Ice Cream Recipe

Warm dairy

In a medium saucepan combine the whole milk, heavy cream and half of the granulated sugar (about 6 tbsp). Warm over medium heat until the mixture is steaming and small bubbles form at the edges, stirring occasionally. Do not boil.

Whisk yolks

In a heatproof bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the remaining sugar until pale and slightly thickened (about 1–2 minutes).

Temper eggs

Slowly pour about 1/3 of the hot milk mixture into the yolks in a thin stream while whisking constantly to temper. Then pour the tempered yolks back into the saucepan with the remaining milk mixture, stirring continuously.

Cook custard

Cook the mixture gently over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or spatula, until it thickens enough to coat the back of the spoon (170–175°F / 77–80°C). Remove from heat.

Finish and chill

Stir in the fine sea salt and vanilla extract. Strain the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove any cooked egg bits. Cover the surface with plastic wrap to prevent a skin and chill until completely cold (at least 3 hours or overnight).

Prepare hazelnuts

If not already toasted, spread hazelnuts on a baking sheet and toast at 350°F (175°C) for 8–10 minutes until fragrant and golden. Let cool, then chop coarsely.

Blend paste into custard

Remove 1 cup of chilled base custard into a blender or food processor. Add hazelnut paste or praline paste and blend until fully incorporated and smooth. Return blended mixture to the rest of the custard and stir to combine.

Churn

Churn the hazelnut-flavored custard in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions (usually 20–30 minutes) until it reaches a soft-serve consistency.

Add mix-ins and freeze

Fold in the chopped toasted hazelnuts (and optional chocolate shreds) into the churned ice cream. Transfer to an airtight container and freeze at least 3–4 hours to firm up before serving.

Incorporate coconut milk

If using coconut milk to replace part of the cream, whisk 1/2 cup full-fat coconut milk into 1 quart of chilled base custard until homogeneous. (If you did not replace, simply stir the coconut milk into a portion of the custard.)

Toast shredded coconut

Spread shredded coconut on a baking sheet and toast in a 325°F (160°C) oven for 5–8 minutes, stirring once, until golden. Cool completely.

Churn

Churn the coconut-enriched custard in an ice cream maker per manufacturer's instructions until thickened (about 20–30 minutes).

Fold in coconut and freeze

Fold the toasted shredded coconut into the churned ice cream. Transfer to an airtight container and freeze for at least 3–4 hours to firm up. Serve with extra toasted coconut on top if desired.

Prepare mango purée

If using fresh Alphonso mangoes, peel and dice ripe fruit then puree in a blender until smooth. Strain if necessary to remove fibers. Measure 1 cup of purée and stir in 1 tsp lemon juice (and optional 1/4 tsp cardamom) to brighten flavor.

Fold purée into custard

Stir the mango purée into 1 cup of chilled base custard until evenly combined. Taste and adjust sweetness with a tablespoon of sugar if needed.

Churn

Churn the mango-custard mixture in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer instructions (about 20–30 minutes) until it reaches soft-serve consistency.

Freeze

Transfer to a container and freeze for at least 3–4 hours to firm up. For a swirled mango ribbon, reserve 1/4 cup of purée and ripple it into the churned ice cream before the final freeze.

Scoop ice cream into chilled bowls or cones. Check with the server for other available flavors beyond Hazelnut, Coconut, and Alphonso. Store leftovers in an airtight container with a piece of parchment pressed to the surface to minimize ice crystals; best consumed within 2 weeks.