from The Perfect Scoop

Makes about 1 quart

1 cup dried shredded coconut
1 cup whole milk
2 cups heavy cream
3/4 cup sugar
big pinch of salt
1 vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise
5 large egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Spread the coconut on a baking sheet and bake for 5 to 8 minutes, stirring it frequently so it toasts evenly. Remove it from the oven when it’s nice and fragrant and golden brown.

In a medium saucepan, warm the milk, 1 cup of the heavy cream, sugar, and salt and add the toasted coconut. Use a paring knife and scrape all the vanilla seeds into the warm milk, then add the pod as well. Cover, remove from the heat, and let steep at room temperature for 1 hour.

Rewarm the coconut-infused mixture. Set a mesh strainer over another medium saucepan and strain the coconut-infused liquid through the strainer into the saucepan. Press down on the coconut very firmly with a flexible rubber spatula to extract as much of the flavor from it as possible. Remove the vanilla bean halves (rinse and reserve them for another use), and discard the coconut.

Pour the remaining 1 cup heavy cream into a large bowl and set the mesh strainer on top. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm coconut-infused mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.

Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. Pour the custard through the strainer and stir it into the cream. Mix in the vanilla or rum and stir over an ice bath until cool.

Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

For the caramel praline (mix-in)
½ cup (100 gr) sugar
¾ teaspoon sea salt, such as fleur de sel

For the ice cream custard:
2 cups (500 ml) whole milk, divided
1½ cups (300 gr) sugar
4 tablespoons (60 gr) salted butter
scant ½ teaspoon sea salt
1 cups (250 ml) heavy cream
5 large egg yolks
¾ teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
1. To make the caramel praline, spread the ½ cup (100 gr) of sugar in an even layer in a medium-sized, unlined heavy duty saucepan: I use a 6 quart/liter pan. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or brush it sparingly with unflavored oil.

2. Heat the sugar over moderate heat until the edges begin to melt. Use a heatproof utensil to gently stir the liquefied sugar from the bottom and edges towards the center, stirring, until all the sugar is dissolved. (Or most of it—there may be some lumps, which will melt later.)

Continue to cook stirring infrequently until the caramel starts smoking and begins to smell like it's just about to burn. It won't take long.

3. Without hesitation, sprinkle in the ¾ teaspoon salt without stirring (don't even pause to scratch your nose), then pour the caramel onto the prepared baking sheet and lift up the baking sheet immediately, tilting and swirling it almost vertically to encourage the caramel to form as thin a layer as possible. Set aside to harden and cool.

4. To make the ice cream, make an ice bath by filling a large bowl about a third full with ice cubes and adding a cup or so of water so they're floating. Nest a smaller metal bowl (at least 2 quarts/liters) over the ice, pour 1 cup (250 ml) of the milk into the inner bowl, and rest a mesh strainer on top of it.

5. Spread 1½ cups (300 gr) sugar in the saucepan in an even layer. Cook over moderate heat, until caramelized, using the same method described in Step #2.

6. Once caramelized, remove from heat and stir in the butter and salt, until butter is melted, then gradually whisk in the cream, stirring as you go.

The caramel may harden and seize, but return it to the heat and continue to stir over low heat until any hard caramel is melted. Stir in 1 cup (250 ml) of the milk.

7. Whisk the yolks in a small bowl and gradually pour some of the warm caramel mixture over the yolks, stirring constantly. Scrape the warmed yolks back into the saucepan and cook the custard using a heatproof utensil, stirring constantly (scraping the bottom as you stir) until the mixture thickens. If using an instant-read thermometer, it should read 160-170 F (71-77 C).

8. Pour the custard through the strainer into the milk set over the ice bath, add the vanilla, then stir frequently until the mixture is cooled down. Refrigerate at least 8 hours or until thoroughly chilled.

9. Freeze the mixture in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.

10. While the ice cream is churning, crumble the hardened caramel praline into very little bits, about the size of very large confetti (about ½-inch, or 1 cm). I use a mortar and pestle, although you can make your own kind of music using your hands or a rolling pin.

11. Once your caramel ice cream is churned, quickly stir in the crushed caramel, then chill in the freezer until firm.

Note: As the ice cream sits, the little bits of caramel may liquefy and get runny and gooey, which is what they're intended to do.

Variations: Add some strong liquid espresso (or instant espresso powder) to the custard to taste, prior to churning the ice cream to make Coffee-Caramel Ice Cream.

About 1 quart (1 liter)

Ingredients:
2/3 cup (130 g) sugar
1 cup (250 ml) whole milk
1 cup plus 1 cup heavy cream (500 ml, total)
8 ounces (230 g) white chocolate, finely chopped
5 large egg yolks

Directions:
Add the sugar, the milk and 1 cup of heavy cream to the saucepan and warm the mixture.

