Ice Cream and Frozen Desserts

This offering from the California Culinary Academy is a fine treatment of a perennial favorite. The pedagogy is systematic but never burdensome. First come basic recipes for custard-based and noncustard-based ice creams, gelati, sorbets and frozen yogurt, ice milk and granitas. Featured next is a spectrum of flavorings, ripples, soda-fountain syrups, toppings and sauces. Step-by-step instructions cover such crucial maneuvers as assembling the perfect ice-cream soda, malted, sundae or parfait. More complicated constructions, such as ice-cream sandwiches, ""spaghetti'' and ``pizza,'' alcoholic concoctions, bombes and snowmen are also included before a finale of truly exotic fare that comprises garlic and Brie ice creams and beer sorbet with chocolate pretzels. Gandara is a professional chef. Photos not seen by PW. (May)