The Essential Ice Cream Recipes, Techniques, and Discoveries of 2013

[Photographs: Max Falkowitz]

2013 was a banner year for the Serious Eats ice cream bureau. We played with booze, coffee, and cardamom. We explored ice cream techniques and fundamentals. And we busted some longstanding ice cream myths along the way. For all my favorite recipes, techniques, and science of the past year, read on.

My Favorite Recipes

It's a tough call picking out ten favorite recipes for the year, but when I make ice cream on my own time, these are what I come back to. Read more about them in the slideshow above or head straight to the recipes below.

• Horchata Ice Cream
• Chai Ice Cream
• Buttered Popcorn Ice Cream
• Ginger Green Tea Ice Cream
• Mocha Cashew Ice Cream
• Raspberry Campari Sorbet
• Coffee Cardamom Ice Cream
• Toasted Coconut and Lime Ice Cream
• Almond Joy Ice Cream
• Clementine Sorbet

The Techniques

If you need a refresher on the year in ice cream techniques, let's review:

• The most foolproof, dead-simple, low-mess-and-fuss way to make vanilla ice cream.
• Why you don't need to age your ice cream base overnight.
• How egg yolks make creamier, more flavorful ice cream.
• Why better dairy doesn't always make better ice cream.
• The best way to store ice cream in your freezer.
• Why corn syrup isn't evil, and how it can make your sorbets better.
• And, just in case, how to make ice cream for 100 people. Because you never know.

What's Next?

Have any burning questions about ice cream you want answered? Dream flavors you want recipes for? Tell us in the comments and check back next year for more.