Put the chopped white chocolate in a large bowl.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, then gradually add some of the cream mixture, whisking constantly as you pour in the warm cream. Pour the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.

Cook over low heat, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom with a heat-resistant spatula until the custard thickens enough to coat the spatula. Strain the custard into the white chocolate, and stir until the chocolate is completely melted. Discard the ginger. Add the remaining 1 cup of heavy cream and chill thoroughly. You can set the bowl over an ice bath to speed it up.

Chill mixture thoroughly, then freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups half-and-half (I used whole milk this time and it turned out great)
1 cup sugar
1 ½ cups heavy cream
4 large egg yolks
1 ½ cups strained raspberry puree (from approximately six cups of fresh or frozen raspberries)
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/3 cup chopped bittersweet chocolate

Directions:
Blend the raspberries in a food processor, and then press the puree through a mesh strainer (note: this is a bit messy and I had to rinse the strainer a couple times in the process). Prepare an ice bath in a large bowl. Pour milk or half-and-half into a medium saucepan over medium-low heat to warm. Pour the cream in a large bowl and set a mesh strainer on top of the bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs and (still whisking) slowly pour the warmed milk over the yolks. Pour the egg yolk mixture back in the saucepan.

Using a heatproof spatula, keep stirring the egg yolk mixture over medium heat until the spatula is coated with the thickened mixture. (Note: The Perfect Scoop has a very helpful section on basic custard-making and also custard recovery.) Next, stir the custard into the cream after pouring through the mesh strainer, then add the lemon juice and raspberry puree, mixing until cool over the ice bath.

Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, but in order to preserve the fresh raspberry taste, churn in your ice cream maker within four hours. Five minutes before it should be done according to the manufacturer’s instructions, add in the chocolate.

Makes about 1 quart

Ingredients:
1/3 cup water
2/3 cup sugar
1 medium lemon, preferably unsprayed
2 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (from about 2 lemons)

Directions:
In a medium saucepan combine the water and the sugar. Grate the lemon zest into the pan. Heat, stirring frequently, until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat and let it come to room temperature, then place the syrup into the fridge until thoroughly chilled.

Whisk the buttermilk into the syrup and then whisk in the lemon juice. Freeze in an ice maker per instructions.

Ingredients:
1 Habanero
8 oz white chocolate, finely chopped
1 cup whole milk
2/3 cup sugar
pinch of salt
5 large egg yolks
2 cups heavy cream

Directions:
Put the chopped white chocolate in a large bowl.

Seed and very finely chop the habanero. Add 1/2 the chopped pepper to a medium saucepan with the sugar, salt, and the milk. Stir constantly until sugar is dissolved and the mixture is warmed. Let sit for 20 minutes to infuse the milk.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm milk into the egg yolks, whisking constantly. Pour the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.

Cook over low heat, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom with a heat-proof spatula until the custard thickens enough to coat the spatula. Pour the custard into the strainer set over the bowl of white chocolate, and stir until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is smooth. Add the remaining chopped pepper and heavy cream, and stir until mixed. Set the bowl over an ice bath and stir until cool.

Chill the mixture thoroughly in the fridge, then freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Yields ~ 1 Liter

Ingredients:
1 cup half and half
3/4 cup sugar
Pinch of salt
2 cups heavy cream
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
2/3 cup malt powder
6 large egg yolks
2 cups malted milk balls, coarsely chopped

Directions:
Warm half and half, sugar and salt in a medium saucepan. In a large bowl, whisk together the heavy cream, vanilla and malt powder and set a mesh strainer on top.

In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.

Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. Pour the custard through the strainer and whisk it into the malted milk mixture. Stir until cool over an ice bath.

Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. As you remove the ice cream from the machine, fold in the chopped malted milk balls.

Ingredients:
1 c sweetened condensed milk
1 1/2 c water
1/2 c + 1 tbsp dark roast ground coffee, divided
1/3 c whole milk

Directions:
brew a strong coffee with 1 1/2 cup of water and 1/2 cup of ground coffee - use 1 cup brewed (i used a french press)

whisk together condensed milk, brewed coffee, milk and ground coffee

chill the mixture thoroughly

freeze in your ice cream machine according to the manufacturer’s instructions

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups plain whole-milk yogurt (I strained my yogurt first making it extra thick)
3/4 cup sugar
3 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen
1 tsp kirsch
2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

Directions:
In a blender or food processor, blend the yogurt, sugar, and blueberries together.

Press the mixture through a strainer to remove the seeds

Stir in the kirsch and lemon juice and chill for an hour.

Freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions, or for about 30 minutes.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup mango puree (put mango in food processor, whir...)
1 cup heavy cream (I subbed some with milk)
6 Tbl whole milk (I used skim)
7 Tblsp. sugar
pinch of salt
3 large egg yolks
orange zest (meyer lemon) or lemon oil

Directions:
Mix mango and 1/2 the cream, set aside.

