Basil and Olive Oil Ice Cream
First introduced by the Romans, due to their belief in its healing powers, the humble basil leaf has now become a symbol of Liguria. Basil ice cream may sound unusual, but don’t knock it ’til you try it! The refreshing flavour lends itself beautifully to a sweet ice cream base and it’s even more delicious when served with sweet strawberries and drizzled with Filippo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
Categories: Desserts
Serves: 4-6
Preparation time: 24 hours
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
- 4 egg yolks
- 160g caster sugar
- 450ml full fat milk
- 1 bunch fresh basil, roughly chopped
- 300ml double cream
- 100ml Filippo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil, plus extra for drizzling
- Strawberries and basil to garnish
Method
- In a large bowl, beat together the egg yolks and caster sugar until light and fluffy and it leaves a trail (at least 3-5 minutes).
- Gently heat the milk in a pan until it just reaches the boil, remove from the heat and then add into the egg and caster mixture while gently whisking.
- Once all fully incorporated; return to the pan, add the basil and cook on a very low heat until the consistency of runny custard. Remove from the heat and leave to cool.
- Once cooled, stir in the cream. Cover and refrigerate overnight to infuse the ice cream base.
- Next day, sieve the basil from the ice cream base and discard. Stir through the 100ml of Filippo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
- Churn in an ice cream machine until the desired consistency is achieved (about 15-30 minutes depending on the machine). Place in the freezer for at least an hour to firm up.
- Drizzle with Filippo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil and serve with fresh strawberries.
