Ice Cream!

My fiancee loves ice cream, so much that if I buy a flavor to try and don't eat it within 3 days, it is gone. Buying ice cream from the store can be quite costly, $2.50-$4 for a pint. Making ice cream at home might seem like a chore, but it's really quite easy, especially if you have (or can borrow) an ice cream machine. Plus, like any homemade foods, you control the ingredients and have free reign on flavors!

A few weekends ago, my friend and I went to town on homemade ice cream. I found these nifty plain paper ice cream containers at Smart & Final, about $8 for the 25 cups, $4 for 25 lids. Smart & Final has great food packaging items!

Strawberry, Coconut Lime

Strawberry Ice Cream recipe adapted from Ben & Jerry's Homemade Ice Cream & Dessert Book

We also made some Mint Cookie and Chocolate, but forgot to take photos...and those cartons are all gone now, you can guess who the culprit is...

Anyway, fresh coconuts are my all time favorite food item - refreshing and nutritious!

Homemade Coconut Lime Sorbet

+Prepare most components one day ahead, since you want everything to be chilled before going into the ice cream maker.

+Remember to keep ice cream maker bowl in freezer until use!

INGREDIENTS

4 young coconuts, pulp and water removed and reserved

Simple Syrup (1/2 cup water, 1/4 cup sugar)

Zest of 2 limes

DIRECTIONS

Step 1: Make the Coconut Milk

Open young coconuts (instructional video from youtube) and pour the water into a container or bowl.

Scrape out all the flesh, making sure to remove any brown husk bits (4 coconuts will yield about 2 cups of flesh).

Put flesh in the blender, along with 2 cups of coconut water. Blend until smooth.

Place a fine mesh strainer over a bowl and pour coconut milk mixture through the strainer to remove chunks and impurities. Mixture will be about 3 cups.

Pour into an airtight container (I use mason jars) and chill. Instant fresh coconut milk!

Step 2: Make Simple Syrup

In a small saucepan, combine sugar and water and heat until sugar has dissolved (medium-high heat for about 6 minutes or so).

Remove from heat immediately and let cool. Refrigerate for a few hours until cold.

Step 3: Make the Coconut Lime Mixture for Sorbet

In a bowl, combine chilled coconut milk, simple syrup and zest of two limes.

Pour mixture into chilled ice cream maker bowl and churn according to machine directions (usually about 20-30 minutes).

Once combined, transer into containers and freeze for a few hours before eating.

More Coconut Fun

I also reserved the rest of the coconut water in a mason jar - so ridiculously delicious and refreshing after a workout or on a hot day.

And to use most parts of the coconut, my fiancee stayed up all night making these coconut bowls!