Warm milk, sugar, salt, remaining cream in saucepan, whisk the yolks in nearby bowl. Add a bit of warm milk to eggs to temper, whisk eggs into warm milk, heat until custard coats the back of a spoon. Stir custard into remaining cream/mango mix, add zest.

Chill and put in ice cream freezer.

Yield: 1 Quart.

Ingredients:
1 cup whole milk
3/4 cup sugar
2 cups heavy cream
Pinch of salt
2 cups lightly packed fresh mint leaves
5 large egg yolks

Directions:
Warm milk, sugar, 1 cup cream and salt in a small saucepan. Add mint leaves and stir until they're immersed in liquid. Cover, remove from heat, and let steep at room temperature for 1 hour.

Strain mint-infused mixture through a mesh strainer into a medium saucepan (milk will be a lovely shade of emerald). Mine was a pale green, not emerald. Press mint leaves to extract as much flavor as possible, then discard them. Pour remaining 1 cup heavy cream into a large bowl and set the strainer on top.

Rewarm mint-infused mixture. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together egg yolks. Slowly pour warm mint liquid into egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape warmed egg yolks back into saucepan.

Stir mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping bottom as you stir, until mixture thickens and coats spatula. Pour custard through strainer and stir it into cream. Stir until cool over an ice bath.

Chill mixture thoroughly in refrigerator. Then freeze it in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions. Turn into a storage container and freeze until ready to use.

Ingredients:
2 large, ripe mangoes
2/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup water
4 teaspoons lime juice, plus more to taste (I used 1 very juicy lime)
1 Tbs dark rum, plus more to taste
Pinch of salt

Directions:
Using a sharp vegetable peeler, peel the mangos and cut all the flesh away from the pit. Roughly chop the flesh and toss it in the bowl of a blender or food processor with the sugar, water, lime juice, rum and salt. Squeeze the mango pits over the blender to extract as much juice as possible. Discard pits.

Puree the mixture until smooth, pausing to scrape down the sides as needed. Taste the mixture and add more lime juice and rum to taste. I prefer more of both but be careful not to add too much rum or the mixture will not freeze properly. Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, preferably overnight, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions.

Ingredients:
8 oz. milk chocolate with at least 30 percent cocoa solids, finely chopped
1 1/2 Cups heavy cream
1 1/2 Cups whole milk
3/4 Cups sugar
Bing pinch of salt
4 large egg yolks
2 tsps cognac (I used rum)
1/4 Cup cocoa nibs or semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips (optional)
2 cups brownie chunks

Directions:
Combine the milk chocolate and cream i a large, heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water. Stir until the chocolate is melted, then remove the bowl from the saucepan. Set it aside with a mesh strainer over the top.

Warm the milk, sugar, and salt until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. Pour the custard through the strainer into the milk chocolate mixture, add the cognac, and mix together. Stir until cool over an ice bath.

Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. During the last few minutes of churning, add the cocoa nibs, if using. Fold in brownies.

Ingredients:
3 cups heavy cream, or 2 cups heavy cream and 1 cup whole milk
¾ cup sugar
pinch of salt
1 vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise
¾ tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:
Pour 1 cup of the cream into a medium saucepan and add the sugar and salt. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into the saucepan and add the pod to the pot. Warm over medium heat, stirring, until the sugar is dissolved.

Remove from the heat and add the remaining 2 cups cream (or cream and milk) and the vanilla extract.

Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator. When ready to churn, remove the vanilla bean, and then freeze the mixture in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Ingredients:
3 cups (720g) strained yogurt (see below) or Greek-style yogurt
3/4 cup (150g) sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)

Directions:
Mix together the yogurt, sugar, and vanilla (if using). Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. Refrigerate 1 hour.

Freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.

To make 1 cup (240g) of strained yogurt, line a mesh strainer with a few layers of cheese cloth. then scrape 16 ounces or 2 cups (480g) of plain whole-milk yogurt into the cheesecloth. Gather the ends and fold them over the yogurt, then refrigerate for at least 6 hours. So, for the above recipe start with and strain 6 cups of yogurt.

Makes about 1 quart.

Ingredients:
3 cups heavy cream, or 2 cups heavy cream and 1 cup whole milk (I used half milk, half heavy cream)
¾ cup sugar
Pinch of salt
1 vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise
¾ teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
Pour 1 cup of the cream into a medium saucepan and add the sugar and salt. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into the saucepan and add the pod to the pot. Warm over medium heat, stirring, until the sugar is dissolved.
Remove from the heat and add the remaining 2 cups cream (or the remaining 1 cup cream and the milk) and the vanilla extract.
Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator. When ready to churn, remove the vanilla bean, rinsing and reserving it for another use, and then freeze the mixture in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Stracciatella

5 oz. bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

In a clean, absolutely dry bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, melt the chocolate, stirring until it’s completely smooth.

