Raspberry ice cream is one of life’s most unabashed luxuries. I prefer to strain out the seeds, which interfere with the sublime smoothness and pleasure of this ice cream. To do this, purée the raspberries in a food processor, then press them through a mesh strainer with a flexible rubber spatula, or use a food mill. This recipe requires 1½ cups (375 ml) of purée, so you’ll need to begin with about 6 cups (750 g) of fresh or frozen raspberries.
MAKES ABOUT 1 QUART (1 LITER)
1½ cups (375 ml) half-and-half
1 cup (200 g) sugar
1½ cups (375 ml) heavy cream
4 large egg yolks
1½ cups (375 ml) strained raspberry purée
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
Warm the half-and-half and sugar in a medium saucepan. Pour the cream into a large bowl and set a mesh strainer over the top.
In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm milk into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.
Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. Pour the custard through the strainer and stir it into the cream. Mix in the raspberry purée and lemon juice, then stir until cool over an ice bath.
Chill thoroughly in the refrigerator, but to preserve the fresh raspberry taste, churn the ice cream within 4 hours after making the mixture.
PERFECT PAIRING: Italians dip ice cream in pure, dark chocolate, creating Tartufi, truffles of ice cream. Serve Raspberry Tartufi with White Chocolate Sauce.
As a smart shopper, I like to outwit unsuspecting produce clerks who don’t know any better and mark down passion fruits that are ugly and deeply wrinkled, which actually indicates that they’re perfectly ripe and ready to use. I buy any and all, whether I need them right away or not, since the pulp freezes beautifully. You can find good-quality frozen passion fruit pulp in Latin markets as well (or see Resources). I like to add a drop or two of pure orange oil to augment the passion fruit flavor, but if unavailable, you can substitute a few swipes of freshly grated orange zest if you wish.
To extract the pulp, cut each passion fruit in half at the equator and scoop the pulp and seeds into a nonreactive strainer set over a bowl. Use a flexible rubber spatula to press and extract as much as the precious pulp as possible, until the seeds look rather dry. You can freeze the fragrant pulp or use it right away. But save a few of the seeds to add back to the ice cream just after it’s churned.
MAKES ABOUT 3 CUPS (750 ML)
½ cup (125 ml) fresh or frozen passion fruit pulp (from 6 to 8 fresh passion fruits)
1 cup (250 ml) heavy cream
6 tablespoons (90 ml) whole milk
7 tablespoons (85 g) sugar
Pinch of salt
3 large egg yolks
A few drops pure orange oil, or grated zest of 1 small orange (optional)
Spoonful of passion fruit seeds (optional)
Mix together the passion fruit pulp and ½ cup (125 ml) of the cream in a large bowl. Set a mesh strainer over the bowl.
Warm the milk, sugar, salt, and the remaining ½ cup (125 ml) cream in a medium saucepan. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.
Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. Pour the custard through the strainer and stir it into the passion fruit and cream mixture. Mix in a few drops of orange oil, if using, then stir until cool over an ice bath.
Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Add a spoonful of passion fruit seeds to the custard during the last few minutes of churning, if you wish.
I had a sheltered life growing up in staid New England and never tasted an avocado until I was a teenager and took my first trip to California. There I was served a salad loaded with chunks of avocado, squishy, pale, and icky green. I tried to spear the offending slices to get them off my plate, but they resisted my persistent jabs and kept eluding my grasp. Now I realize that those luscious tidbits were trying to tell me something, and I regret the loss of so many avocados that I could have loved.
If you’re hesitant to try avocado ice cream, let my foolhardy prejudice be a lesson to you. The best avocados are the pebbly-skinned Hass variety. When ripe and ready, the flesh should give just a little when pressed. And be sure to try the Avocado Licuado con Leche in the Perfect Pairing at the end of the recipe. It is unbelievably delicious.
MAKES 1 QUART (1 LITER)
3 medium-sized ripe Hass avocados (about 1½ pounds, 675 g)
¾ cup (150 g) sugar
1 cup (240 g) sour cream
½ cup (125 ml) heavy cream
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
Big pinch of salt
Slice the avocados in half and pluck out the pits. Scoop out the flesh with a spoon and cut it into little pieces.
Purée the avocado pieces in a blender or food processor with the sugar, sour cream, heavy cream, lime juice, and salt until smooth and the sugar is dissolved.
Freeze immediately in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
PERFECT PAIRING: A great summertime refresher is Avocado Licuado con Leche (or batido) milkshakes, popular in South and Central America. For each serving, put 2 scoops (4 ounces, 115 g) of Avocado Ice Cream in a blender along with ½ cup (125 ml) milk, 2 teaspoons sugar, 3 ice cubes, and a squirt of freshly squeezed lime juice. Blend until smooth, then pour into a glass. A shot of espresso can be added as well.
