Makes 1 quart

Ingredients


For the ice cream:
  • 2 (13.5-ounce) cans coconut milk
  • 1 cup fresh basil leaves
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp. cornstarch
  • 1/4 tsp. sea salt
  • 1 1/2 tsp. lime zest
  • 2 Tbsp. lime juice
  • 6-inch length of fresh lemongrass
  • 1 Tbsp. vodka (optional, to keep scoopable)

    For the brittle:
  • 1/3 cup toasted black sesame seeds
  • 1 Tbsp. pure maple syrup
  • 1/4 tsp. lime zest, plus more for garnish
  • 1 generous pinch flaky sea salt

    Directions

    Prepare your ice cream maker: The night before you plan to make the ice cream, freeze the bowl of your ice cream maker. (Directions follow for making the ice cream without an ice cream maker.)

    Make the ice cream: Shake the cans of coconut milk before opening. In a blender, combine the basil with the coconut milk, honey, cornstarch and salt. Blend until completely smooth and transfer to a large stockpot. Turn the heat to medium and add 1 teaspoon of the lime zest and 1 tablespoon of the lime juice. Bruise and bend the lemongrass stalk, slightly separating the tubes from each other, and add to the pot. Stir to distribute. Heat over medium heat, stirring, until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spatula. Do not boil.

    Remove from the heat, cover and let the mixture steep 30 minutes to 1 hour, longer for a stronger flavor. Once it has steeped, strain out the lemongrass, stir in the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of lime zest and 1 tablespoon of lime juice and add the vodka, if desired.

    Process in the ice cream maker, according to the manufacturer's instructions, until frozen. Pour the frozen ice cream into a freezer-safe pan or dish and freeze for at least 6 hours before eating.

    If you don't have an ice cream maker, pour the prepared mixture into a freezer-safe pan or dish, cover and place in the freezer. After 2 hours, or when the mixture begins to freeze, remove it from the freezer and stir vigorously to break up frozen sections. Repeat every 30 minutes until frozen, another 2 to 3 hours. You can do this using a whisk or spatula, an immersion hand blender or an electric mixer.

    Make the brittle: Preheat the oven (or toaster oven) to 425°. Place a piece of parchment paper on a small-rimmed baking sheet. Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl and mix until the sesame seeds are thoroughly coated. Spread in a thin, even layer on the parchment paper and bake for 5 minutes, checking at 3 minutes to make sure nothing burns. When the brittle is bubbly and fragrant, remove it from the oven and let cool completely. Break into pieces and store in an airtight container.

    Serve the ice cream topped with the black sesame brittle and a flourish of extra lime zest.



    Copyright © 2017 by Lily Diamond from Kale & Caramel: Recipes for Body, Heart, and Table published by Atria Books, a division of Simon & Schuster, Inc.
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