Basil Ice Cream

We love ice cream. Honestly, who doesn’t?

This fun, light, summery recipe is a perfect weekend treat and helps use some of that insane amount of basil that is slowly trying to take over your garden.

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup sugar

  • 1 lemon

  • 1 tablespoons (1 big handful) basil leaves

  • 2 cups cream

  • 1 cup full fat milk

  • 1/2 tsp salt

  • 5 large egg yolks

Instructions

  1. Combine sugar and zest from lemon. Mix together until fully combined and sugar starts to smell like lemon.

  2. Finely shred the basil leaves (a food processor is best for this) then combine with the lemon sugar and one cup of the heavy cream. Mix together carefully, without whipping the cream. Pour half of the mixture through a strainer into a large bowl. Add the remaining heavy cream.

  3. Heat the other half of the basil lemon puree in a saucepan along with the whole milk and salt over medium heat. In another bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. When the basil mixture is steaming, slowly pour into the egg yolks while whisking constantly. Return the mixture back into the saucepan.

  4. Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about five minutes. Pour the custard through the strainer into the bowl with the cream mixture. Cool custard over an ice bath while stirring.

  5. Chill completely, then freeze in an ice cream machine. Allow to freeze completely before serving.

  6. Serve with olive oil cake, grilled peaches or plain, garnished with a twist of candied lemon and fresh basil leaves.

Carolina Mejia