Toasted Coconut Ice Cream marbled with Mango Sorbet
I’ll admit that my favorite selection from the shiny white Good Humor jalopy that cruised our neighborhood was simply called Toasted Coconut: vanilla ice cream on a stick, coated with lots of sugary-sweet coconut.
On the last fateful day that I’d ever see the Good Humor man, the bully next door decided to spray him with water from a hose as he slowly circled our block. He beat a hasty retreat and never came back. Being blackballed by the Good Humor man made that the worst summer of my life. I don’t know what happened to the neighborhood bully, but now that I’m an adult I can have Toasted Coconut Ice Cream whenever I want. And I do. Above, this ice cream is pictured marbled with Mango Sorbet.
MAKES ABOUT 1 QUART (1 LITER)
1 cup (70 g) dried shredded coconut, preferably unsweetened
1 cup (250 ml) whole milk
2 cups (500 ml) heavy cream
¾ cup (150 g) sugar
Big pinch of salt
1 vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise
5 large egg yolks
½ teaspoon vanilla extract, or 1 teaspoon rum
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Spread the coconut on a baking sheet and bake for 5 to 8 minutes, stirring it frequently so it toasts evenly. Remove it from the oven when it’s nice and fragrant and golden brown.
In a medium saucepan, warm the milk, 1 cup (250 ml) of the heavy cream, sugar, and salt and add the toasted coconut. Use a paring knife, and scrape all the vanilla seeds into the warm milk, then add the pod as well. Cover, remove from the heat, and let steep at room temperature for 1 hour.
Rewarm the coconut-infused mixture. Set a mesh strainer over another medium saucepan and strain the coconut-infused liquid through the strainer into the saucepan. Press down on the coconut very firmly with a flexible rubber spatula to extract as much of the flavor from it as possible. Remove the vanilla bean pieces (rinse and reserve them for another use), and discard the coconut.
Pour the remaining 1 cup (250 ml) heavy cream into a large bowl and set the mesh strainer on top. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm coconut-infused mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.
Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. Pour the custard through the strainer and stir it into the cream. Mix in the vanilla or rum and stir until cool over an ice bath.
Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
If you’re lucky enough to snag a reservation at Le Grand Véfour, the restaurant that presides over the splendid Palais Royal in Paris, you’ll be treated to a culinary tour de force. In this jewel box of a restaurant, my advice is to sit back and let chef Guy Martin and his staff pamper you like royalty, which they have elevated to an art.
When it comes time for dessert, you scan the menu, but …“Can that be right?” you think to yourself, trying to recall snippets of your high school French. Indeed, chef Martin is fond of using vegetables in unexpected ways, often in desserts. But if you’ve ever enjoyed a wedge of carrot cake, you’ll know that it’s not so strange.
This ice cream is inspired by a dessert I had at his restaurant: a small, crispy cone filled with bright green ice cream that had the dewy taste of tiny spring peas. At home, in addition to serving it for dessert, I’ve found that it makes a lovely garnish to a bowl of chilled summer soup.
MAKES ABOUT 1 QUART (1 LITER)
1 pound (450 g) green peas, fresh or frozen
¾ cup (180 ml) whole milk
¾ cup (150 g) sugar
1½ cups (375 ml) heavy cream
6 large egg yolks
½ cup (20 g) lightly packed fresh mint leaves
Bring about 3 quarts (3 liters) of lightly salted water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the peas. While the peas are cooking, fill a large bowl half full with ice cubes and water. After 10 minutes of cooking, drain the peas and add them to the ice water right away. After 1 minute, drain the peas in a mesh strainer and remove any pieces of ice. (Hold on to the saucepan and strainer, since you’ll use them again.)
Warm the milk and sugar in the saucepan. Pour the cream into a large bowl, add the drained peas, and set the mesh strainer over the top.
In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm milk into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the pan.
Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. Pour the custard through the strainer and stir it into the cream and peas. Stir until cool over an ice bath.
Pour the mixture into a blender, add the mint leaves, and blend until smooth. Press the mixture through a coarse mesh strainer and discard any tough pea skins. You can also pass the mixture through a food mill fitted with a fine disk.
Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
PERFECT PAIRING: Use as a garnish for a cold summer soup, such as vichyssoise or cucumber-yogurt soup.
