Boozy ice cream desserts evolve from childhood favorites

Some say ice cream is perfect all by itself, but we say it can still be elevated by the spirited company it keeps. At the adult ice cream concept Parlour at the Pavilion in Chicago, executive pastry chef Scott Green offers indulgent ice cream sundaes including the $16 Tiki God with coconut rum. Other sundaes include The Chicagoland ($28) with chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream, chocolate ice cream, caramel popcorn, cheesecake bites, chocolate cake, hot fudge, salted caramel, whipped cream and a cherry. The Carmen Miranda ($28) is a combination of black raspberry sorbet, exotic sorbet, banana ice cream, fresh fruit, macadamia nuts, toasted coconut, banana chips, crème Anglaise, exotic sauce and whipped ice cream.

In Milwaukee, executive chef Justin Carlisle of Ardent has created a Sugar Cookie Milkshake with Brown Butter Ice Cream. The adult version is made with vanilla vodka, salted caramel vodka and coconut-flavored or coffee-flavored liqueur.

Pastry chef Kristin Feuer of Small Batch, part of Playa Provisions in Playa Del Rey, CA, builds good-quality bourbon right into her recipe for Bourbon Ice Cream, and serves it with chocolate-covered honeycomb candy. She says the flavors of the candy are a perfect complement for the bourbon, and when she makes it, the ice cream sells out in a day. Check out these ice cream recipe ideas for more inspiration.

• Sugar Cookie Milkshake with Brown Butter Ice Cream
• Grapes in Port Wine Sauce with Ice Cream
• Bourbon Ice Cream with Chocolate-Covered Honeycomb
• Roasted Pineapple Ice Cream Float
• Smoked Honey Ice Cream
• Bourbon Pecan Ice Cream Tart