10 Great Ways to Step Up Your Ice Cream

Put 11⁄2 cups granulated sugar in a saucepan and drizzle 1/3 cup water and 1⁄2 teaspoon lemon juice evenly on top. Cook over medium-low heat without stirring until the sugar dissolves, then continue cooking, swirling the pan but not stirring, until the sugar is deep amber, 8 to 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to low. Cut 1 stick of salted butter into small pieces and whisk into the sauce, then carefully add 3⁄4 cup heavy cream and whisk until smooth. Remove from the heat and stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla and 2 teaspoons flaky salt. The sauce will seem thin, but it will thicken as it cools. Serve over ice cream and sprinkle with more flaky salt.

Scoop 1 1⁄2 pints softened mint chocolate chip ice cream into a store-bought chocolate cookie crust and spread until smooth. Sprinkle with 1 cup crushed chocolate-mint sandwich cookies; press so they stick to the ice cream. Freeze until solid, about 1 hour. Top with another 1 1⁄2 pints softened mint chocolate chip ice cream. Top the pie with whipped cream and more crushed cookies and freeze until solid, at least 2 hours.

To make a coffee version, stir 1⁄4 cup sugar into 1⁄4 cup warm espresso or strong coffee until it dissolves. Combine with 2 cups cold heavy cream and beat with a mixer until soft peaks form, about 2 minutes. Serve over ice cream with chopped chocolate-covered espresso beans.

Create a signature blend in your favorite colors: 7 Combine classic sprinkles, coarse sugar, nonpareils and confetti sprinkles in 2 or 3 colors, or make a single-color blend. Store in an airtight container.

Melt 2 cups white chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, stirring. Dip 12 sugar cones in the white chocolate one at a time, spreading the chocolate with a spatula about 2 inches down the cone. Sprinkle with crushed freeze-dried fruit, place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and refrigerate until set, about 10 minutes.