Standing in front of an immense, intricately carved wooden door in Fez, Morocco, my guide handed me a big bunch of fresh mint, shoving it firmly under my nose and telling me not to move it from there or I’d be sorry. Sure enough, when the gate swung open and we entered a tannery I kept my face deeply buried in the mint, as advised, and was happy for the good advice. Afterward I didn’t want to part with it since I love the aroma of fresh mint so much.
I use mint for much more than an air freshener. It makes a wonderfully invigorating ice cream. I’ve planted mint in my garden against the warnings of friends, who say it’ll take over before I know it, but I’ve never had a problem using it all. And they’ve never had a problem eating the ice cream I make from it either.
MAKES ABOUT 1 QUART (1 LITER)
1 cup (250 ml) whole milk
¾ cup (150 g) sugar
2 cups (500 ml) heavy cream
Pinch of salt
2 cups (80 g) lightly packed fresh mint leaves
5 large egg yolks
Warm the milk, sugar, 1 cup (250 ml) of the cream, and salt in a small saucepan. Add the mint leaves and stir until they’re immersed in the liquid. Cover, remove from the heat, and let steep at room temperature for 1 hour.
Strain the mint-infused mixture through a mesh strainer into a medium saucepan. Press on the mint leaves to extract as much of the flavor as possible, then discard the mint leaves. Pour the remaining 1 cup (250 ml) heavy cream into a large bowl and set the strainer on top.
Rewarm the mint-infused mixture. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm mint liquid into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.
Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. Pour the custard through the strainer and stir it into the cream. Stir until cool over an ice bath.
Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
PERFECT PAIRINGS: Make Good Scout Ice Cream Sandwiches by using Chocolate Ice Cream Sandwich Cookies to surround scoops of Fresh Mint Ice Cream. You can also get that same chocolate-mint cookie effect by layering the just-churned ice cream with a swirl of Fudge Ripple, Stracciatella, or crumbled bits of Chewy-Dense Brownies.
Italians will often serve a Torta di Verdura for dessert, a cross between a cake and a tart packed with leafy greens. The first time I tried it I was unsure if I’d like it, but I found it unusually delicious and devoured the slice offered. Italian basil, which has a slight aniselike scent, provides the base for this herbaceous ice cream. This is wonderful to make in the summer when large bunches of basil are abundantly available at the market.
MAKES ABOUT 1 QUART (1 LITER)
1 cup (25 g) packed basil leaves
¾ cup (150 g) sugar
2 cups (500 ml) heavy cream
1 cup (250 ml) whole milk
Pinch of salt
5 large egg yolks
1 lemon, preferably unsprayed
Using a blender or small food processor, grind the basil leaves with the sugar and 1 cup (250 ml) of the cream until the leaves are ground as fine as possible. Pour about half of the basil mixture into a large bowl and add the remaining 1 cup (250 ml) cream. Set a mesh strainer on top.
Warm the other half of the basil mixture in a medium saucepan along with the milk and salt. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.
Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. Pour the custard through the strainer and stir it into the cream. Zest the lemon directly into the custard, then stir until cool over an ice bath.
Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
PERFECT PAIRING: Try Basil Ice Cream paired with Strawberries in Lemon Syrup. For 4 servings, combine 1 cup (250 ml) water and ¼ cup (50 g) sugar with the grated zest of 1 lemon in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring, until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat, pour into a bowl, and chill thoroughly.
Hull and quarter 1 pound (450 g) of strawberries. Add them to the lemon syrup and let macerate in the refrigerator for 1 to 4 hours. To serve, spoon the strawberries and some lemon syrup into shallow bowls and float a scoop of Basil Ice Cream in the center.
This ice cream is very popular at a wine bar I frequent, where it’s served floating in a fruit soup surrounded by fresh berries. The contrast between the parsley-flecked ice cream and the rosy red berries floating in pink syrup is almost too lovely to eat. But after a few glasses of wine, inhibitions are lost and you’re more susceptible to sly attempts of culinary persuasion. Believe me, the combination sounds perfectly reasonable after a couple of glasses of Chablis.
I use only flat-leaf parsley, which has a subtle hint of anise flavor. It first gets blanched and then shocked in ice water to preserve its brilliant green color.
Note that this recipe makes only about a pint of ice cream, perfect for a small get-together. Double the amounts if you wish.
MAKES ABOUT 2 CUPS (500 ML)
1 cup (25 g) packed flat-leaf parsley leaves
1½ cups (375 ml) half-and-half
⅓ cup (65 g) sugar
Pinch of salt
2 large egg yolks
Bring about 4 cups (1 liter) of water to a boil in a saucepan. Meanwhile, prepare an ice bath by filling a small bowl with cold water and adding a few ice cubes.
