SUMMER FINALE: ICE CREAM

 

Cold and sweet, olive oil ice cream with almond milk and honey.

I can’t let summer slip by without indulging in a last cold, sweet scoop of ice cream. This unusual ice cream was inspired by an open carton of almond milk that needed to be used. 

Almond milk is already unconventional for ice cream, so I decided to go further—honey in place of sugar and extra virgin olive oil in place of dairy cream. This made a gorgeous ice cream that made me think of Christmas turrón, nougat candy that is made with almonds and honey. 

I’m not a honey connoisseur. I used local honey, a multi-floral with a thyme-y inflection. I also used local extra virgin olive oil, a multi-varietal oil. Choose your best extra virgin for the ice cream as it contributes to the flavor. The oil gives the ice cream richness that usually comes from dairy cream.

The basic recipe admits variations. For a vegan ice cream, thicken the milk-honey-oil cream with cornstarch instead of egg yolks. Citrus complements the flavor of olive oil. But the ice cream can go in completely different taste directions. Try chocolate mocha (unsweetened cocoa powder and instant coffee); mango pulp with ginger and cardamom; figs with vanilla. 

Use an ice cream churn if you’ve got one. I don’t, so I use a two- or three-step procedure, partially freezing the cream, beating it smooth with a blender, returning it to the freezer and once again beating it smooth. 

Once the cream has frozen hard, remove it from the freezer 5 to 10 minutes before serving to soften enough for scooping. (Tip: If the ice cream will be served a few portions at a time, it's convenient to freeze them in individual cups so you don't have to soften the whole container of ice cream.)

I served the ice cream with fresh raspberries and salted almonds. It would also be good alongside a peach tart or apple crumble. Or pour hot fudge sauce over it.

Salted almonds complement the honey-sweet ice cream.

Dairy-Free Olive Oil Ice Cream

Helado de Aceite de Oliva sin Lacteos

No dairy in this ice cream--almond milk, olive oil.

Serves 6.

1/3 cup honey

3 cups (unsweetened) almond milk

3-inch strip of orange peel

Pinch of salt

4 large egg yolks

1/3 cup + 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons orange juice

1 tablespoon dark rum (optional)

Place the honey in a saucepan on medium heat just until it becomes fluid. Whisk in the almond milk, orange peel and salt. Heat, stirring, until bubbles begin to rise around the edges. 

Stir the yolks together in a bowl. Use a ladle or cup with a pouring spout to scoop up 1 cup of the hot honey-milk. Whisk it very gradually into the yolks. When combined, gradually stir the yolk mixture into the milk in the pan. Over medium heat, cook it, stirring constantly, until the milk is slightly thickened, about 8 minutes. 

Strain the mixture through a sieve, discarding the orange peel. Cover the surface with plastic film. Cool, then chill the mixture 8 hours.

Soft-freeze, beat smooth.

Use a hand-held beater or immersion blender to beat 1/3 cup of the oil into the milk mixture. Pour the mixture into an ice cream churn and process according to manufacturers’ directions. Or, if ice cream maker is not available, pour the mixture into a metal bowl and place in the freezer until it is partially frozen. Use mixer or blender to beat it until smooth and return it to the freezer. 

Add remaining 2 tablespoons of oil, orange juice and rum, if using, to the soft-frozen ice cream. Churn again or beat it into the cream and return the bowl to the freezer. If desired, cream can once again be partially frozen and beaten before being allowed to freeze hard.

To serve, allow the ice cream to soften 5 to 10 minutes before scooping.

Variations on the ice cream theme, both sweet and savory:

Watermelon Ice.

Watermelon Ice.

Meringue Milk Ice.(Leche Merengada)

Coffee Granizado.

Quince Sorbet.

Sorbet of Moroccan Mint Tea.

Lemon Ice Cream.

Prune-Sherry Ice Cream with Burnt Sugar Sauce.

Saffron Ice Cream with Pine Nut Praliné.

Fruit Ice Cream with Yogurt.

Tomato Ice Cream (sweet).

Gazpacho Sorbet with Black Olives.

Cucumber Granita.

Avocado Ice Cream with Red Pepper Swirl.

Not ice cream! This is why I needed the carton of almond milk: a quickie version of Ajo Blanco con Uvas, Malaga's white gazpacho with almonds and garlic. Combine almond milk with stale bread crumbs, garlic, olive oil, salt, and sherry vinegar and blend until completely smooth. Serve it chilled garnished with grapes. Not as good as made with almonds I picked and shelled, blanched and skinned, and ground up, but for easy, not bad!