Avocado Coconut Ice Cream Recipe

Pictures by R. 

Avocado ice cream may be one of my favourite ice cream flavours of all time. This recipe has been floating around my head for the better part of a year (I filed it haphazardly in the vague recesses of my brain labelled "Potential Recipes"), but I never quite managed to work up the mental fortitude to give this a whirl. 

That changed when R and I were wandering around Dandenong Market and saw a display of huge overripe avocados, each going for a dollar. I'm never one to pass up a bargain, and so we picked the firmest two (but still plenty soft) and headed home to start churning some ice cream.

As featured in these pictures, the hazelnuts, almonds, coconut chips, avocados and coconut milk were bought on the spur of the moment at Dandenong Market as we walked through the premise. Dandenong Market may be a little disreputable compared to renowned ones like Prahran Market or Queen Victoria, but I appreciate the no-frills, no-sparkle ambience, which is reflected in the prices. Nothing beats the variety that Dandenong Market offers: from Middle Eastern spices (I have a friend who comes from Bendigo to stock up on spices!), to local seasonal produce and fresh nuts, and all available at a great price. Can you sense the love?

Coconut flakes are optional but highly recommended. When toasted, they have a crispy edge but retains moisture on the inside and as you bite into one, releases coconut oil and fragrance. I bought a pack without knowing what to do with the rest of the pack, but now that it's in my hands, there's no delusion of having any excess. It goes well with the Lemon Cake that I made again, and I'm eyeing the macaroons recipe from Alice Medrich next. It's delightful mixed with nuts and trail mix as well, or you can eat it toasted just as it is (and we did polished off an inordinately amount of coconut flakes this way.) 

Fresh out of the ice cream machine, the ice cream was creamy and luxurious. Once overnight in the freezer though, it hardens and develops an icy texture - not unlike the consistency of a potong ice cream. R adored the new-found iciness the next day, but I much-preferred its original creamy consistency. I might do a little tinkering around the recipe (maybe swop out some of the coconut milk for coconut cream?), but until then, this could be a recipe that you might prefer to finish on the day it was made.  

Avocado-Coconut Ice Cream

Makes about 1 quart (1L)
Adapted from David Lebovitz, original recipe from Absolutely Avocados by Gaby Dalkin

The recipe can be put together rather speedily in the span of minutes, and when it comes to blending the chunks of avocado into the coconut milk and heavy cream to create a smooth homogenous meld, a handheld blender is a lifesaver. If you don't have a blender or food processor, I imagine you can achieve similar results by mashing the avocados with a fork, then drizzle the liquid ingredients in whilst whisking. 

Ingredients
2 ripe Hass avocados (about 450g/1 pound)
1 can coconut milk (400g)
125ml (1/2 cup) heavy cream
100g (1/2 cup) sugar
1/2 - 1 teaspoon rum
pinch of salt
a squeeze of fresh lime juice
Toasted coconut, optional, for garnish

Steps
1. Scoop out the avocado flesh into a blender. Add all the other ingredients (coconut milk, heavy cream, sugar, rum, salt, and lime juice), and blend until smooth and no visible chunks of avocados can be seen. Let the mixture cool thoroughly in a fridge (or a freezer).


2. While waiting, prep the coconut flakes: Coconut flakes should be toasted about 3- 4 minutes at 200C until the edges are a golden brown. Let cool and store in an airtight container. 

3) Freeze in a ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. 

Notes: 
As David mentioned, for those avoiding dairy, use additional coconut milk in place of the heavy cream.