Once the water is boiling, add the parsley and let it boil for 10 seconds. Drain the parsley (keep the saucepan handy) and immediately drop it in the cold water to shock it. Remove the parsley and squeeze it very tightly in your hand to extract as much water as possible.
Purée the parsley on high speed in a blender with ¾ cup of the half-and-half for 30 seconds, until the parsley is very finely ground.
In the saucepan, warm the remaining ¾ cup half-and-half with the sugar and salt. Scrape the parsley mixture into a large bowl and set a mesh strainer on top.
In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.
Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. Pour the custard through the strainer and stir it into the parsley mixture. Stir until cool over an ice bath.
Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
PERFECT PAIRING: Serve with Strawberries in Lemon Syrup.
Black pepper ice cream tastes spicy and lively, as you probably can imagine. I like it as a contrast to sweet summer berries, or pears roasted with a swirl of dark honey in autumn. If you don’t have a mortar and pestle, crack the peppercorns in a heavy-duty plastic bag with a hammer.
MAKES ABOUT 2 CUPS (500 ML)
½ cup (125 ml) whole milk
⅓ cup (65 g) sugar
1 tablespoon black peppercorns, coarsely cracked
Pinch of salt
1 cup (250 ml) heavy cream
3 large egg yolks
Warm the milk, sugar, peppercorns, salt, and ½ cup (125 ml) of the cream in a medium saucepan. Cover, remove from the heat, and let steep at room temperature for 1 hour.
Rewarm the peppercorn-infused mixture. Pour the remaining ½ cup (125 ml) cream into a large bowl and set a mesh strainer on top. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.
Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. Pour the custard through the strainer, pressing the peppercorns gently to extract as much flavor as possible. Discard the peppercorns and stir the custard into the cream. Stir until cool over an ice bath.
Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
PERFECT PAIRING: Icy-cold Melon in Lime Syrup is the perfect accompaniment to Black Pepper Ice Cream. Zest 2 limes into a small saucepan. Add 1 cup (250 ml) water and ¾ cup (150 g) sugar, bring the mixture to a boil, and cook until the syrup is reduced to ¾ cup (180 ml). Remove from the heat, pour into a bowl, and chill thoroughly.
Peel, seed, and cut a cantaloupe or honeydew melon into 1-inch (3-cm) chunks, and add them to the syrup. Chill for at least 1 hour, then serve the melon pieces with some of the syrup, alongside the Black Pepper Ice Cream. Garnish with a few grains of cracked pink peppercorns.
After an exotic Indian or Moroccan feast, sprinkle this ice cream (and your guests) with a few drops of rosewater and top it all off (the ice cream, not your guests) with a few toasted pine nuts. For a stunning presentation, serve it on a platter with thinly sliced oranges dusted with cinnamon and scattered with candied French Almonds.
MAKES ABOUT 2 CUPS (500 ML)
½ cup (125 ml) whole milk
1 cup (250 ml) heavy cream
½ cup (100 g) sugar
Scant ½ teaspoon saffron threads
3 large egg yolks
Warm the milk, cream, and sugar in a small saucepan. Remove from the heat and add the saffron. Pour into a small bowl and steep in the refrigerator for 4 hours.
Strain the saffron-infused mixture into a medium saucepan. Rescue the threads of saffron and put them in a medium bowl. Set the strainer over the top.
Rewarm the saffron-infused mixture. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm saffron mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.
Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. Pour the custard through the strainer and stir to incorporate the saffron threads. Stir until cool over an ice bath.
Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Be sure to scrape off any saffron threads stuck to the dasher and stir them back into the frozen ice cream.
VARIATION: To make Saffron–Pine Nut Ice Cream, add ¼ cup toasted pine nuts to the ice cream during the last 5 minutes of churning.
PERFECT PAIRING: Serve Saffron Ice Cream with Vanilla-Poached Quince. To poach the quince, for 6 to 8 servings you need to start out with 3 quinces (2 pounds, 1 kg). Peel and quarter the quinces, then remove the seeds and cores with a melon baller. In a nonreactive saucepan, heat 1½ cups (300 g) sugar, 4 cups (1 liter) water, and 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise. While the syrup is heating, cut the quinces into 1-inch (3-cm) slices.
Add the quince slices to the syrup, cover with a round of parchment paper, and cook at a gentle simmer for about 1½ hours, or until the quince slices are rosy and tender. Let cool to room temperature, then serve the quince slices with a scoop of Saffron Ice Cream and some of the delicious poaching liquid, which can be reduced to a thick syrup before serving.
