Basil ice cream, you ask? This light and refreshing combination for easy homemade ice cream will surprise and delight your taste buds … guaranteed.
EASY SUMMER RECIPES:
Easy Summer Recipes for the Garden Harvest
Nutty Basil-Lemon Ice Cream Recipe
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup roughly torn basil leaves, washed and dried
1 1/4 teaspoons lemon extract
4 egg yolks
1 teaspoon cornstarch
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup heavy cream
2/3 cup pine nuts
Place milk in heavy saucepan and heat to simmer (bubbles will form around outside of pan, but do not boil). Immediately remove pan from heat and add basil and lemon extract; stir and cover. Set aside to infuse for 1 hour, stirring once or twice.
Strain milk-basil mixture through fine sieve.
In large bowl, whisk together egg yolks, cornstarch and sugar until pale and smooth. Slowly whisk in milk-basil mixture until fully incorporated. Return all to saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture coats back of spoon. Remove from heat immediately. (Important: Do not allow yourself to be distracted during this process. Watch mixture carefully and remove from heat as soon as it coats spoon. You can determine this when you dip spoon into custard, and it forms a solid layer. Run your finger across custard, and if it makes a clear line without running, it’s done.)
Set pan of custard in large bowl filled with ice water to cool. Stir cream into custard.
Meanwhile, in dry skillet, toast pine nuts just until you smell a nutty aroma. Cool for 15 minutes, then process in food processor until chunky paste forms.
Once everything is cooled (about 30 minutes), stir nuts into custard.
Pour custard into electric ice cream maker and churn for 30 minutes. Transfer to airtight container and freeze for a few hours before serving. Let sit at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes to soften before serving. Yields 1 1/2 pints.
