Description
Cool, creamy mint ice cream celebrates summer’s freshest herb with a delightful homemade dessert. Rich Italian cream and local mint leaves create a refreshing treat perfect for warm afternoons.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups (480 ml) fresh mint leaves
- 5 whole eggs, yolks
- 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk
- 2 cups (480 ml) heavy cream
- ¾ cup (150 g) sugar
- ⅓ cup (65 g) sugar
- 3 cups (450 g) diced watermelon
- 1 whole lemon, juiced
- 1 tsp flaked sea salt
Instructions
- Watermelon Granita Preparation: Pulverize watermelon, sugar, and lemon juice in a food processor until completely liquefied, then transfer the vibrant mixture into a shallow freezer-safe container.
- Crystallization Process: Freeze the granita, intermittently scraping edges toward the center every 30 minutes to disrupt ice crystal formation, continuing for 3-4 hours until achieving a uniform, granular texture.
- Mint Cream Base Creation: Gently heat milk, sugar, and cream in a saucepan until tiny bubbles emerge, then infuse with fresh mint leaves by covering and steeping for 1-2 hours to develop robust flavor.
- Custard Tempering: Whisk egg yolks until pale, then gradually incorporate warm mint-infused dairy mixture, carefully raising the temperature without curdling the eggs.
- Base Refinement: Cook the tempered mixture until custard thickens sufficiently, strain through a fine mesh sieve, and incorporate remaining cream to create a silky, smooth base.
- Chilling and Churning: Refrigerate the mint cream base thoroughly, then churn according to ice cream maker specifications to achieve optimal texture and consistency.
- Elegant Presentation: Layer the watermelon granita and mint ice cream in serving dishes, garnishing with a delicate sprinkle of sea salt to enhance flavor complexity and provide a sophisticated finish.
Notes
- Mint Infusion Technique: Let mint leaves steep in warm dairy for 1-2 hours to extract maximum flavor depth without bitterness.
- Egg Tempering Mastery: Gradually add hot liquid to egg yolks while whisking continuously to prevent scrambling and ensure smooth custard texture.
- Crystallization Control: Consistently scrape granita edges every 30 minutes to break ice crystals, guaranteeing light, fluffy texture.
- Chilling Importance: Completely cool mint ice cream base in refrigerator before churning to enhance flavor development and smooth consistency.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 460
- Sugar: 38 g
- Sodium: 0.2 g
- Fat: 36 g
- Saturated Fat: 22 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 41 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 210 mg