Spice Trader"s Vanilla Vodka Ice Cream

The key to making really good vanilla ice cream is to start with the best ingredients you can get your paws on. This is a ridiculously rich ice cream that gets its heady fragrance from pure vanilla extract, whole beans, and vanilla vodka. It"s thick and creamy and flecked with bits of fresh vanilla bean.

MAKES ABOUT 1 QUART.

6 egg yolks cup white sugar 2 cups heavy cream 1 cup whole milk 2 whole vanilla beans 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 3 tablespoons vanilla vodka Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together in a large bowl. Set aside.

Combine the cream and milk in a medium-sized, heavy-bottomed pot. Slit the vanilla bean pods in half lengthwise with a sharp knife. Sc.r.a.pe out the paste with the back of your knife. Add the pods and paste to the pot. Cook the mixture over medium heat, whisking occasionally, until the mixture just starts to bubble at the edges.

Remove the pot from the heat. Cover and let the mixture infuse for 1520 minutes. Remove the vanilla pods and discard. Warm the mixture again on the stove until steaming.

Slowly drizzle it into the beaten egg mixture, whisking constantly. Return the combined mixture to the pot. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until it registers 170F on a candy thermometer and is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Remove the pot from the heat. Strain into a large bowl. Whisk in the vanilla extract and vanilla vodka. Cool in an ice bath, whisking frequently to lower the mixture"s temperature. Refrigerate until completely chilled, about 46 hours.

Process the mixture in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer"s instructions. Transfer to a container and freeze overnight.

To the Dairy! If you can, get your cream and eggs from a local dairy. This is a good rule of thumb for all ice cream, but it"s a particularly good tip for vanilla, where the milk and cream are paramount to the flavor.

Death by Double Chocolate Liqueur Ice Cream

Get ready for chocolate overload! This ice cream is rich and creamy, with a boozy double dose of chocolate flavor from chocolate liqueur and chopped, bittersweet chocolate. Use the highest-quality chocolate you can.

MAKES ABOUT 1 QUART.

6 egg yolks cup sugar 2 cups heavy cream 1 cup whole milk 5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 3 tablespoons chocolate liqueur In a medium-sized bowl, whisk the egg yolks and sugar together. Set aside.

Combine the cream and milk in a medium-sized, heavy-bottomed pot. Cook the mixture over medium heat, whisking occasionally, until the mixture just starts to bubble at the edges. Remove from the heat. Toss in the chopped chocolate. Stir until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is uniform.

Slowly, drizzle the hot chocolate mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly to combine. Transfer the hot mixture back to your pot.

Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until it registers 170F on a candy thermometer and is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Strain the mixture into a bowl. Stir in the vanilla extract and chocolate liqueur.

Cool in an ice bath, whisking frequently to lower the mixture"s temperature. Refrigerate until completely chilled, about 46 hours.

Process the mixture in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer"s instructions. Transfer to a container and freeze overnight.

Strawberry Daiquiri Ice Cream

This ice cream tastes exactly like strawberry whipped cream spiked with rum. And essentially, that"s exactly what it is. Serve garnished with whipped cream and fresh sliced strawberries.

MAKES ABOUT 1 QUARTS.

1 pound strawberries, trimmed and sliced cup white sugar cup light rum 2 cups heavy cream Zest of 1 large lemon Nip the stems off of the berries, cut them in half, and put them in a medium-sized bowl with the sugar.

Let the mixture sit on the counter for about 15 minutes so the berries start to let out their juice and make a heavenly syrup with the sugar.

Working in batches, puree the strawberries and syrup, rum, cream, and lemon zest. Chill until cold.

Pour the mixture into your ice cream maker. Process according to the manufacturer"s instructions. Transfer to a container and freeze overnight.

Drunken Sailor Ice Cream with Spiced Rum & Candied Orange Peel

Ahoy! This ice cream would do any old salt proud. With a rich vanilla base, it"s fragrant with warm spices and dotted with bits of candied orange peel.

MAKES ABOUT 1 QUART.

6 egg yolks cup white sugar 2 cups heavy cream 1 cup whole milk 1 whole vanilla bean cup spiced rum (like Kraken or Sailor Jerry) teaspoon ground cinnamon teaspoon ground cloves cup candied orange peel, finely chopped Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together in a large bowl. Set aside.

Combine the cream and milk in a medium-sized, heavy-bottomed pot. Slit the vanilla bean pod in half lengthwise with a sharp knife. Sc.r.a.pe out the paste with the back of your knife. Add the vanilla pod and paste to the pot. Cook the mixture over medium heat, whisking occasionally, until the mixture just starts to bubble at the edges.

Remove the pot from the heat. Cover and let the mixture infuse for 1520 minutes. Remove the vanilla pod and discard. Warm the mixture again on the stove until steaming.

