Ana Hernandez first started making this olive oil ice cream at the Italian restaurant she once operated in Guatemala. It didn’t become a runaway hit, though, until she introduced it at her Grove 45 tasting room in Calistoga. While many restaurants have long served ice cream or soft serve drizzled with olive oil, Hernandez’s version takes that one step further by actually stirring her Grove 45 extra virgin olive oil into the custard base before it’s churned into ice cream. The result is an extra-smooth and rich-tasting ice cream with a hint of savoriness. The demand for the ice cream, which is served as part of the tasting room experiences, has grown so much that Hernandez now contracts with San Rafael gelato maker Fiorello’s to produce it according to her specifications. She likes to garnish scoops with a pinch of sea salt to bring out the flavor to its fullest.
Ingredients
- 1¼ cups heavy cream
- 1½ cups whole milk
- ½ cup granulated sugar plus 2 teaspoons
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 8 large egg yolks
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil, such as Grove 45
Preparation
Combine the heavy cream, whole milk and ò cup of the sugar in the top of a large double boiler over medium heat, making sure it doesn’t touch the water underneath. Whisk until the sugar has dissolved. When the mixture has come to a simmer and steam is starting to form, remove from the heat.
In large bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the remaining 2 teaspoons sugar. Temper the mixture by slowly pouring in a little of the warm cream-milk mixture into the yolks, whisking constantly, until you have added about half. Pour this mixture back into the top of the double-boiler containing the remaining warm cream-milk, whisking to combine. On medium heat, stir with a heatproof spatula until the mixture thickens enough so that if you run a finger or spoon across the top, a track will briefly remain.
Remove from the heat and stir in the extra virgin olive oil thoroughly. Cover and chill overnight in the fridge.
The next day, pour the chilled custard into an ice cream maker, and process according to manufacturer’s directions.
Transfer ice cream to a container and store in the freezer until ready to serve.
Recipe courtesy of Ana Hernandez, Grove 45
