David Paul Morris/Getty Images

Tubs of ice cream are displayed at Swensen's Ice Cream shop on July 5, 2007 in San Francisco, California.

Dessert lovers and foodies have had plenty of sweet treat trends to choose from over the last few years, including cupcakes, donuts and gelato, but is the next new thing actually as simple as a bowl of vanilla ice cream?

Well, sort of. Americans have been falling in love all over again with the frozen treat, which means a rise in stores featuring novelty flavors (prosciutto, anyone?), as well as small-batch, artisanal ice-cream makers invested in high-quality, limited-availability ingredients. Some shops are even trying to elevate eating ice cream to the level of a fine dining experience with flavors like mole and pink peppercorn.

WEIGH IN:

Have you returned to eating ice cream as a dessert? What’s been the most unusual flavor you’ve tried, or the tastiest?

Guest:

Anneli Rufus, author; food writer

Mollie Engelhart, founder, KindKreme Vegan Ice Cream