Summer has almost met its end, and while the temperatures may begin their decline- there is time yet for ice-cream to be had. If you're like me, that time is actually year-round, but still, you can't beat the cold allure of summer desserts mixed with the flavors of coming fall! These decadently-accented, generous-topped frozen treats are inspired by the ones available at NYC's Black Tap restaurant, which you may recall from photos dominating Instagram feeds, #foodporn hashtags, and news outlets alike with their monstrous milkshakes and even more monstrous lines curling around the building of people just wanting a sip (and snap) of their own. With these recipes, you can skip the line and do it from the comfort of sweatpants and the sounds of Harry Potter and The Prisoner of Azkaban playing in the background.
S'Mores
Yield: 2 glasses
Need:
2 cups vanilla or chocolate chip ice-cream
1 cup milk
Marshmallow fluff
Nutella
3/4 cup of toasted marshmallows
Hot fudge syrup
Graham crackers (crushed, and whole)
Chocolate squares
Whipped cream
Start by drizzling chocolate syrup up and down the inner circumference of a see-through glass, and pop in the freezer a short while before serving to set the design. Combine ice-cream, milk, and as many graham cracker crumbs as you desire in a blender and blend until smooth. Spread Nutella around the rim of the glass, and roll in graham cracker crumbs to coat. Pour in your milkshake, and top with a dollop of marshmallow fluff. Go crazy decorating as little or as much (preferably as much) as you want, with marshmallows, chocolate pieces, additional chocolate drizzle, whipped cream, and a big graham cracker square plunked on top. Play around with different layerings of designs!
Pumpkin Spice
Yield: 2 glasses
Need:
2 cups vanilla ice-cream
1 cup milk
1/4 cup of strong coffee, chilled
1/4 cup of pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Graham cracker crumbs
Whipped topping
Cinnamon
Caramel sauce
Start by drizzling caramel around the inner circumference of the glass like before. Pop in the freezer to set. Combine ice-cream, milk, pumpkin pie spice, coffee, and puree in a blender and blend until smooth. Top up your glass with PSL wonderfulness, and garnish to your heart's content with whipped topping, graham cracker crumbs, more caramel, a sprinkle of cinnamon, or even crushed pretzel pieces for a salty bite. Dare: top with an entire slice of golden, flaky pumpkin pie, in true Black Tap fashion.
