finish.

Chipotle powder is widely available, usually in the spice or Latin foods sections of the supermarket. You can use cayenne instead—it will give you the heat without the smoke.—Adam Ried

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convert Ingredients
1/2 cup cold whole or lowfat milk (about 4 ounces)
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon chipotle powder or cayenne pepper, or more to taste
4 medium scoops vanilla bean or original vanilla ice cream (about 1 pint/12 ounces), softened until just melty at the edges
4 medium scoops chocolate sorbet (about 1 pint/ 12 ounces), softened until just melty at the edges

Method
1. Place the milk, almond extract, cinnamon, and chipotle in a blender and blend to mix thoroughly, about 15 seconds.

2. Add the ice cream and sorbet and pulse several times to begin breaking them up. With the blender motor off, use a flexible spatula to mash the mixture down onto the blender blades. Continue pulsing, stopping, and mashing until the mixture is well blended, thick, and moves easily in the blender jar, roughly 30 to 90 seconds.

3. Pour into a chilled glass or glasses, and serve at once.

Recipe © 2009 Adam Ried. All rights reserved.
© 2009 Leite’s Culinaria, Inc. All rights reserved. Terms of use.

So pale is this shake’s green shade that you could almost call it silver. A cap of luminous, icy, cucumber-flavored granita, even paler green if that’s possible, completes a look that is about as debonair as a milkshake can be.

The high water content of honeydew gives this shake a slightly thinner and even more sluprable consistency than most of the others.—Adam Ried

Note: Use any type of cucumber you wish for the granita.

convert Ingredients
2 tablespoons sugar (about 1 ounce)
2 tablespoons water (about 1 ounce)
Pinch of salt
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
3/4 medium cucumber (about 8 ounces), peeled, seeded, and roughly chopped (about 1 cup)
1/2 small, ripe honeydew melon (about 1 pound), peeled, seeded, and cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks (about 3 cups)
6 medium scoops vanilla bean or original vanilla ice cream (about 1 1/2 pints/ 18 ounces), softened until just melty at the edges

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Method
Make the granita
1. Bring the sugar and water to a gentle boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, swirling the pan to dissolve the sugar; reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 2 minutes. Off the heat, cool the syrup to room temperature.

2. Place the syrup, salt, 2, teaspoons of the lime juice, and the cucumber in a blender and puree until smooth. Pour the cucumber mixture into a shallow container.

3. Cover and freeze until softly frozen (not solid), 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Remove from the freezer and gently run a dinner fork through the frozen mass to break it down into loose, icy crystals.

4. Cover the container and return it to the freezer. Freeze until firm, checking and raking the granita with the fork every hour or two to keep the crystals loose and fine, at least 7 hours.

Make the shake
1. Place 1/2 cup (about 2 1/2 ounces) of granita, the honeydew, and the remaining 1 teaspoon of lime juice in a blender and blend to break down the honeydew completely, about 1 minute.

2. Add the ice cream and pulse several times to begin breaking it up. With the blender motor off, use a flexible spatula to mash the mixture down onto the blender blades. Continue pulsing, stopping, and mashing until the mixture is well blended, thick, and moves easily in the blender jar, roughly 30 to 90 seconds. Pour into a chilled glass or glasses, top each with 1/2 cup (about 2 1/2 ounces) granita, and serve at once.

Recipe © 2009 Adam Ried. All rights reserved.
© 2009 Leite’s Culinaria, Inc. All rights reserved. Terms of use.

Okay, I’ll admit it. When push comes to shove, I’m not really a caramel guy. I know I’m in the minority, though, because most people just love the stuff. In fact, as I talked up this book to my friends, I stopped counting the number of them who said, “Ohh, you’d better have a caramel shake in there.”
So here it is, caramel lovers. I kept things easy by using caramel ice cream, rather than asking you to make homemade caramel, and I spiced things up a bit by adding malt, which, like the caramel itself, is a soft, sweet, mellow flavor. Food stylist Michael Pederson, clearly a caramel lover himself, thought that no caramel shake would be complete without a cap of whipped cream and drizzle of caramel sauce; you may want to follow in Michael’s footsteps here.—Adam Ried

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convert Ingredients
1/2 cup cold whole or lowfat milk (about 4 ounces)
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon malted milk powder (about 1/2 ounce)
8 medium scoops caramel, caramel swirl, or dulce de leche ice cream (about 1 quart/24 ounces), softened until just melty at the edges

Method
1. Place the milk, vanilla extract, and malted milk powder in a blender and blend to mix thoroughly, about 15 seconds.

2. Add the ice cream and pulse several times tobegin breaking it up. With the blender motor off, use a flexible spatula to mash the mixture down onto the blender blades.

3. Continue pulsing, stopping, and mashing until the mixture is well blended, thick, and moves easily in the blender jar, roughly 30 to 90 seconds. Pour into a chilled glass or glasses, and serve at once.

Recipe © 2009 Adam Ried. All rights reserved.
© 2009 Leite’s Culinaria, Inc. All rights reserved. Terms of use.

Serve this creamy pear gelato with a little glass of delicate but nutty amaretto liqueur.

If you don’t have an ice cream machine, electric or otherwise, chill your gelato base mixture well in a stainless steel bowl in the freezer. When partially frozen, beat the mixture with a wire whisk until it is creamy. Return the bowl to the freezer and repeat the whisking process once or twice more until the gelato has a smooth, luscious texture.—Pamela Sheldon Johns

convert Ingredients
2 cups pear or apple juice
1 cup amaretto di Saronno
1/2 cup plus 2/3 cup sugar
6 pears, peeled, halved, and cored
2/3 cup heavy cream
2 1/4 cups whole milk
Pinch of salt
6 egg yolks
1/2 cup hazelnuts, toasted, skinned, and chopped

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Method
1. In a large saucepan, combine the pear or apple juice, amaretto, and the 1/2 cup sugar. Heat the mixture over medium heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Add the pears and poach for 35 to 40 minutes, or until tender but not falling apart. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pears to a plate.

2. Reduce the cooking liquid for 20 minutes, or until slightly thickened. Set aside to cool. Stir in the cream. Cover and refrigerate the pears and liquid separately until needed.

3. In a medium saucepan, combine the milk and salt. Heat over medium heat until bubbles form around the edges. Remove from heat and cover to keep hot.

4. In a blender or food processor, blend the 2/3 cup sugar and the egg yolks together until very thick and smooth. With the machine running, gradually add the hot milk.

5. Return the mixture to the saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, for 6 to 8 minutes, until the mixture thickens slightly and coats the back of the spoon. Remove the pan from heat and set it in a bowl of ice water. Stir for 2 minutes to cool the mixture. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or until thoroughly chilled.

6. Chop 6 of the pear halves; refrigerate the remaining 6 for serving. In a blender or food processor, puree the chilled custard and the chopped pears until smooth. Freeze in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

7. To serve, arrange a pear half on each plate. Reheat the reduced cooking liquid. Scoop gelato on top of each pear half, spoon some of the reduced cooking liquid over, and garnish with the chopped hazelnuts.

Recipe © 2008 by Pamela Sheldon Johns and Jennifer Barry Design. All rights reserved.
© 2009 Leite’s Culinaria, Inc. All rights reserved. Terms of use.