Olive Oil & Lemon Ice Cream

This Olive Oil & Lemon Ice Cream came to me in a dream. No joke. When I woke up the next morning, I knew I had to make my dream come true.

It is the stuff dreams are made of. It has a velvety and luscious texture and a smooth, citrusy flavor.

You can scoop and eat the ice cream plain, but I think a drizzle of olive oil, a couple of chopped dates, and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt are the crowning touch that take this ice cream to the next level.

Olive Oil & Lemon Ice Cream

• 2/3 cup (140 grams) cane sugar 
• Zest of 1 large lemon, or 2 small lemons
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 cup (50 grams) coconut milk powder 
• 3 3/4 cup (840 grams) coconut cream (reserve 1/4 cup, 55 grams, for the slurry)
• 1/4 cup (80 grams) honey
• 1 Tbsp plus 2 tsp (15 grams) tapioca flour
• 1/4 cup (55 grams) olive oil

Directions:

1. Mix the tapioca starch with 1/4 cup of the coconut cream to make a slurry.  Set aside. 
2. In a 4 quart saucepan add the sugar and lemon zest. Mix the zest into the sugar until the zest releases its oils, becomes fragrant, and is dispersed throughout the sugar; it will look like wet sand.
3. Whisk the sugar, sea salt, and coconut milk powder together and break up any clumps. 
4. Add the remaining 3 1/2 cups of the coconut cream and the honey.
5. Cook over medium heat. Bring the coconut cream to a low boil. Simmer for 4 minutes. (Whisk frequently to prevent scorching.)
6. Remove from the heat and whisk in the tapioca slurry. Return to the heat and stir constantly until it thickens like pudding (about one minute).
7. Remove from the heat and add the olive oil. 
8. Strain the ice cream mixture through a fine mesh strainer and cool to room temperature. Place in the refrigerator until cold, about 4 hours or up to overnight. 
9. Pour the ice cream base into an ice cream maker. 
10. Churn in an ice cream maker until the ice cream reaches soft serve consistency. (This usually takes about 20-25 minutes.)
11. Place the ice cream in a freezer safe container. Freeze for 4 hours or overnight.
12. Allow to soften about 5-10 minutes before scooping. Scoop. Serve. Enjoy!

---

Test Kitchen Notes:

Use a good quality, but subtle flavored olive oil. A fresh, grassy olive oil will give a vibrant flavor and a silky texture; this is not the time to use briny or peppery olive oil.

You can scoop and eat the ice cream plain, but I think a drizzle of olive oil, a couple of chopped dates, and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt are the crowning touch that take this ice cream to the next level.

Aroy-D Coconut Cream in the white carton is my favorite coconut cream for making ice cream. You can find it on Amazon and other online retailers.

You can find coconut milk powder online. Terrasoul and Anthony’s Organic are both great brands.

My friend, Elizabeth, has the most charming shop, Hemma Homewares, where I bought Brightland Olive Oil and Jacobsen Flaky Salt for this ice cream. You can check out Hemma Homewares here.