Creamy Coconut Ice Cream

I have an ice cream maker at home but I've never used that. It was a gift from my best friend because she knows I love baking and cooking. But in order to use it, i need to chill the round insert bowl in the freezer for at least 6 hours or overnight. And when I do that, I never bring myself to make any ice cream. When I want to make ice cream, I didn't have some ingredients on hand so I procrastinate.

3 years down the road, I had not even used the ice cream maker!

I bought an ice cream recipe book two months ago, adding to my collections of many cook books. It has simple step by step method of making ice cream, regular ice cream, sorbet and gelato style. Gelato style ice cream is denser than regular ice cream, not necessary to be fattening. Credit must be given to Italians for introducing Gelato, Italian ice cream to the rest of Europe and the world.

Some Gelatos are custard based using egg yolks whilst some just incorporate non dairy cream or whole milk and sugar. If you make any type of ice cream/sorbet/gelato without an ice cream maker, you will need to use a beater to incorporate air into your ices when it turns mushy. This will prevent ice crystals from forming for finer and creamier ice dessert.

I attempted to try making one following some steps from my ice cream recipe book. Although it calls for pandan and green colouring, I decided not to because my eldest daughter is not into green coloured ices. One look and she will turn her nose up definitely! I even altered it and followed the custard based recipe except to incorporate coconut cream instead of flavouring. The result was excellent, rich and creamy and tastes like premium ice cream. Now I am addicted to making ice cream! Here is a recipe for a yummy Coconut Ice Cream I made to cool the family down in this heat the past week.



This recipe uses egg yolks and requires no second beating, yet yields a creamy ice cream. As a matter of fact, it does not even called for the use of my Ice Cream Maker!

Ingredients
3 Egg Yolks (medium sized eggs)
100 gm of Caster Sugar
250mls of Thick Coconut Cream
250mls of Whipping Cream
Cashew Nuts (crushed) optional


Method
Cream the egg yolks and caster sugar till it becomes pale and creamy

Using double boil method, cook this mixture and stir it all the time. The mixture will turn thicker and a little hot but not boiling nor simmering. Add the coconut cream inside and continue to stir. Again make sure the mixture becomes hot. Use your fingers to feel it. It should be hot.

Remove from heat, and let it cool down over a container of cool ice water. In the meantime, whip the cream till it peaks to a stiff consistency.

When the mixture is cooled, add the whipped cream and fold it into the egg and coconut mixture. Stir it till it is mixed and add the crushed Cashews in it for those who enjoys it a little nutty.

Pour into a plastic container with lid and freeze it at least 5-6 hours till it is firmed.