(Adapted from Hank Shaw’s recipe at honest-food.net/paw-paw-ice-cream)
Makes about 1 quart
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Churn time: 20 – 40 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour – 1 hour and 40 minutes
- 2 cups mashed paw paws, about 5 or 6 pawpaws
- 3 cups cream
- 1 cups milk
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 a vanilla bean or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 5 egg yolks
- Salt and lime zest (optional, to taste *when serving)
Prepare your pawpaw mash. We find it easier to process pawpaws that have been frozen and allowed to partially thaw. They peel easily, and then you’re just left to remove the seeds. Once peels, you can also smash it all through a colander to try to remove the seeds. With fresh, ripe pawpaws, you can slice in half like an avocado, remove seeds, then scoop pulp out with a spoon or your hands.
Once peels and seeds are removed, use a hand blender or stand blender to emulsify the pawpaw pulp. Add a small amount of cream if needed. Cover (so the flies don’t get into it) and set aside.
Separate your egg yolks out. Beat the egg yolks in a bowl. Cover and set aside.
To make the custard for the ice cream, heat the cream and milk and sugar in a pot over medium heat to the steaming point, about 165°F. If you’re using a real vanilla bean, add it to the mixture now. If you are using extract, hold off for now.
Stirring the eggs all the time, add one ladle of the hot cream mixture into the egg yolks. Keep stirring and add a second ladle full of hot cream – this is tempering the eggs so they don’t curdle. Once it’s well mixed, pour the egg mixture into the pot, and stir.
Heat it back to the steaming point, stirring often. It’s ready when it thickens to nappe consistency. You can do a finger test to see if you’re there: Dip a spoon in the custard, it should coat the back such that when you run a finger across the spoon, it holds a line and doesn’t immediately flow back together. Now’s the time to stir in the vanilla extract if that’s what you’re using. Remove from heat.
Whisk in the pawpaw mash until it’s all well combined.
Pour the custard into a bowl or mason jars. Set the bowl or jars into a larger bowl filled with ice to cool the mix down quickly, or set on the counter until cool enough to refrigerate. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, up to 24 hours.
When the custard is cool, remove the vanilla bean if you used one.
With an ice cream maker, remember to freeze your canister for at least 24 hours. Put the mixture into your ice cream maker. Turn it on, and let it churn to desired consistency, about 20-25 minutes. It should be soft serve consistency. If you want scooping consistency, put in the freezer for about 2 hours.
If you’re hand churning, you can pour it into your canister. You also need to prepare a tub containing ice and rock salt. Place the canister in your bucket of ice and salt, and hand churn until it reaches desired consistency. If you want scooping consistency, put in the freezer for about 2 hours.
Serve with a sprinkle of salt and lime zest to taste.