Food-Processor Lemon–Olive Oil Ice Cream
- MakesMakes about 1 quart
- Cook Time10½ hours
- Active time plus cooling20 minutes active
Fruity, peppery extra-virgin olive oil brings unexpected flavor and richness to cakes, muffins and quick breads, and it adds lushness to this bright, refreshing ice cream. If you have a bottle of top-shelf olive oil, this is the time to use it, but we’ve tested decent supermarket brands and had great success. Just be sure to use extra-virgin olive oil, which has much more character than refined regular and light olive oils. Crushed amaretti cookies or crumbled shortbread are great mix-ins for this ice cream. And try drizzling scoops with a little olive oil and finishing with amarena cherries or a sprinkling of flaky salt.
Don’t forget to chill the evaporated milk. If room-temperature or barely chilled, it will not whip properly. Also, don’t whip the evaporated milk until it holds stiff peaks. If overbeaten, it will cause the ice cream base to deflate during the initial freezing. Lastly, be sure the base is fully frozen before processing. If it is only partially frozen, it may separate as it freezes.
Step 1
Place a large bowl in the refrigerator and chill for at least 15 minutes. Meanwhile, in another large bowl, combine the condensed milk, oil, lemon zest and juice, and ⅛ teaspoon salt; whisk until homogeneous.
Step 2
Pour the cold evaporated milk into the chilled bowl. Using a hand mixer or a whisk, whip the milk until it resembles softly whipped cream, has doubled in volume and forms mounds when the beaters or whisk are lifted; do not whip to stiff peaks. Whisk about a third of the whipped milk into the condensed-milk mixture to lighten it. Now, using the whisk, fold in the remaining whipped milk until the mixture is well combined; it will resemble frothy yogurt.
Step 3
Transfer to a 1½-quart container and cover tightly. Freeze until the center is fully frozen, about 6 hours; the timing will vary based on the shape of the container and the temperature of the freezer. To check if the center is frozen, dig into it with a spoon; it should be solid, without any liquid.
Step 4
Remove the base from the freezer and let stand at room temperature for 5 minutes to soften slightly. Using a sturdy spoon or ice cream scoop, transfer to a food processor; return the now-empty container to the freezer to keep it cold. Process until the mixture resembles a milk shake, 1 to 3 minutes, scraping the bowl as needed.
Step 5
Return the base to the chilled container. Lay a sheet of plastic wrap directly against the surface, then freeze until firm, at least 4 hours. The ice cream will keep for a couple weeks.
