Best 4 Basil Ice Cream Recipes

CINNAMON-BASIL ICE CREAM

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, heat milk to 175°. Remove from the heat; add basil and cinnamon stick. Cover and steep 30 minutes. Strain, discarding basil and cinnamon stick., Return to the heat; stir in sugar until dissolved. Whisk a small amount of the hot mixture into egg yolks. Return all to the pan, whisking constantly. Cook and stir over low heat until mixture is just thick enough to coat a metal spoon and a thermometer reads at least 160°, stirring constantly. Do not allow to boil. Remove from heat immediately., Quickly transfer to a large bowl; place bowl in a pan of ice water. Stir gently and occasionally until cool, about 5 minutes. Stir in cream and vanilla. Press plastic wrap onto surface of custard. Refrigerate several hours or overnight., Fill cylinder of ice cream maker no more than two-thirds full; freeze according to manufacturer's directions. (Refrigerate any remaining mixture until ready to freeze.) , Transfer ice cream to freezer containers, allowing headspace for expansion. Freeze until firm, 2-4 hours. , If desired, sprinkle with ground cinnamon.

BASIL ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Bring milk, basil, 1/4 cup sugar, and a pinch of salt to a boil in a 2-quart heavy saucepan, stirring, then remove from heat and let steep 30 minutes. Transfer to a blender (reserve saucepan) and blend until basil is finely ground, about 1 minute.
• Beat together yolks and remaining 1/4 cup sugar in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until thick and pale, about 1 minute. Add milk mixture in a stream, beating until combined well. Pour mixture into reserved saucepan and cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until mixture coats back of spoon and registers 175°F on thermometer (do not let boil). Immediately remove from heat and pour through a fine-mesh sieve into a metal bowl. Set bowl in a larger bowl of ice water and stir until cold, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Stir in cream and freeze in ice cream maker. Transfer ice cream to an airtight container and put in freezer to harden, at least 2 hours.

MINT OR BASIL ICE CREAM

Steps:

• In a food processor, pulse together mint or basil leaves and sugar until pulverized and bright green.
• In a small pot, simmer heavy cream, milk, herb sugar and salt until sugar completely dissolves, about 5 minutes. Remove pot from heat. In a separate bowl, whisk yolks. Whisking constantly, slowly whisk about a third of the hot cream into the yolks, then whisk the yolk mixture back into the pot with the cream.
• Return pot to medium-low heat and gently cook until mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon (about 170 degrees on an instant-read thermometer). Remove from heat and allow custard to steep for 30 minutes.
• Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Cool mixture to room temperature. Cover and chill at least 4 hours or overnight.
• Churn in an ice cream machine according to manufacturer's instructions. Serve directly from the machine for soft serve, or store in freezer until needed.

SWEET-CORN AND BASIL ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Combine milk, cream, corn, and basil in a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, remove from heat, and cover. Let steep 10 minutes.
• Whisk together egg yolks, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Gradually whisk in half of milk mixture. Pour egg-milk mixture back into pan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon, 6 to 8 minutes.
• Pour custard through a fine sieve into a bowl set in a larger bowl of ice water; discard solids. Let cool, stirring occasionally. Cover and refrigerate until cold, at least 1 hour; custard can be refrigerated up to 2 days ahead.
• Chill a loaf pan in freezer at least 10 minutes. Freeze and churn custard in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's directions, then transfer to pan. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze until hardened, at least 2 hours; ice cream can be frozen up to 2 weeks ahead.