Pineapple Ice Cream
Makes: About 5 cups/1.2 liters
This creamy tropical ice cream has a pleasing, slightly crunchy texture from the fibers of the pineapple. It is a labor of love that entails steeping fresh pineapple in a hot sugar syrup and then concentrating some of the syrup for amazing flavor. To take it really over the top, you can then make a beautifully clear, tangy pineapple caramel sauce from the poaching syrup.
Plan Ahead Prepare the Pineapple Purée a minimum of 8 hours and up to 3 days before churning the ice cream.
Fresh Pineapple Purée and Syrup
Makes: About 550 grams/2 cups/473 ml of purée; about 828 grams/3 cups/710 ml of syrup
| sugar | 133 grams | ⅔ cup |
| water | 280 grams | 1 cup plus 3 tablespoons (281 ml) |
| a pineapple, peeled, cored, eyes removed, and cut into chunks | 770 grams | 3 cups |
1) In a small saucepan, with a silicone spatula, stir together the sugar and water and bring it to a boil, stirring constantly. Add the pineapple chunks and swirl them into the pan without stirring. Return it to a boil.
2) Cover and cool at room temperature for 8 to 12 hours.
3) Transfer the pineapple chunks and the syrup to a colander suspended over a bowl to capture the syrup. There will be about 828 grams/3 cups/710 ml of syrup, and about 550 grams/3 cups of pineapple chunks.
4) Into a medium saucepan, weigh or measure 414 grams/1½ cups/355 ml of the syrup for the base. Cover and refrigerate it. In another medium saucepan, reserve the remaining syrup, tightly covered and refrigerated, for the Clear Pineapple Caramel Sauce.
5) In a food processor, purée the pineapple. If you start with 550 grams of pineapple cubes you will end up with about 550 grams/2 cups/473 ml of purée.
6) Into a 2 cup/473 ml glass measure with a spout, weigh or measure 386 grams/1½ cups/355 ml of the purée. Cover and refrigerate it. Freeze any remainder for future use.
The pineapple purée keeps in an airtight container for 5 days refrigerated or 6 months frozen.
Ice Cream Base
| cornstarch | 9 grams | 1 tablespoon |
| milk | 121 grams | ½ cup (118 ml), divided |
| 6 (to 9) large egg yolks | 112 grams | ¼ cup plus 3 tablespoons (104 ml) |
| heavy cream | 348 grams | 1½ cups (355 ml) |
| fine sea salt | . | a pinch |
| Fresh Pineapple Syrup | 414 grams | 1½ cups (355 ml) |
| Fresh Pineapple Purée | 386 grams | 1½ cups (355 ml) |
| pure vanilla extract | . | ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) |
| dark rum (optional) | 26 grams | 2 tablespoons (30 ml) |
* Have ready a fine-mesh strainer suspended over a medium bowl.
* Prepare an ice water bath (see instructions).
1) In a custard cup or small bowl, stir together the cornstarch and 21 grams/2 tablespoons/30 ml of the milk until smooth, adding the milk slowly as you mix it in. Cover with plastic wrap.
2) In a small bowl, place the egg yolks and whisk them lightly. Set it near the cooktop.
3) In a medium saucepan, with a silicone spatula, stir together the remaining milk (100 grams/6 tablespoons/89 ml), the cream, and salt. Heat it until it is hot and set it aside.
4) Set the medium saucepan containing the pineapple syrup over medium heat and bring the syrup to a boil, stirring constantly with a silicone spatula. Lower the heat and continue boiling, stirring often, until the syrup reduces and caramelizes to a deep golden amber. An instant-read thermometer should read 290°F/143°C.
5) Remove the pan from the heat and immediately but gradually add the hot milk mixture. Stir until uniform in color.
6) Stir the cornstarch mixture to make sure it is smooth and then whisk it into the hot mixture. Return the pan to the heat and bring the mixture to a slow boil. Cook for 1 minute, whisking gently. It will thicken slightly.
7) Remove the cornstarch mixture from the heat and gradually whisk about ½ cup/118 ml of the mixture into the egg yolks to temper them. Then use a whisk to stir the egg yolk mixture back into the pot. Check the temperature. If an instant-read thermometer reads 170°F/77°C, there is no need to heat it further. If it is lower, heat the mixture on low, stirring constantly, until thickened a little further. When a finger is run across the back of the spatula, it will leave a well-defined track. An instant-read thermometer should read 170° to 180°F/77° to 82°C.
8) Immediately remove the pan from the heat and pour the mixture into the strainer, scraping up the thickened mixture that has settled on the bottom of the pan. Press it through the strainer and scrape any mixture clinging to the underside into the bowl.
9) Set the bowl in the ice water bath and allow it to cool until no longer warm to the touch, stirring occasionally. Stir in the cold pineapple purée and vanilla. Cover and refrigerate for a minimum of 8 hours or until no warmer than 43°F/6°C. (Alternatively, cool in an ice water bath.) Set a covered storage container in the freezer.
10) Churn the pineapple custard in a prechilled ice cream maker. If adding the rum, add it when the ice cream has reached the consistency of soft serve and begins to ball up around the dasher. Transfer the ice cream to the chilled container. Press a piece of plastic wrap on the surface of the ice cream, cover the container, and allow the ice cream to firm in the freezer for at least 4 hours before serving.
Clear Pineapple Caramel Sauce
Makes: About 231 grams/½ cup plus 2 tablespoons/148 ml
| water | 79 grams | ⅓ cup (79 ml) |
| reserved pineapple syrup | about 414 grams | about 1½ cups (355 ml) |
* Have ready a 1 cup/237 ml glass measure with a spout, lightly coated with nonstick cooking spray.
1) In a small saucepan on the cooktop or in a glass measure in the microwave, heat the water until hot.
2) Set the medium saucepan containing the reserved syrup over medium heat and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and continue boiling, stirring often with a silicone spatula, until it reduces and caramelizes to a deep golden amber. An instant-read thermometer should read 290°F/143°C.
3) Remove the pan from the heat and immediately stir in the hot water, until evenly incorporated. Return the pan to the cooktop and continue boiling until the syrup deepens in color. An instant-read thermometer should read 230° to 240°F/110° to 115°C.
4) Immediately pour the pineapple caramel into the prepared measuring cup. It will be pretty thin but thickens considerably when cooled, and still more when it encounters the ice cream. Cover it, and allow it to cool until warm or room temperature. If desired, transfer it to a squeeze bottle for easy drizzling onto the ice cream.
The sauce keeps in an airtight container for 1 week at room temperature or 1 month refrigerated.
Scoops
* 1 pineapple, peeled, cored, and eyes removed, will yield about 770 grams/3 cups cubed. After soaking, the cubes will release about 270 grams of juice and weigh about 550 grams.
* When cooking the pineapple syrup in Step 4, the acidity of the pineapple causes the sugar to become invert sugar, so I use it in place of glucose in this ice cream recipe.