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–+ servings

Zucchini Bread Ice Cream

This gently infused zucchini ice cream includes *just* the right amount of zucchini bread. It's zucchini on top of zucchini, and an absolute party dessert for summer. And the best part? You'll have a summery, zucchini ice cream, plus plenty of warm zucchini bread leftover to serve with it. The subtle sweetness of the zucchini makes a really stellar ice cream base, so even without the zucchini bread, you're guaranteed to love it.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Infusing & Churning Time 3 days
Servings: 1 quart container

Equipment

Ingredients

For the ice cream base
  • 4 large egg yolks
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar , 3.9 ounces / 110 grams, separated
  • 1 1/2 cups whole milk , 12.7 ounces / 360 grams
  • 1 1/2 cups heavy cream, 12.7 ounces / 360 grams
For the infusion + add-ins
  • 1 medium green zucchini , 8 ounces / 226 grams
  • 1/3 loaf zucchini bread, either store bought or home made, see Note*

Instructions 

To prepare a day ahead:
  1. Place your KitchenAid Ice Cream Churner attachment in the back of the freezer to chill for 14-16 hours. (See Note**)
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and 1/4 cup of the granulated sugar (55 grams) until the egg yolks are lightened to a pale yellow color and doubled in size.
  3. In a medium sauce pot, add the whole milk, heavy cream, and remaining 1/4 cup (55 grams) of sugar. Stir to combine and place over medium heat. Stirring often, let this heat up until foamy or until it reads 165°F with an instant-read thermometer.
  4. Reduce the heat to low and scoop a spoonful (about 1/4 cup) of the hot milk mixture into the egg yolks. Whisk it into the yolks to temper them. Do this three more times to heat up the yolks. Then pour the egg yolk mixture directly into the pot.
  5. Stirring constantly, increase the heat to medium-low and mix the custard until it can coat the back of a spoon and reads between 165-170°F on an instant-read thermometer.
  6. Remove the mixture from the heat and strain it through a mesh sieve into a bowl.
  7. Use a box grater to grate the zucchini into shreds. Squeeze out as much excess water as you can. Stir the shreds into the mixture.
  8. To prevent a film from forming, directly place cling wrap on the surface of the mixture to seal it. Cover the bowl and store in the fridge for 1-3 days to infuse. If you want to let this rest for a longer period of time, let the mixture infuse for 1 day, then transfer to the freezer for up to two weeks. When you are ready to use it, transfer it to the fridge to thaw for 24 hours. Then it will be ready for use.
When you are ready to churn the ice cream:
  1. When you are ready to churn, take the custard base out of the fridge. Strain the mixture through a mesh sieve into the churner. Use a spoon or spatula to gently press the mixture out of the sieve. Discard the zucchini pieces.
  2. Churn for 20-30 minutes or until the ice cream is thick and has the texture of a stiffer soft serve.
  3. Chop up the zucchini bread into bite-sized pieces. Gently fold these into the churned ice cream.
  4. Transfer the ice cream from the churner to your preferred container. I love plastic deli quart containers for this. Cover and freeze another 2-3 hours, then it is ready to scoop and serve.

Notes

Note*: My favorite zucchini bread recipe is here: https://ventre-mince.today/brown-butter-zucchini-bread/%3C/span%3E%3Cdiv class="wprm-spacer">
Note**: This recipe can also be done with a traditional ice cream churner. See your churner's instructions for proper preparation.