Lifestyle

Ice cream desserts get a shot of sophistication

At L.A.’s Little Next Door, the classic sundae gets a sophisticated makeover. A parfait glass is layered with almond financiers, figs, huckleberry compote and honey lavender ice cream. Soda fountain favorites — sundaes, shakes, floats and ice cream sandwiches — are sparking the imaginations of ice cream-minded pastry chefs.

At L.A.’s Little Next Door, the classic sundae gets a sophisticated makeover. A parfait glass is layered with almond financiers, figs, huckleberry compote and honey lavender ice cream. Soda fountain favorites — sundaes, shakes, floats and ice cream sandwiches — are sparking the imaginations of ice cream-minded pastry chefs.  (Michael Robinson Chavez / Los Angeles Times)

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sundaes little next door

Little Next Door’s uptown sundae is capped with candied orange zest. It’s the pinnacle expression of well-loved sundae characteristics — the cake-like texture of financiers meets the creaminess of ice cream meets soft-roasted and syrupy fruit in a commingling of textures and temperatures.  (Michael Robinson Chavez / Los Angeles Times)

sundaes sona

At Sona, pastry chef Ramon Perez has reinterpreted an old favorite. Sicilian pistachio ice cream is sandwiched between two crumbly spéculos (thin cookies that he makes with orange zest and molasses) and served with watermelon soda and mint syrup.  (Michael Robinson Chavez / Los Angeles Times)

sundae la mill

Resembling a minimalist artwork, the milk-chocolate coffee panna cotta is a popular dessert selection at LA Mill. The Silver Lake cafe is creating new and bold desserts, many of them with coffee as a core ingredient.  (Michael Robinson Chavez / Los Angeles Times)

sundaes la mill

Passion fruit gelée gets the finishing touch at LA Mill, where white-chocolate coconut soy-milk soup is added to the dessert, which also features lychee-shiso sorbet.  (Michael Robinson Chavez / Los Angeles Times)

sundaes la mill

When it’s warm out, candied ginger soda — served in a sugar-rimmed glass — might hit the spot at LA Mill. Other soda flavors to be offered include candied rooibos and citrus-camomile. “We’ll try to match different ice creams with the sodas,” owner Craig Min says.  (Michael Robinson Chavez / Los Angeles Times)

sundaes la mill

Behold LA Mill’s caffeinated twist on another soda fountain favorite: the root beer float, featuring the popular Silver Lake shop’s own “coffee root beer.” The dessert should be on the menu soon.  (Michael Robinson Chavez / Los Angeles Times)

sundaes la mill

At LA Mill, Providence pastry chef Adrian Vasquez, who creates the desserts for the Silver Lake cafe, has put a black sesame granita served with strawberries on the menu.  (Michael Robinson Chavez / Los Angeles Times)

sundaes la mill

For an afternoon pick-me-up or the grand finale to dinner, a classic Italian dessert is re-imagined as a beverage at LA Mill. Artfully presented, the liquid tiramisu includes Grand Marnier crème anglaise.  (Michael Robinson Chavez / Los Angeles Times)

la mill sundaes

At LA Mill, it’s not a Blanco y Negro until cold-pressed coffee has been poured over the coffee granita and vanilla ice cream.  (Michael Robinson Chavez / Los Angeles Times)

sundaes Brix@1601

At the recently opened Brix@1601 in Hermosa Beach, executive pastry chef Renee Ward has re-imagined the layered sundae as the coconut coupe. Kalamansi lime gelée is layered with raspberry marmalade, fresh raspberries, a coconut sablé, a scoop of coconut lime sorbet and, for a final, flamboyant touch, a teardrop-shaped coconut meringue.  (Ken Hively / Los Angeles Times)

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