after making margarita cupcakes not too long ago, i had a few limes left over.  i wasn’t quite sure what to use them for until i remember that i had pinned a recipe from an absolutely amazing blog, two peas and their pod.  lime and coconut flavors go together wonderfully so i knew they would make the perfect combination in ice cream.

i made a few changes to the recipe though.  first i added the shredded coconut back to the ice cream base for some nice texture in the ice cream.  though chris said he would have preferred a nice and smooth ice cream.  so i guess just go with what you would like best.  also the original recipe called for coconut extract which i don’t love – it just doesn’t really taste like real coconut.  instead i used some coconut milk and that worked great.  oh and with the original recipe you actually make your own “coconut milk” by steeping some shredded coconut in milk.  instead, you could probably just use coconut milk from the can.  i think that’s what i’ll do next time i make a batch of this ice cream.

with these changes, this ice cream was super refreshing.  the lime flavor was definitely at the forefront but don’t worry you could still taste the coconut.  i think this would be a great treat for the summer and the lime and coconut combo has given me some ideas for a cupcake or even cookie flavor.  yum!

the lime and coconut ice cream starts with some coconut milk.  you can make your own coconut flavored milk by steeping some sweetened shredded coconut milk in some whole milk mixed with sugar and just a pinch of salt.  but i would suggest just using some coconut milk from the can (you can usually find this in the asian foods section of your local grocery store) to save yourself some time.

if you make your own coconut flavored milk, drain the milk into a measuring cup and return it to the saucepan.  if you want to include the shredded coconut in your ice cream, reserve it otherwise you can just throw it away.

warm the milk back up and then slowly whisk the milk into the egg yolks.  this allows the egg yolks to temper rather than scramble.  return the mixture back to the saucepan and cook until thickened.

meanwhile mix the sweetened condensed milk, lime juice, and lime zest together in a large bowl.

once the custard is nice and thick, strain the custard into the lime and milk mixture.

then add the coconut milk (or extract) and reserved shredded coconut.  mix and it’s ready to chill for at least 6 hours or overnight.

finally, it’s time to churn the ice cream!  just follow your ice cream maker instructions and freeze until it’s solid.

yay lime and coconut ice cream!

(more…)