Basil Olive Oil Ice Cream

This is one of the most decadent ice creams I’ve had in ages.  I love unusual flavored ice creams, especially ones that involve fresh herbs.  You don’t have to use the olive oil, but it adds an extra richness as well as a fruity aftertaste.  It’s worth it.

Ingredients:

• 6 yolks
• 5 oz sugar
• vanilla extract
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• fresh basil (minimum 2 oz)
• basil-infused olive oil (I used Olave)
• optional: green food coloring

Method:

1. Quickly blanch basil in boiling water and then move to ice bath to halt the cooking process.  Drain and set aside.
2. Make créme anglaise: add cream, milk and a splash of vanilla to a saucepan on medium heat.  For an incredibly rich ice cream, you can use all heavy cream.  Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer.
3. While the cream is warming up, whisk egg yolks and sugar together in a bowl.  Make sure they’re well combined.
4. When the cream is just starting to simmer (don’t boil it), slowly temper it into the yolks while whisking.
5. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and turn the heat down to medium low.  Stir in a figure 8 motion with a wood spoon for several minutes until the mixture coats the back of the spoon.  Remove from the heat.  Continue to stir over an ice bath until cool.
6. Puree the basil and cream in a blender.  Allow the mixture to infuse for at least an hour in the fridge, then strain the basil cream through a fine mesh strainer into your ice cream machine.
7. If using, add a few drops of green food coloring.
8. Whisk in the olive oil, 1/4 – 1/2 cup.
9. Make ice cream according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Sorry there’s no picture of the final product!  We were hungry.