I've been looking for a Macadamia Nut Ice Cream recipe for awhile, and those flavors that I just mentioned were all that I could really find. What I want, though, is macadamia nut infused ice cream. Rich, buttery flavor, but smooth texture. No bits and pieces or chunks.
That's how I finally came across raw macadamia nut milk. Once I carefully revised my search keywords, I was linked to plenty of vegan and special-diet blogs. It was interesting to read about so many different kinds of nut milks...Cashew, hazelnut, and even pistachio! (This practice of turning nuts into milk is hardly new, but I've never had a need to make any myself.) Since I recently took a liking to almond milk, I was feeling adventurous. I thought, "THIS! I can make my own nut milk, and turn it into ice cream!"
It all starts with the raw macadamia nuts. You can find them packaged or in bulk, but the important thing is that they're unsalted and unflavored. (I found mine at the local Whole Foods Market.)
Some recipes for nut milk recommend that you soak the nuts for at least a few hours, but I chose not to soak mine (yay impatience) and I had no issues.
In a blender, combine the nuts and filtered water. Then, after 60-90 seconds of pureeing...
MAGIC. Boom...No, seriously, this warranted my jumping up and down for a few seconds. I was way too excited...
Just like when I made rice milk for my horchata, the water suddenly became a white and frothy "milk".
Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve or a couple of layers of cheesecloth, to get the "meal" or "pulp" out of the milk. There are also actual nut milk bags, made especially for this process.
When I got to this step, I looked at my pile of ricotta-looking nuts and wondered what I could possibly do with it. Chucking it all in the garbage was just out of the question. In the end, I did what most of the nut milk recipes said to do. I spread the meal out on a baking sheet, placed it in a 150 degree oven with the door slightly cracked, and dried the nuts out for about 1 hour...Well, then my impatience kicked in again...
I cranked the oven up to 300, watched the nuts closely, and flipped everything around every once in a while with a spatula. About 10-15 minutes later, I had macadamia nut meal perfect for folding into cookies, oatmeal, or muffins! (Blueberry Macadamia Muffins, perhaps?) Store the mixture in an air-tight container, then you can run it through a food processor for a finer texture, whenever you need it.
Now, armed with freshly made macadamia nut milk, it's time to make the ice cream's custard base. But before we move on, I'd like to quickly point out some other options if you need to keep this recipe completely dairy free, vegan, or paleo-diet friendly.
- Simply add a sweetener of your choice (such as dates or maple syrup), then churn in your ice cream maker as is. The 2 cups of raw macadamia nut milk will make about 1 pint of "ice cream".
- Combine 1 1/2 cups of coconut milk and a sweetener of your choice with the 2 cups of raw macadamia nut milk, then churn in your ice cream maker. This will make about 1 quart.
Combine the cream and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Again, feel free to use a natural sweetener instead, and make this dessert even better for you.
Once the half & half is steaming, slowly whisk it into the egg yolks.
Return the mixture to the saucepan, lower the heat, then gently cook the custard. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon or heat-proof spatula to avoid any curdling. When the custard is ready, it will be thick enough to coat a spoon. You can add pure vanilla extract or vanilla beans at this point.
Next, pour in the gorgeous macadamia nut milk!
Once everything is combined, chill the mixture in an ice bath for at least 1 hour. (Overnight is always best, but oh look...here comes that lack of patience again...)
Churn in an ice cream maker, according to the manufacturer's instructions. If you're using a Cuisinart like mine, about 15-20 minutes should be enough.
Because of the amount of water, the ice cream will come out looking more icy than creamy. You'll want to frown and slump your shoulders at this failure, but do no such thing!
First, transfer the ice cream to an air-tight container, so that it can freeze for about 30 minutes. The ice cream scoops beautifully after it has had a chance to firm up a bit. (It will freeze solid after a few hours, but simply take the container out to thaw/soften slightly before serving.)
The natural richness of the macadamia nuts, combined with the custard base, make this ice cream smooth and creamy. Because of the amount of water, though, the texture feels almost like a frozen yogurt. It's refreshing and light! That way, you don't have to feel so guilty when you fix yourself a nice, big bowl. Macadamia Nut Ice Cream is a perfect, guilt-free dessert or snack packed with sweet, nutty flavor, and I can't wait to try it in sundaes or banana splits!
Macadamia Nut Ice Cream (makes approximately 1 quart)
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Ingredients:
2/3 cup Raw Macadamia Nuts (*Unsalted/Unflavored)
2 cups Water
1/8 tsp Fine Sea Salt (Optional)
1 1/2 cups Half & Half
3/4 cup White Granulated Sugar
4 large Egg Yolks
1/2 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
- In a blender, combine the macadamia nuts, salt, and water. Puree for 60-90 seconds until white and frothy. Strain the mixture into a bowl through a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth, then set aside.
- To make the ice cream base, combine the half & half and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk the egg yolks together in a separate bowl. Then, when the half & half is steaming, slowly whisk it into the egg yolks. Return this mixture to the saucepan, decrease the heat to low, then gently cook the custard. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon or heat-proof spatula to prevent curdling. When the custard is thick enough to coat the spoon/spatula, remove the saucepan from the heat and strain the custard into a large measuring cup or bowl with a spout.
- Whisk in the vanilla and macadamia nut milk. Place the measuring cup/bowl in an ice bath and chill for at least 1 hour. (Overnight for best results)
- Next, churn the mixture in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions. Transfer the ice cream to an air-tight container, then place in the freezer for at least 30 minutes. This allows the ice cream to firm up.
- Scoop and serve with favorite sundae toppings. Enjoy!
