SALTY, SWEET, & SATISFYING: Alcohol Infused Ice Cream

July is a great month for so many reasons – including optimal beach days with the increasingly hot weather! But with the heat comes a need for a break. A sweet break. We are bringing you our top three favorite (and easy!) alcohol infused ice cream recipes for an ideal cool down. Satisfy your sweet tooth and put a refreshing twist on your day!

First up is Margarita Ice Cream. It’s salty yet refreshing with a tangy punch that will leave you feeling like you’re sitting poolside under some palm trees (and you very well might be!) This ice cream features Lunazul Blanco, a top choice for tequila lovers everywhere.

THE RECIPE:

¾ cup lime juice 

4 tsp. grated lime zest

3 oz. sugar

½ tsp. kosher salt

¾ cup of whole milk (or half&half)

Additional 1 cup of whole milk, chilled

1 cup of cream chilled (or half&half)

*3-4 tbsp. of Lunazul Blanco  

HOW TO:

1. Place ¾ cup of whole milk, salt and sugar in a pan. Heat until sugar is melted, then add in grated lime zest and lime juice and mix to combine all ingredients. *The milk WILL curdle, this is normal!

2. Add the rest of the chilled milk, cream and tequila and mix well to combine! Transfer to the freezer or fridge to chill.

3. Add the chilled mixture to your ice cream maker and churn accordingly.

4. Transfer the ice cream to a container and allow it to harden in the freezer for a few hours.

5. Let the ice cream soften a bit before scooping, or warm up your scoop (under hot water) to allow for easy scooping!

6. Zest extra lime on top before serving (optional)

No churner? No problem! Here’s an alternate way to make your ice cream: 

Place the milk mixture in a large (freezer proof!) dish. Every few hours, use a fork or other appropriate utensil to break up the hardened milk base and mix it in with the rest. Repeat this step every few hours (changing to a whisk or hand mix if it hardens even more) until the mix is icy and smooth. Continue to let it harden for a few hours.  

Next up is Piña Colada Sorbet. With fresh pineapple, coconut milk, and lime juice, this sorbet will have you feeling like you’ve just crash landed yourself on your very own private island – even if you are watching over a chaotic backyard of children, or just got back from a long, hot run with the dog! This sorbet features Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum.

 THE RECIPE:

1 fresh pineapple, cubed

1 cup canned (light) coconut milk

2/3 cups granulated sugar

Juice of a lime

½ tsp. coconut extract (optional)

*2 tbsp. Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum

HOW TO:

1. Add all of the above ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth.

2. Go ahead and refrigerate the mixture until it’s cold.

3. Whisk the mixture if it has separated, then pour it into an ice cream maker (see our “No Churner? No problem!” directions listed above if you do not have access to an ice cream maker.)

4. Freeze the sorbet according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

5. Store the sorbet in an airtight freezer safe container in the freezer until ready to save.

PRO TIP: For best results, freeze the final product for a few hours before serving!

Last up is the Bourbon Soaked Cherry Vanilla Bean Ice Cream. This ice cream is nothing but a boozy, summer-esque version of Ben & Jerry’s Cherry Garcia. So needless to say, it’s about one hundred times better! With fresh coconut milk, vanilla bean, and cherries, this (also vegan) treat is one for the books and will leave your mouth watering for more. This ice cream features Bulleit Bourbon.

THE RECIPE:

¾ can of full fat coconut milk

1 whole vanilla bean (beans scraped, pod reserved)

1 cup of fresh sweet cherries, quartered and halved

3 tbs. of maple syrup

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 cup of raw cashews, soaked in hot water for approx. ten minutes in room temperature water overnight, then rinsed and drained

¼ cup of water

½ cup of light brown sugar, packed

¼ tsp. sea salt

*3 tbsp. Bulleit Bourbon

HOW TO:

1. Place the ice cream maker freezer container in the freezer for 24 hrs. prior to making the ice cream.

2. In a small pan, add the coconut milk, vanilla beans and pod. Bring to a boil, remove from heat and allow to steep and cool while cherries are prepped.

3. In a lidded container, add the cherries, maple syrup, bourbon, and extract. Store in the fridge before churning.

4. In a high speed blender: pour in the coconut milk, including the beans and pod, cashews, water, brown sugar, and sea salt. Blend on medium-high for about 30 seconds. Blend a second time until silky smooth, about 30 seconds. Pour into a container (it’s normal if this gets steamy) and store in the fridge for at least 8 hours.

5. Before churning, strain the strawberries while reserving the bourbon mixture. Pour the mixture into the cashew base mixture and stir well.

6. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper and place in the freezer just before churning.

7. Churn your ice cream! A minute or so before it’s done, add in the cherries. Hand mix the cherries into the ice cream using a spoon if it is not soft enough!

8. Spoon the ice cream into the loaf pan and press down to ensure it’s free of pesky air bubbles. Place the parchment paper on top and put into a plastic storage bag.

9. Serve at desired consistency! 

We hope you enjoy our infused ice cream recipes for some outside-the-box summertime refreshment! Let us know if you try any of the recipes listed above! 

Recipes can be found below at their original source:

http://www.theflavorbender.com/2016/04/salted-lime-sherbet-margarita-ice-cream.html

http://reciperunner.com/pia-colada-sorbet/

http://vanillaandbean.com/bourbon-soaked-cherry-vanilla-bean-ice-cream/