Ice Cream

A little black pepper heightens the subtle spiciness of the persimmons.

Almond extract deepens the flavor of fresh cherries in this summertime treat.

A ripe peach eaten over the kitchen sink is hard to beat, but this comes mighty close.

Just a few minutes in a hot skillet gives the sauce a complex flavor. If you've got an extra minute or two, skip the chocolate chips and garnish the sundaes with chocolate curls shaved off the edge of a chocolate bar with a vegetable peeler.

Leave it to the French to come up with the classiest way of doing an ice cream sundae. Hide the grown-up coffee ice cream inside a crisp puff of pastry (the same dough that cream puffs are made from), then drizzle it with full-bodied chocolate sauce.

To prevent curdling, be sure to cool the ice cream custard to room temperature before adding the buttermilk and crème fraîche.

With its warm, gooey goodness, this dessert will bring bananas Foster to mind. You'll have some sauce left over, which will be handy because, we assure you, you'll be in the mood to have this again the next night—if not sooner.

Make the custard, toast the nuts, then let the ice cream machine do the rest.

Editor's note: Isaac Mizrahi shared his recipe for Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream exclusively with Epicurious. To read more about Mizrahi and take a peek inside his kitchen, click here. This classic ice cream is made more interesting by using a combination of bittersweet and semisweet chocolate chunks. Be sure to dry the mint leaves well; any water left clinging to the leaves will affect the texture of the finished dish.

This dessert honors two good friends of the tomato—basil and cheese. Garnishes of candied cherry tomatoes and fried basil make it extra-special.

Once you've tried ice cream made with fresh mint leaves — a far cry from the neon-green stuff — you'll never go back. Here, it's enclosed in a thick robe of rich bittersweet chocolate.

If you're searching for a showstopping dessert (that is secretly easy to make) to serve company, look no further. Each gorgeous — and delicious — tricolored slice is a canvas of decorative swirls: vibrant orange, deep purple, and creamy white.

This chilly treat may well make your freezer more popular than the neighborhood ice cream truck. The lemony ice cream center is a bright contrast to the surrounding chewy coconut macaroons — and the sandwiches are easily held by eager little hands.

This creamy semifreddo captures the heady flavor of ripe summer peaches. It's also a gorgeous showpiece that's perfect for entertaining, since it can be made well in advance of a dinner party.