The scoop
So many ice creams to choose from, so little summer. It’s enough to make you break into a sweat! Here are our picks to help you cool down on a hot day.
 

1 Marble Slab Creamery
Each of Marble Slab’s 48 flavours of ice cream are hand-crafted in small batches. Flavours include traditional chocolate and vanilla but also soon-to-be classics like Birthday Cake, Lemon Custard or Black Walnut. Customize your cone with 35 different mixings of fresh fruit, cookies, nuts and candy – all blended into your favourite ice cream. Take home a pint (we admire your self control) or enjoy right away (which is what we did) in a waffle cone. Locations in BC, Alberta, Ontario and Manitoba.

2 Ben & Jerry’s
Enjoy the clever names (Cherry Garcia, Chunky Monkey) from ice cream icons Ben & Jerry’s? Now’s your chance to go down in ice cream history. A new flavour (vanilla ice cream with fudge covered waffle cone pieces) currently called We are Waffling needs a Canadian moniker. Think you’re up to the challenge? You have until June 21, 2010 to enter the NameOurPint contest on Facebook.
3 Hamilton Beach half pint soft-serve ice cream maker
Create dreamy desserts at home with your own fresh ingredients in minutes. Includes two half pint mixing bowls that you pop in the freezer, plus recipes to get you started. Then you’re only limited by your imagination. We made vanilla with crushed Oreos and a strawberry rhubarb swirl – both were divine! The half pint maker can also be used for frozen yogurt or fruit slushes. They’re easy to use and are perfect for kids to make their own treats. $40, hamiltonbeach.ca.
4 The Perfect Scoop
If you have an ice cream maker tucked away, dust it off and check out The Perfect Scoop: Ice Creams, Sorbets, Granitas and Sweet Accompaniments by David Lebovitz ( $22, tenspeed.com). Make professional ice cream at home in delectable flavours like Tin Roof (vanilla with chocolate covered peanuts and fudge – yum!) or impress party guests at your next fete with homemade tartufi. Try them for yourself:
Tin Roof
Tartufi Tin roof ice cream
Topped with chocolate-covered peanuts, this delicious ice cream flavour is refreshingly sweet and tasty.

Coffee, cookies and cream ice cream
Combine coffee ice cream with cookie bits and you've got a sinfully delicious treat.

Nutty ice cream burgers
Skip the grill for these burgers -- ice cream and delicious cookies make this cool treat a great way to end a barbecue.

Nigella Lawson's pomegranate ice cream
Nigella Lawson gives you an ice cream treat that's ready in 5 easy steps.

Milk chocolate haystack ice cream loaf
Chocolate, ice cream and sweet coconut make for an enticing and decadent layered cake.

Blueberry ice cream
Indulge in this cool treat on its own or paired with warm pie.

ice cream brle
Cool off on a summer day with this precious dessert.

Chocolate raspberry truffle ice cream
It's hard to go wrong when making this simple yet elegant dessert.

Honey-orange-pistachio ice cream
Try this surprisingly fun combination for dessert one day out in the backyard

I'Scream Cake
This Halloween cake recipe calls for an unexpected but delicious filling of vanilla ice cream.

Mango gelato
Whip up this creamy dessert for a summer soiree on the patio.

Tartufi
Beat the heat and satisfy your chocolate craving with these delicious confections.