Mixing it in: Drizzle a thin stream of the warm chocolate into 1 quart of ice cream during the last possible moment of churning. It the chocolate clings too much to the dasher, remove the ice cream from the machine and drizzle the chocolate into the frozen ice cream by hand while you layer it into the storage container, breaking up any chunks as you stir.

Makes 1 quart

Ingredients:
4 very ripe bananas
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 T butter
2 cups of coconut milk
1 T vanilla
1 pinch of ground cloves
1 pinch of salt
2 T rum

Maple pecan mix-in:
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 T maple syrup
pinch of salt

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Peel and slice the bananas into 1/2" slices ans place in an oven-proof pyrex and toss with the brown sugar. Dot the top of the bananas with small pieces of butter. Bake for 40 minutes, sitrring once halfway through.

While the bananas are roasting, make the maple pecans. Toast the chopped pecans in a pan over medium heat for 3-5 minutes, shaking the pan often so that they don't burn. When the pecans are fragrant, pour in the maple syrup and stir quickly to coat the pecans, adding a pinch of salt as you stir. Turn the pecans out onto a piece of parchment, and pop them in the freezer.

When the bananas are done, scoop them into a blender quickly, before the caramel hardens up. Pour in the coconut milk, salt, vanilla and allspice. Puree the mixture, being careful to vent the top of the blender while covering with a towel so that the hot bananas don't explode. Pour the smooth mixture into a large bowl. Stir in the rum, and chill in the fridge until you're ready to turn the ice cream.

Turn the ice cream in your ice cream maker for about 30 minutes. When the ice cream is just about done, carefully pour in the maple pecans, breaking them up as you go. Spoon the finished ice cream into a freezer container, and store for a couple of hours before you serve. If you care to, top the ice cream with some homeade chocolate sauce or hot fudge.

makes abt 1 liter

Ingredients :
1 cup milk
150g sugar
500ml whipping cream
pinch of salt (i used fleur de sel)
6 large egg yolks
4 tsps macha powder (i added alot more)

directions :
warm the milk, sugar & salt in a medium saucepan.

pour cream into a large bowl & whisk together with macha powder. set a strainer on top.

In another bowl, whisk together egg yolks and slowly pour in the warmed milk mixture while whisking constantly. put the mixture back to the saucepan.

Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat, scraping the bottom as you stir, until mixture thickens and coat the back of a spoon, or about 85C.

Pour custard thru' the strainer into the cream, then whisk vigorously until custard is frothy to dissolve the macha powder. stir until cool over an ice bath.

Chill the mixture thoroughly then churn in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions then freeze until firm. alternatively, if you don't have an ice cream maker, you can place the mixture in a shallow metal tray and freeze, whisking every couple of hours until frozen and creamy.

* To make the shiratama, mix glutinous rice flour, macha powder (optional) with water until a dough forms (it should not stick to your fingers). bring a pot of water to boil, form the dough into balls and cook them in the boiling water. they're ready when they float. plunge them under running water to stop them from cooking further.

Makes about 1 quart

Ingredients:
3 medium-sized ripe pears, peeled and cored
3/4 c. + 2 tablespoons sugar
2 cups heavy cream
1/8 teaspooon coarse salt
a few drops of fresh lemon juice

Method:
Dice the pears into 1/4-inch pieces.

Spread the sugar in a large, heavy saucepan. Cook over medium heat, carefully watching and stirring occasionally with a heatproof spatula until melted.
When the sugar is a deep amber, stir in the pears. The caramel will seize, that's ok. Continue cooking and stirring occasionally (again with a heat-proof spatula - caramel will burn heck out of you) for ten minutes. The sugar will have dissolved.
Remove from the ehhat and stir in 1/2 cup of the cream, then mix in the rest of the cream, salt, and lemon juice.

Cool to room temp, puree until smooth, press through a strainer.
Chill according to your ice-cream maker manufacturer's instructions. [ed: be sure not to overchurn or you'll have buttery bits in there - not good]

Ingredients:
12 oz (325 g) rhubarb
2/3 cup (160 ml) water
3/4 cup sugar
10 oz (280 g) fresh strawberries, rinsed and hulled
1/2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

Method:
Cut off the rhubarb leaves and trim off the ends of the stalk. Wash the stalk and then cut into 1/2-inch (2 cm) pieces.

Place the rhubarb, water, and sugar in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 5 minutes, or until the rhubarb is tender and cooked through. It will fall apart into stringy bits. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature.

Slice the strawberries and puree them with the cooked rhubarb mixture and lemon juice in a blender or food processor until smooth.

Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, 4 hours or overnight. Freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.