TL/DR – Lemon Basil Ricotta Ice Cream! No eggs, just simmering milk with basil and lemon zest, then straining, adding sugar and cooling the milk before putting it in the machine. Worth any labor involved. Off the chain good, easily scoop-able ice cream. –
This is a recipe I’ve been fiddling with ever since the mom of one of my students gave me an Amazon card and I treated myself to an ice cream machine. This gift was more than generous and truly appreciated, as it was given to me at the end of the COVID 19 semester from hell. So thank you again, Mrs. R.
The first time I tried this, I put all ingredients in a bowl, whisked well, and added them to the machine with no simmering or straining. The taste was there, but the texture was weird and it answered the question, “who wants to chew bits of basil when eating ice cream?” Nobody. Nobody wants to do that.
Then I got my head back in the game and came up with a much better method. Simmer the chopped basil and lemon zest in the milk for about 5 minutes. Strain the milk and return it to the saucepan to dissolve the sugar and salt over warm heat. Cool the milk by placing it in a smaller bowl inside of a larger bowl filled with ice. Whisk in the ricotta and add to the cold ice cream machine and process according to the machine’s instructions.
The flavor is off the chain. If basil in ice cream isn’t your jam, try Pesto with Fennel and Radishes.
Lemon Basil Ricotta Ice Cream
Simmer chopped fresh basil and lemon zest in milk for 5 minutes, strain, return to the pot and add sugar and salt to dissolve. Cool in a small bowl inserted into a larger bowl full of ice, whisk in ricotta, then process in an ice cream machine according to the instructions.
Ingredients
- 1/2 c fresh basil leaves, chopped
- Zest of one lemon
- 2 c whole or 2 percent milk
- 3/4 c granulated sugar
- 1/4 t salt
- 3/4 c whole milk ricotta cheese
Directions
- Step 1 In a medium saucepan, barely simmer the basil and lemon zest in the milk for 5 minutes. Think steeping tea.
- Step 2 Strain the milk and return it to the saucepan on low heat. Add the sugar and salt and stir until dissolved.
- Step 3 Pour the milk mixture into a small bowl and insert that into a larger bowl full of ice. Stir frequently until the mixture cools to room temperature, about 3 minutes.
- Step 4 Whisk in the ricotta cheese.
- Step 5 Pour the ice cream base into a chilled and ready ice cream machine and process according to the machine’s instructions, between 20 and 40 minutes.
- Step 6 Place the finished ice cream into a resealable, freezer safe container. Cover and place in the freezer for at least 4 hours to firm up before serving.
