The Perfect Scoop: Ice Creams, Sorbets, Granitas, and Sweet Accompaniments Paperback – May 4, 2010

When searching online for ice cream recipes, I saw several references to David Lebovitz and his book, The Perfect Scoop. So it made sense for me to go to the source. This book is wonderfully instructive. Besides providing an amazing array of recipes, David explains all the basics of ice cream making - ingredients, their properties, and preparation techniques. He has chapters on sauces, toppings, mix-ins, and a variety of baked goods for creating outstanding ice cream desserts. I would guess that this is the definitive book on ice cream making, and David's writing style also makes it enjoyable to read.

This past spring/summer I got on a crazy canning kick--jams, peaches, sauces, etc. We live near one of the best ice cream shops in Los Angeles (don't worry, I'm getting to the point) where they serve "homemade" ice cream like "Guinness" ice cream, salted caramel, Rose Petal, lavender honey--ice creams made with real mint, rose petals, etc. So, back to being on a homemade everything kick, I decided it would be fun to get an ice cream maker for our anniversary so we could make homemade ice cream like our favorite local shop (and seriously, save $$ considering how much we spent there this summer). My first attempt was Lavender Honey Vanilla Bean ice cream (yes, I dove right in). Unfortunately, while the recipe had great ingredients, it didn't give me proper directions on making a custard, so, you guessed it, my custard curdled (which i didn't realize) and my ice cream turned out lumpy. It tasted good but the texture was so weird and unfortunately I just couldn't get past the weird texture to truly enjoy the flavor.Then I came across David's blog and his Chocolate Mint Ice Cream recipe which then led me to his book, The Perfect Scoop, and I felt like I hit gold. I was in heaven leafing through the book with my daughter drooling next to me over the beautiful photos. So far, every recipe I've tried has turned out fabulously. He goes into detail about the proper tools, equipment and step-by-step methods (including how to prevent curdled custard!!). I've made Chocolate Mint (his book only has Mint, but all you need to do is add the chocolate during the churning process) and Holy Cow!!! the best mint ice cream I've ever tasted and I'm a true mint chip connoisseur! Next came Lavender Honey (and I added Vanilla Bean just because) and oh my yumm-o! Pure decadence. Following was salted caramel. OK, this recipe isn't in his book, it's on his blog, but again, he gives step-by-steps to making caramel (which is in the book) and it's so darn easy and I nearly wanted to faint after eating the ice cream. He even has a Guinness recipe (you know what's next for me!).The book covers various inspirations surrounding the colder desserts: ice creams, sorbets and granitas. From the simplest chocolate or vanilla ice cream (with and without custard base) to complex, more labor-intensive combinations. He covers a variety of homemade topping/sauces/accompaniments, mix-ins, and methods of presentations (ex: ice cream cookies, truffles, sugar cups, etc.)--assuming you can keep yourself from eating them before you add the ice cream. I really enjoyed his little anecdotes before each recipe, usually detailing where the recipe came from or how it was inspired. He's a quippy writer and I didn't find any fluff, just straight forward, interesting and educational content.I can't wait to try every single one of the ice creams and although I'm not a huge sorbet or granites lover, the flavors he puts together will tempt me for something a bit healthier. This is a great book and you will definitely not be disappointed with the results. Seriously, you will impress your guests with these homemade ice desserts. While making ice cream isn't as easy as dumping ingredients into a machine (unless you have $1000) David's directions are so clear and concise that it feels almost effortless. Oh, and check out his blog for even more inspiration. And I promise, he's not paying me to write this, he doesn't need to.

I made the chocolate peanut butter ice cream. Was so easy to follow the instructions. Tasted great. Lots of things to try

Bride (who at last received this along with various ice cream making necessities) raves about this cookbook! She’s made several of the recipes and found them easy, accessible and most important delicious.

I've been making ice cream at home for years with my go-to book being Lenotre on Ice Cream. Lenotre is fabulous on the basics but I wanted something more versatile without being gimmicky. After reading reviews for what seemed like every ice cream cookbook out there, I finally selected on this one for several reasons. First, it seemed to have the European sensibility and sophisticated flavors I was looking for. By that I mean, it doesn't have the bizarre medley of 31-flavors that seem to characterize most ice cream books (ooey, gooey chocolate????, maple & bacon !!! . . .), but instead had twists on mainstays along with recipes for those unique and hard-to-find flavors that only seem available in a gelateria down some alley off a back-street in Florence (you know the one) . . .This cookbook had all that but . . .There have been hits and misses. First, the misses. The white chocolate was dense and rich with enough butterfat to stick to the roof of my mouth (which is what I wanted), but after a spoonful or so, it was so sweet I could not bear to eat the rest-- and not merely the single scoop in the bowl (and that's saying a lot). To the milk chocolate recipe I impulsively added about half-a-teaspoon of ground espresso beans and can honestly say that the first tasting struck me as a little bit of heaven but after a few spoonfuls it too turned nauseatingly sweet. I made a second batch, this time adding cocoa nibs which hand a nice crunch but added a bitter aftertaste and grittiness, and did nothing to temper the sugary sweetness. The dried apricot w pistachio seemed bland and the pistachios distracting, while a second batch made without the nuts was overwhelmingly yucky, baby-food-like apricot .So let's talk about what worked. The vanilla was and is fabulous and the stracciatella (essentially italian chocolate chip) is even more fabulous. The Vietnamese coffee is perfect for breakfast (notice I didn't say with breakfast), the panaforte, though very sweet, is utterly, absolutely divine. The almond with cherries is pretty marvelous, the oatmeal cookie is to die for (though diabetic-coma inducing), the rice gelato (rechristened orange risotto) is amazing, but the creme fraiche (oh my, let me count the ways) is incredible. Surely, if heaven had a taste, this would be it (who would have thought)?Vanilla yogurt is surprisingly fast and easy, and all too refreshing as is the lemon. The Lemon! OMG!And on a whim I made the sugared almonds--surprisingly easy, fast and terrific and unfortunately, gobble-worthy.The bottom line, at least some of the recipes seem oriented towards an American palate meaning they're altogether too sugary, but there's enough drool-worthy recipes (and I'm still working my way through the book) that it's a definite keeper.Now, off to the treadmill!

O autor se preocupa tem explicar fundamentos básicos pra quem está iniciando na fabricacao de sorvetes caseiros . Me aventurei em experimentar grande parte das receitas e todas que fiz ficaram incríveis. Cada receita além de ser bem explicada na introdução o autor conta um pequeno conto sobre o sorvete e sua experiência de vida!

Lovely ice cream recipes!

Possiedo tre diversi libri sui gelati, ne ho guardati altri in libreria: questo è definitivamente il più esauriente, completo e dettagliatamente spiegato ogni in commercio.Ricette a prova di inesperto (io) con abbinamenti e complementi perfetti. Imperdibile.

De momento, he probado tres recetas y han quedado muy, muy bien. Estoy seguro de que las demás serán igual de buenas. Tiene un montón de recetas para helados, granizados, “granitas” y acompañamientos para los helados. Es super completo. Hay para todos los gustos, incluyendo bastantes con un toque de alcohol. Los comentarios y anécdotas que acompañan a la receta, están escritos con gran sentido del humor. Las fotografías son preciosas. Muy contento con el libro, que es de gran calidad. Está en inglés, pero a mi me vale (si hay alguna duda, google translator hace maravillas). Las cantidades vienen también en gramos y mililitros, así que eso no es problema.

Loved it. Been using it with my KitchenAid Ice Cream Churner and there's tonnes of good recipes, pretty simple to follow and really pretty pictures!