Slowly drizzle it into the beaten egg mixture, whisking constantly. Return the combined mixture to the pot. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until it registers 170F on a candy thermometer and is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Remove the pot from the heat. Strain into a large bowl. Whisk in the spiced rum, ground cinnamon, and ground cloves. Cool in an ice bath, whisking frequently to lower the mixture"s temperature. Refrigerate until completely chilled, about 46 hours.

Process the mixture in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer"s instructions, adding the candied orange peel in the last 5 minutes. Transfer to a container and freeze overnight.

Chocolate Stout Ice Cream

Chocolate stout is wonderful because it lends itself so easily to cooking and baking. It"s fantastic in this ice cream, adding deep, chocolaty flavor. Toss in a little unsweetened cocoa powder and chocolate liqueur for good measure, and it"ll be one of the best chocolate ice creams you"ve had in years!

MAKES ABOUT 1 QUART.

2 cups heavy cream cup unsweetened cocoa powder cup semisweet chocolate chips 5 egg yolks cup sugar teaspoon kosher salt 1 cups chocolate stout 3 tablespoons chocolate liqueur Heat the cream in a medium-sized, heavy-bottomed pot until the mixture just starts to simmer. Remove from the heat and whisk in the cocoa powder and chocolate chips. Set the chocolate cream mixture aside.

Put the egg yolks, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk until smooth.

Slowly, drizzle the hot chocolate cream mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly to combine. (Do this slowly to temper the eggs, or you"ll wind up with scrambled eggs.) When you"ve added all the chocolate cream, transfer the mixture back to your pot.

Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until it registers 170F on a candy thermometer and is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Strain the mixture into a large bowl to get rid of any tiny bits of cooked egg. Stir in the chocolate stout and chocolate liqueur. Cool in an ice bath, whisking frequently to lower the mixture"s temperature. Refrigerate until completely chilled, about 46 hours.

Make the ice cream by processing the mixture in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer"s instructions. Transfer to a container and freeze overnight.

Chocolate Overload For over-the-top chocolate madness, add a half cup of miniature chocolate chips during the last 5 minutes in the ice cream maker. Serve in a chocolate cone or a chocolate-dipped waffle cone.

Brandied Eggnog Ice Cream

Spiked eggnog is a fixture at most holiday parties. This frosty version is rich with traditional eggnog spices-and a good dose of brandy for a little extra holiday cheer all year round.

MAKES ABOUT 1 QUART.

6 egg yolks cup white sugar 2 cups heavy cream 1 cup whole milk 1 teaspoons freshly grated nutmeg teaspoon ground cinnamon 3 tablespoons brandy 1 tablespoon vanilla extract Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together in a large bowl. Set aside.

Put the cream and milk in a medium-sized, heavy-bottomed pot. Cook over medium heat, whisking occasionally, until the mixture just starts to simmer around the edges.

Remove the pot from the heat. Slowly drizzle the hot mixture into the egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly to temper it. Return the combined mixture to the pot. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until it registers 170F on a candy thermometer and is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Remove from the heat. Strain the mixture into a large bowl. Stir in the grated nutmeg, ground cinnamon, brandy, and vanilla extract. Cool in an ice bath, whisking frequently to lower the mixture"s temperature. Refrigerate until completely chilled, about 46 hours.

Process in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer"s instructions. Transfer to a container and freeze overnight until solid.

Tipsy Barista

This ice cream tastes just like a big bowl of cafe au lait spiked with Kahlua. It"s definitely sweet, so if you like more of a bitter coffee flavor, cut the sugar down to cup.

MAKES ABOUT 1 QUARTS.

2 cups heavy cream cup whole milk cup white sugar 1 cup brewed French Roast coffee, chilled cup Kahlua Whisk all the ingredients together in a large bowl until the sugar has completely dissolved. Refrigerate for about an hour, or until completely chilled.

Process in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer"s instructions. Transfer to a container and freeze overnight.

In Case of Ice Cream Emergency If you just have to make this ice cream immediately, here"s a trick for chilling freshly brewed coffee quickly. Pour it into a 9" 13" baking dish. Let it cool to room temperature. Then pop it in the freezer for 1015 minutes to chill completely.

Candied Bacon Ice Cream with Maple, Whiskey, & Cloves

Yep, bacon is everywhere these days-including in this ice cream. Something about the maple-bacon-clove combination is irresistible. This ice cream is warm and spicy-and studded with maple sugarcandied bacon. To add a stronger flavor profile, garnish with a little flaked grey sea salt.

MAKES ABOUT 1 QUARTS.

CANDIED BACON.

46 tablespoons granulated maple sugar 6 strips thick-cut bacon ICE CREAM.