Early last winter while working on a special dessert for a private dinner client I decided to look through some of my older cookbooks. While doing so, I ran across a recipe for coconut ice cream in Patricia Wells’ book Simply French. The recipe was so simple and so outside the realm of what I consider to be correct technique for ice cream that it made me question whether or not it would be a waste of my time to try it. I almost passed it by.
But the fact that this recipe was in Simply French gave me reason to pause. If you aren’t familiar with the book, it is—as the subtitle reveals—a presentation of the cuisine of Joel Robuchon, who was arguably one of the most influential chefs of the last century. Among other things he was known for his commitment to precise technique and to crafting dishes that let the ingredients “speak for themselves.” I wouldn’t call his food “simple”—because the techniques are generally not simple. But he was certainly a champion of using seasonal ingredients, and allowing those ingredients to shine. The book includes many of his classic presentations.
Beyond the source, I was persuaded to try the recipe because it was perfect for the dessert I wanted to make: Danish almond cake with a caramelized pineapple compote (the ice cream is served in the book with pineapple in a vanilla butter sauce).
As I said, the recipe is surprisingly simple: two cups of milk, one and one half cups of “sweetened coconut milk,” and a small amount of rum. Sweetened coconut milk could probably be a lot of things, but Wells says in the head notes of the recipe that they used Cóco Lopez at Robuchon’s restaurant Jamin. To me Cóco Lopez is “cream of coconut”—there is nothing milk-like about it—so I was grateful she gave this brand detail.
To make the ice cream, bring the milk to a boil, add the Cóco Lopez, strain the mixture (A signature Robuchon—and classic French—technique…everything that can be strained, usually gets strained, so that the final texture will be as suave as possible. In this case, you are straining out the skin that forms on the surface of boiled milk.), stir in the rum, chill, and freeze in an ice cream freezer.
I don’t know if the Cóco Lopez that is sold in the U.S. is different than what is sold in France, but I had to add a step. When you open a can of Cóco Lopez often you will find that the contents have separated into solidified fat (on the top) and a syrupy liquid on the bottom. I had to blend the milk/Cóco Lopez mixture with my immersion blender before I strained it so that the separated fat was emulsified back in.
The frozen results were incredibly delicious. Patricia Wells calls it ice cream…but to me the texture is more like ice milk. It is very light…and has the smooth texture of the creamiest of sorbets. It could probably be called coconut sorbet but for the fact that it includes dairy. The flavor isn’t super strong—although it is definitely identifiable. Since my least favorite thing about coconut is the texture, this ice milk is just about the perfect coconut treat.
The first time I made it, it was the dead of winter. But I knew it would make an amazingly refreshing summer treat. So early this summer, when I had some Coco Reál left over from a private dinner, I knew exactly what I would do with it.
Coco Reál is not identical to Cóco Lopez (which is considered to be the original “cream of coconut”). But for most things, I use them interchangeably. Coco Reál is slightly sweeter and it includes emulsifiers that keep it from separating into its fatty and liquid components. Some sources accuse Cóco Reál of including “chemical preservatives”—implying that this makes it an inferior product. But if you look at the labels for both products you will find they both include some unidentifiable preservatives. No one would accuse either company of packaging a health food.
In any case, I definitely like the fact that I didn’t have to get out my immersion blender to finish the ice milk base for the one made with Coco Reál. I also liked the flavor of the version made with Coco Reál a bit better. When made with Cóco Lopez, I find it has a slight—unidentifiable (to me, at least)—aftertaste. But I have made it subsequently (more than once) with both products, and it is delicious either way. I think that if you make it, you will be happy with either one.
The coconut ice milk is delicious all on its own…or with fruit. I particularly like it with the Bing cherry compote I used in my Bing Cherry & Chocolate Chip Semifreddo (another amazingly delicious and refreshing summer treat). I have also served it with plain, sugared fresh fruit (tropical fruits are especially good).
But my favorite thing to serve with it is the almond praline I made for that original dessert. There is something about the light crackle-y crunch…and the caramel-y almond flavor…that is just the perfect foil. Shaved chocolate or a chocolate syrup is a delicious go-with also. And of course, it is delicious with the Danish Almond Cake.
I’m glad I trusted my gut about the reliability of this old friend of a cookbook and gave this recipe a try. If you are interested in French food, this is a great cookbook to have on your shelf. And if you love coconut…and ice cream/ice milk/sorbet…you should definitely give this simple, sweet, and refreshing treat a try.
Coconut Ice Milk
2 c. whole milk
1 1/2 c. cream of coconut (Cóco Lopez, Coco Reál, or similar)
1 T. rum or Malibu (optional)
Place the milk in a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat and add the cream of coconut. If it appears lumpy, or separated, use an immersion blender (or transfer to a standard upright blender) to smooth it out/emulsify. Strain through a fine sieve into a bowl and stir in the Malibu. Chill until cold.
Freeze according to the instructions on your ice cream machine. When soft serve-like, transfer to a chilled freezer container and freeze. Makes a scant quart.
Notes: This produces a frozen dessert that starts to soften/thaw very quickly. Serve in chilled dishes…and store in the coldest part of your freezer.
(Recipe adapted from Simply French by Patricia Wells)
Almond Praline
1/2 c. (50g) sliced almonds
Spray a small cookie sheet with cooking spray…or oil lightly. Set aside.
Set a medium non-stick sauté pan (with a cooking surface that is about 8 inches in diameter) over medium-high. Scatter the sugar evenly over the surface of the pan
and let melt—shaking back and forth occasionally to keep the sugar in an even layer. The melted sugar should be clear or a light amber color. If it is a dark amber, the heat is too high.
When the sugar is melted, scatter the almonds in an even layer over the sugar. Using a non-stick, heat proof spatula, stir (lifting, turning and pressing…as demonstrated in class) the nuts constantly. They will begin to take on a golden color in spots and the melted sugar will begin to darken. You are looking for a mostly uniform, deep golden coloration of the nuts and sugar.
If the sugar/pan begins to smoke, reduce the heat. When the color is mostly uniform—this will only take about a minute to a minute and a half from when you add the nuts—remove from the heat and scrape onto the prepared tray. Use heat proof spatula to separate the nuts as much as possible. The praline will harden very quickly. If you wish the nuts to be more separate, use two oiled, heat proof spatulas to occasionally stir and separate them as they cool.
Makes about 3/4 cup