This is the kind of ice cream you take a first bite of just because it's different.
But any bites you take afterwards are just because it's so good.
It figures, really. Avocado is technically a fruit, and when you put two of nature's richest fruits together, the results are heavenly. Chih-Chung Fang used lowfat milk to temper the richness of his recipe, but says you can use whole or nonfat milk instead.
Whatever you do, don't use cream. Your ice cream will be so full of fat that it'll taste almost like you're eating a stick of butter. And that warning comes from Chih, who subscribes mightily to the mantra that it's better with butter.
Coconut-Avocado Ice Cream
The Goods
1 lb. ripe avocado, pitted and scooped out of the skin
1 c. coconut milk
1 1/2 c. lowfat milk
Juice from 1 small lemon
Drizzle of vanilla extract
1 c. sugar
The How-To
Blend
avocado, milk, coconut milk, lemon juice, and vanilla in a blender until smooth. (The mixture will be thick, so you may need to stop the blender and stir with a spoon several times to get a creamy consistency.)
Mix
in the sugar.
Cover
mixture with plastic wrap directly on the surface and chill for an hour or more.
Process
in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's directions.
When
frozen and set, scoop and serve.
With a stint in the Chez Panisse pastry kitchen behind him, Chih-Chung Fang now creates artisan breads and pastries at
Arizmendi.