Coconut Ice Cream

By jdwooten

For a double coconut treat, stir 1/2 cup toasted shredded coconut into the ice cream during the final minute of processing. To make a colorful sundae, garnish the ice cream with diced tropical fruit.

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups packed sweetened flaked coconut
• 1 1/2 cups half-and-half
• 3/4 cup canned sweetened cream of coconut
• 6 egg yolks
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream

Details

Servings 5

Preparation

Step 1

Put the flaked coconut in a large, heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir the coconut until it begins to brown, about 7 minutes. Add the half-and-half and bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat. Cover and let stand for 30 minutes.

Pour the coconut mixture through a medium-mesh sieve set over a large bowl, pressing on the coconut with a rubber spatula to extract as much liquid as possible; discard the coconut. Return the coconut milk to the same saucepan and place over medium-high heat. Add the cream of coconut and bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat.

In a large heatproof bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until blended. Form a kitchen towel into a ring and place the bowl on top to prevent it from moving. Gradually add the hot coconut-milk mixture, whisking constantly until fully incorporated. Return the mixture to the same saucepan and place over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring slowly and continuously with a wooden spoon or spatula, until the custard thickens and a finger drawn across the back of the spoon leaves a path, about 5 minutes; do not allow the custard to boil.

Pour the custard through the medium-mesh sieve set over a clean bowl. Add the cream and stir well. Nestle the bowl in a larger one filled halfway with ice and water and cool the custard to room temperature, stirring occasionally. Refrigerate until chilled, at least 1 hour.

Transfer the custard to an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions. Transfer the ice cream to a chilled container, cover and freeze until firm, 3 to 4 hours.