Toasted Coconut Ice Cream

Ahhhh, toasted coconut.  Is there a better thing to eat?  If there is a coconut item available, I will eat it.  If it includes chocolate, even better.  This ice cream doesn't include chocolate, but you can always add a little chocolate sauce to get your coconut-chocolate fix.  This is quite possibly the creamiest ice cream I have ever made.  At first, the coconut flavor is subtle, but once you reach a few flecks of toasted coconut, the flavor intensifies and everything seems perfect.  You might just find yourself wishing you had used a bigger bowl...

Notes:
Watch the coconut as you toast it because it burns easily.  Make sure you immediately transfer the toasted coconut to a plate because it will continue to brown if you leave it in the skillet.

Adapted from The Perfect Scoop: Ice Creams, Sorbets, Granitas, and Sweet Accompaniments

Ingredients:
1¼ cups heavy whipping cream
¾ cups granulated sugar
1¾ cups coconut milk
pinch of salt
½ cups unsweetened coconut flakes


Yields about 1 quart

Heat, Mix, Chill:
Combine one cup of the heavy whipping cream, the sugar, and the salt in a medium-sized pan.  Heat the mixture, stirring regularly, until the sugar is fully dissolved.  The mixture may boil a bit at the edges of the pan, and that is ok.  Pour the mixture into a medium-sized bowl, and add the remaining heavy whipping cream and the coconut milk, and stir to combine.  Cover the mixture and refrigerate for several hours until chilled, or overnight. 

Toast and Churn:
Place the coconut in a large skillet and cook over medium-low heat, stirring regularly, until the coconut turns a light golden brown.  Transfer the toasted coconut to a large plate to cool while the ice cream churns.  Pour the chilled ice cream base into your ice cream maker, and churn the mixture according to your ice cream maker instructions.  While the ice cream churns, place the container you will store the ice cream in into the freezer so it will be cold when you are ready to put the ice cream in it.  Once the ice cream is fully churned, stir in all but 1 tablespoon of the toasted coconut, and transfer the ice cream to the chilled container.  Sprinkle the remaining toasted coconut over top of the ice cream.  Press a piece of plastic wrap onto the surface of the ice cream (to prevent ice crystals from forming), and freeze until the ice cream is firm.  Enjoy.  Pin It