I Scream Ice Cream!
With July begins summer, the season for fun family bonding, of bright sunlight spilling past the blinds. Under the heat, you might want to grab the nearest cold beverage to cool off—perhaps a glass of cold water, or better yet, a pint of ice cream to celebrate National Ice Cream Month!
This month, why not try something out of your comfort zone? Pushing the boundaries of known ice cream flavours can be quite refreshing! Take a chance on these unique and healthy takes on your usual soft-serve to challenge both your palate and the things you think you know about ice cream.
Sweet Meets Savoury
Olive oil is a well-known staple in simple, savoury gourmet dishes. But did you know that olive oil performs just as well beyond the usual savoury meals?
Its fresh fruitiness makes olive oil a great addition to ice creams and gelatos. Paired with salt, olive oil adds an exciting twist on even the most mundane ice cream base flavour. Choose good quality, full-bodied olive oil for the best taste. [1]
If all these sound brand new to you, allow us to start you on your olive oil ice cream journey! Check out a couple of easy recipes below.
Olive Oil Ice Cream [2]
If you’re looking for something simple to start you off on your olive oil ice cream journey, try this recipe.
Ingredients:
½ cup granulated sugar
2 tbsp nonfat powdered milk
¼ teaspoon xanthan gum
1 ⅓ cups whole milk
2 tbsp light corn syrup
1 ⅓ cups heavy cream
¼ cup Borges Extra Virgin Olive Oil
½ tsp kosher salt
Flaky sea salt
Method:
Stir together sugar, powdered milk, and xanthan gum in a small bowl. Whisk together milk and corn syrup in a medium saucepan. Add sugar mixture, and whisk until smooth. Heat mixture over medium, whisking for about 3 to 4 minutes or until the sugar dissolves. (Do not simmer.) Remove from heat, and whisk in cream. Cover and chill for at least 6 hours, or 24 hours for better texture and flavour. Whisk Borges Extra Virgin Olive Oil and kosher salt into the chilled base until combined. Pour the mixture into a freezer bowl and put it in an ice cream maker. Follow the manufacturer’s direction for use until ice cream reaches the texture of soft serve.
Transfer the ice cream into a freezer-safe container and freeze for at least 6 hours or until firm. Garnish with olive oil and flaky sea salt.
Salted Honeydew Melon and Olive Oil Ice Cream [3]
Honeydew melon and olive oil might sound like strange bedfellows. But together, they create a unique ice cream experience!
Ingredients:
2 cups whole milk, cold
1 cup heavy cream, cold
½ cup fine granulated sugar
¼ cup Borges Extra Virgin Olive Oil
½ cup honeydew melon puree (⅛ of a melon)
½ tsp flaked or fine ground sea salt
Method:
Start making the ice cream base by combining milk and cream into a medium bowl. Whisk in the sugar and the Borges Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Whisk vigorously for about 30 seconds to dissolve the sugar. Transfer the ice cream base into a countertop ice cream maker. Follow the manufacturer's instructions for your appliance. Freeze for about 20 minutes.
Stir the salt into the honeydew melon puree and slowly pour the puree into the ice cream maker as it churns. Let it churn for about 10 more minutes, or until the ice cream becomes firm. Transfer the mixture into a freezer-safe container and freeze for 4 hours.
The Fruit Element
Fruit goes more often with sorbet and seems no longer a common addition to ice cream these days. But before the days of chocolate and vanilla, fruits served as the first flavours in creameries.[4] Fruits - sweet or sour - not only mix well with the rich flavour of frozen sweet cream, but they also serve as conscious health choices to transform soft-serves into lighter, guilt-free dessert options.
No Machine Very Berry Ice Cream [5]
Nobody gets left behind in the pursuit of better ice cream. No ice cream maker at home? Not a problem! This Very Berry ice cream uses only three ingredients and 5 minutes of your time!
Ingredients:
4 cups frozen mixed berries
1 cup Borges Natura Almond Drink
½ tbsp powdered stevia (or honey, or maple syrup)
Method:
Combine frozen berries, Borges Natura Almond Drink, and stevia in a food processor bowl. Process until smooth. Taste the mixture and adjust the sweetener to taste. You can eat it right away as a soft-serve or freeze it in a metal tin for 2 hours for a firmer texture. Remember to stir for a smoother consistency!
Summer Peaches and Hazelnut Milk Cream [6]
Still keeping with the tradition of adding fruits into ice cream, our next star is the summer peaches. These sweet and nutty fruits hold up well to freezing and their better half in the ice cream realm is none other than hazelnut milk.
Ingredients:
3 cups Borges Natura Hazelnut Drink
½ cup sugar
6 egg yolks (large)
¼ teaspoon xanthan gum (optional)
3 medium-sized peaches
½ cup hazelnuts, chopped
3 large fresh basil leaves
Method:
Freeze ice cream shell. Separate the egg yolks and whites, keeping only the yolk. In a large bowl, whisk the yolks until smooth. Add sugar in small increments, whisking until blended. Heat the Borges Natura Hazelnut Drink in a medium pan on medium heat and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Remove the hazelnut milk from the heat and temper the eggs. Spoon in a small amount of the heated hazelnut milk to the whisked egg yolks and continue whisking. Add small amounts until half the hazelnut milk is incorporated and pour in the remaining half. Whisk until thoroughly combined.
Sift the xanthan gum over the top of the mix and stir to combine. Chill the mixture for about an hour and transfer to the ice cream machine to churn for 15 minutes. Using a rubber spatula, transfer the ice cream to a large bread pan to freeze for another 30 minutes. Top with sliced peaches and fresh basil upon serving!
Introduce yourself to the many flavours you can experience with ice cream and have fun in the kitchen while you’re at it. Whether you’re a chocolate and vanilla kind of person, or someone more interested in unique and wacky flavours, there’s always an ice cream flavour that’s just right for you. Try any of these recipes and see which one is your perfect match!
References:
[1] https://www.seriouseats.com/scoop-on-olive-oil-gelato-and-why-it-works
[2] Adapted from https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/olive-oil-ice-cream
[3] Adapted from https://californiaoliveranch.com/recipe/salted-honeydew-melon-and-olive-oil-ice-cream/
[5] Adapted from https://www.notenoughcinnamon.com/5-minute-very-berry-ice-cream-machine-needed/
[6] Adapted from https://healthfullyeverafter.co/food-nutrition-recipe-blog/2016/6/27/hazelnut-milk-ice-cream-with-summer-peaches