Ice Cream All-Stars

We took America's favorite flavor trio, used three techniques for homemade frozen scoops, and added a host of leveled-up toppers to create this lineup of winning summer sundaes.

- ERIN HOOKER

STRAWBERRY SORBET

In-season strawberries are the highlight of summer—showcase them with a dairy-free sorbet made with fresh berries, sugar, and lemon-lime soda. It’s perfect on a hot day, and you don’t even need an ice cream maker; blend the mixture with a food processor and use a metal baking pan to freeze.

Despite countless options in the freezer aisle, vanilla is still America’s favorite flavor. With a custard base of egg yolks and heavy cream, this is the richest of our freezer treats. It’s an ideal canvas for any decadent sundae, like this riff on banana pudding and bananas Foster, above.

Strawberry Sorbet

If all the strawberries won't fit in your food processor in Step 2, you can puree in batches (then return all of the puree to the processor to add sugar syrup).

HANDS ON 20 min.
TOTAL TIME 4 hr. 50 min., plus freezing

3/4 cup sugar
3 Ib. fresh strawberries, hulled and cut up (about 8 cups)
½ cup lemon-lime soda

1. For sugar syrup, in a medium heavy-bottom saucepan, combine sugar and ¾ cup water. Bring to boiling over medium-high; boil 1 minute. Turn off heat and stir until sugar is dissolved. Cool to room temperature, 30 to 60 minutes.

2. In a large food processor combine strawberries and lemon-lime soda. Process until smooth. Add cooled sugar syrup. Process until combined. Pour mixture into a 13x9-inch baking pan; freeze 3 hours. Stir mixture; return to freezer until firm, 1 hour.

3. Break up mixture with a fork. Transfer to food processor. Process until smooth but not melted, 30 to 60 seconds. Return to baking pan.
Freeze until scoopable, 1 to 2 hours.
Makes 7 cups.
TO MAKE AHEAD YOU can make sorbet a day ahead and freeze overnight. Before serving, let stand at room temperature until scoopable, 20 to 30 minutes.
PER 1/2 CUP 85 cal, 3 mg sodium, 21 g carb, 2 g fiber, 18 g sugars, 1g pro.