Escapism in the form of food. That is the simplest way I can describe this ice cream, and the most effective. Every bite takes my mind somewhere lush and tropical!
I had planned to make a pineapple ice cream, which on its own sounded delicious. But when testing this recipe, I caught sight of a bottle of coconut extract that I have only used once. It had been pretty darn expensive, so I was excited to actually have a chance to use it again! The coconut extract does pack a pretty big punch and a little goes a very long way, but it is the perfect flavor compliment to the fresh pineapple in this ice cream! It gives it a nice little piña colada vibe, which I’m not upset about!
Here’s what you need:
Make a fresh pineapple puree.
Pick a pineapple that is ripe simply by smelling it. The one that smells the most like pineapple before cutting into it is going to have the best flavor. Cut the pineapple into chunks, (remember to remove the core) and place the chunks into a food processor. You could just as easily use frozen pineapple chunks for this. Just thaw a one-pound bag and pour it into the food processor! Blend them until very smooth, about 30 seconds.
Reduce the purée to thicken it.
Heat the purée in a medium sauce pan over medium heat for 20 to 25 minutes, until only the thick pineapple pulp remains. When you cut a line through the reduced purée with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, there should not be any liquid pooling in the empty space. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. Once reduced, stir in the fresh lime juice.
Stir in the milk, cream, extracts and salt and heat until very hot but not scalding.
Temper the egg yolks.
This is standard practice any time you are making a custard with eggs. The goal here is to cook the yolks without scrambling them by introducing a small amount of the hot milk mixture to them at a time.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the yolks and the sugar. Use a ladle to slowly drizzle about a third of the milk mixture into the egg yolks, whisking all the while. Then, pour the yolks back into the pot with the remaining milks.
Heat the custard to no more than 165 degrees while stirring. Normally, when making ice cream, I would strain the custard at this point, but this time I want to have all the bits of pineapple throughout, so I’m just leaving it the way it is.
Chill the custard.
Just pour the whole thing into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap, allowing the wrap to lay directly on top of the custard to prevent a skin from forming. Place the bowl in the fridge and let it get cold, really cold. This will take hours, if not overnight. I always make my custard the day before I make ice cream just to be sure.
Once the custard is really cold, pour it into your ice cream maker and churn for 15 minutes, or however long recommended on your machine’s instructions. Scoop the ice cream into a container or pan and place in the freezer to completely harden.
Just to reinforce those tropical flavors, I like to top my ice cream with some more delicious and ripe fresh pineapple toasted coconut flakes!
For more tasty homemade ice cream, try my Rich and Toasty Coconut Ice Cream or Perfect Lemon Custard Ice Cream!
Pineapple and Coconut Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 16 ounces diced pineapple fresh or frozen
- 4 egg yolks
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp coconut extract
- 1 to 1 1/2 tbsp fresh lime juice from half a lime
Instructions
- Purée the pineapple in a food processor until very smooth. Pour the puree into a small saucepan and reduce on medium heat until all the liquid is evaporated, about 20-25 minutes. Squeeze in the fresh lime juice. Pour the milk, cream, extracts and salt. Heat until hot but not scalding.In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks and sugar. Slowly drizzle about a third of the hot milk mixture into the yolks while whisking, then pour the yolk mixture into the sauce pan and continue to heat the custard while stirring until it reaches 165 degrees. Pour the custard into a bowl, lay a sheet of plastic directly on top and place it in the refrigerator to chill until it is very cold, at least four hours if not overnight. Pour the chilled custard into an ice cream maker and churn for about 15 minutes, depending the ice cream maker instructions. Spoon the ice cream into a container and place it in the fridge to harden.
I could eat it all in one setting.