This toasted coconut ice cream is creamy, fresh, and so flavorful. It’s a classic ice cream custard base infused with lavender and packed with toasted coconut flakes. Trust me when I say: You won’t regret taking out the ice cream maker. This is a dessert coconut lovers will swoon over.
Once the weather starts warming up, I love making homemade ice cream. This toasted coconut ice cream (with eggs) is a definite new family favorite. There were some skepticals, but every time I make this flavor combination, it disappears in a day. This is a natural ice cream – artificial flavors, guar gum, or anything else here. Simple ingredients.
We should also talk about the toasted coconut. Not only is it flavor, it’s texture. Not too much, but just right. Those chewy little bits of nutty coconut are ice cream gold. I mix these golden brown flakes into the ice cream and then top scoops of this ice cream with it when serving for a little crunch. My toddler loves it so much, it’s the only way he’s eating a vanilla cone right now. We should take our cue from him and let a little bowl of toasted coconut live on our counter for ice cream, yogurt parfaits, and oatmeal.
And finally, everyone here also really likes the lavender scented milk. It’s an optional part of the recipe, but the final result is a silky ice cream that is rich and nutty and sweet and floral.
Ingredients
- Coconut milk: Do not use light coconut milk or cream of coconut for this recipe. Use full-fat, unsweetened coconut milk.
- Heavy cream: There really isn’t a substitution for heavy cream, it gives this coconut ice cream recipe it’s ultra-creamy texture.
- Sugar: Use regular granulated sugar or cane sugar.
- Salt
- Culinary lavender: Culinary lavender is safe for consumption, so be sure it is labeled culinary.
- Eggs: You’ll need 2 egg yolks for this recipe.
- Vanilla extract: Pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste will both work in this recipe.
- Coconut flakes or shredded coconut: Use unsweetened coconut for this.
Tips & Tricks
- Press the plastic wrap down into the custard mixture. By doing this, you’ll prevent air from coming into contact with the custard and prevent a ‘skin’ from developing on the ice cream base as it chills.
- A great make-ahead dessert! Make your ice cream base and toast your coconut up to 3 days before you need it.
- I use a cuisinart ice cream maker to make this recipe, but did you know you can make this by hand?
Instructions
- Make the ice cream base. In a medium saucepan, whisk together the coconut milk and the milk. Stir in the sugar and the salt. Then heat on medium-low heat, stirring occasionally to keep from separating. Bring to a simmer. Take off heat and add 2 tablespoons of lavender to the warm milk mixture and let steep for 30 minutes. Use a fine mesh strainer to strain the milk. Discard the lavender.
- After straining the lavender from the milk, in a separate, large mixing bowl, whisk 2 egg yolks with ¼ cup sugar and ½ teaspoon of vanilla until the mixture turns a shade of light yellow.
- Bring the lavender coconut milk back to a simmer. Then remove from heat and pour ¼ cup into the bowl with the egg yolk mixture, slowly, while using a whisk to stir the mixture. Then, while constantly whisking, pour in the rest of the milk.
- Add the combined milk/egg mixture back into the saucepan and bring back over to your stovetop. Cook the custard over medium heat, and stir the mixture constantly with a spatula or a wooden spoon until it thickens and lightly coats the spatula. Once the custard mixture comes to a simmer, you only need 2-3 minutes for it to thicken.
- Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla extract.
- Chill the ice cream base. Cover the ice cream mixture with plastic wrap by placing it directly onto the cream to prevent a skin from forming, and let the mixture cool in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours, or overnight. To speed up the cooling process, you can place the container of the creamy coconut ice cream liquid base into an ice bath and stir it often.
- Churn ice cream! Once the ice cream mixture is chilled, churn it in an ice cream maker until thick and frozen (30-40 minutes), adding in the toasted coconut in the last 5 minutes of the churn.
- Freeze. Transfer to an airtight container and freeze for at least 6 hours.
- Serve! (I like topping this ice cream with a few more toasted coconut flakes.)
Storage
Freezing: Homemade ice cream stays fresh in the freezer for up to 2 months. To prevent ice crystals from forming if you think this ice cream will be in the freezer for more than a week, you can also cover it with plastic wrap; same principle as when you chill it before churning. It prevents contact with air and helps keep ice crystals from forming.
📖 Recipe
Toasted Coconut Ice Cream Infused with Lavender
Ingredients
Lavender Scented Milk
- 1 can coconut milk 1 ½ cups
- 1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream
- ½ cup sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons culinary lavender
Egg Mixture
- 2 egg yolks
- ¼ cup sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
Toasted Coconut Add-In
- ½ cup shredded unsweetened coconut, toasted for the ice cream base
- ¼ cup shredded unsweetened coconut, toasted for topping (optional)
Instructions
- Make the ice cream base. In a medium saucepan, whisk together the coconut milk and the milk. Stir in the sugar and the salt. Then heat on medium-low heat, stirring occasionally to keep from separating. Bring to a simmer. Take off heat and add 2 tablespoons of lavender to the warm milk mixture and let steep for 30 minutes. Use a fine mesh strainer to strain the milk. Discard the lavender.
- After straining the lavender from the milk, in a separate, large mixing bowl, whisk 2 egg yolks with ¼ cup sugar and ½ teaspoon of vanilla until the mixture turns a shade of light yellow.
- Bring the lavender coconut milk back to a simmer. Then remove from heat and pour ¼ cup into the bowl with the egg yolk mixture, slowly, while using a whisk to stir the mixture. Then, while constantly whisking, pour in the rest of the milk.
- Add the combined milk/egg mixture back into the saucepan and bring back over to your stovetop. Cook the custard over medium heat, and stir the mixture constantly with a spatula or a wooden spoon until it thickens and lightly coats the spatula. Once the custard mixture comes to a simmer, you only need 2-3 minutes for it to thicken.
- Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla extract.
- Chill the ice cream base. Cover the ice cream mixture with plastic wrap by placing it directly onto the cream to prevent a skin from forming, and let the mixture cool in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours, or overnight. To speed up the cooling process, you can place the container of the creamy coconut ice cream liquid base into an ice bath and stir it often.
- Churn ice cream! Once the ice cream mixture is chilled, churn it in an ice cream maker until thick and frozen (30-40 minutes), adding in the toasted coconut in the last 5 minutes of the churn.
- Freeze. Transfer to an airtight container and freeze for at least 6 hours.
- Serve! (I like topping this ice cream with a few more toasted coconut flakes.)
