The best, and perhaps only, reason to ask: "What's this green stuff on my ice cream?"
Shiso, a Japanese herb similar to mint, is an unlikely, but perfectly suited pairing to rich coconut ice cream. Muddling the leaves with sugar creates bright green, sweet-herbal granules perfect for sprinkling atop creamy, slightly-nutty coconut ice cream...or licking straight off the spoon.
Toasted Coconut Ice Cream with Shiso Sugar
Makes 1 quart
2 cups flaked unsweetened coconut
2 cups whole milk
2 cups heavy cream
1 generous pinch kosher salt
7 egg yolks
1 ¼ cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
6 shiso leaves*
¼ cup granulated sugar
To make the ice cream:
Spread unsweetened shredded coconut on a sheet pan and toast in a 350 F oven for about 6 minutes, until fragrant and lightly browned. Cool completely.
Combine milk, 1 ½ cups heavy cream, salt, 1 cup sugar and toasted coconut in a medium saucepan. Place over medium heat and bring to just a boil. Turn off heat and allow mixture to steep for at least 1 hour.
Whisk together yolks with remaining ¼ cup sugar. Rewarm milk/coconut mixture and gradually pour milk into the yolk mixture, whisking constantly, to bring yolks up to temperature. Return yolk/milk mixture to saucepan and stir continuously with a wooden spoon until the mixture thickens and when you swipe your finger across the back of the spoon the line stays.
Remove from heat and strain into a large bowl over the remaining ½ cup heavy cream and vanilla. Cool completely over an ice bath and chill for at least 6 hours or overnight. Process in an ice cream machine according to the manufacturers directions.
To make the Shiso Sugar:
Mash together leaves and sugar either in a bowl with a muddle or in a food processor until the shiso is completely integrated into the sugar.
To serve: scoop ice cream, garnish with shiso sugar and leftover toasted coconut.
Toasted Coconut Ice Cream adapted from David Lebovitz's The Perfect Scoop
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Why would you add cow milk to coconut ice cream? Coconut milk and cream offer the double punch of flavour and texture that make coconut ice cream perfect. And seven egg yolks? Sometimes I think recipe authors are trying to clog our arteries out of spite ;)
Because there's no coconut milk in this recipe? :)
I think virtualjess meant coconut milk should be substituted... and I would have to agree. Was excited that this might be dairy free when I first saw it.
I agree with VJ.. "where is the coconut milk" was my first thought. This is vanilla ice cream with flecks of dessicated coconut. Sub coconut milk and swap out coconut extract for the vanilla..
I've avoided the egg yolks in ice-cream thing (hate eggs) by using the cornstarch method feautured here on the kitchn.. the texture is pretty similar and it works well for me.
mmm, shiso...
I'm just starting to experiment and appreciate it. I'll have to see if I can use the shiso sugar for other things since I am too lazy to make my own ice cream.