Driving around New York City in a secondhand Mister Softee truck, Douglas Quint and Bryan Petroff of the Big Gay Ice Cream Truck sell treats to customers at the curb. But their fans don't come for the soft serve itself, which Big Gay buys premade; the fun is in the toppings—olive oil and sea salt, crushed Trix, wasabi-pea dust. As Quint says, "The last place to look for ice cream toppings is a supermarket ice cream aisle." Inspired, F&W asked America's most brilliant ice cream artisans for fast ways to transform store-bought ice cream. The results range from a terrine layering ice cream, frozen yogurt and sorbet to chocolate-covered ice cream bonbons sprinkled with salt. And the Big Gay guys share their recipe for an ice cream pie with a fresh blueberry sauce.
Fast Ice Cream Tips
Photos: Courtesy of Williams-Sonoma (scoop, spatula), courtesy of Lindt (chocolate).
Finished Recipes
Ice Cream Bonbons
At the Penny Ice Creamery in Santa Cruz, California, Kendra Baker uses caramel ice cream in her bonbons, which have a silky chocolate shell and flaky sea salt on top.
Ice Cream, Sorbet and Froyo Terrine
Jeni Britton Bauer of Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams in Columbus, Ohio, says the secret to a perfect layered terrine is the "clash of color and texture."
Best-Ever Banana Splits
What makes these banana splits from Sweet Rose Creamery in Santa Monica, California, so good is the insanely fudgy chocolate sauce coupled with the light, crunchy almond topping.
More Sensational Ice Cream Desserts
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