Pomegranate Ice Cream

Living in what-at-times can be extreme heat, ice cream is both a blessing and curse: while it’s a delectable frozen treat, especially on a steamy hot day, it’s a challenge to make unless you want to rise before dawn to prepare it. Having experimented with different methods over the past year, including trying a cheap gelato maker, a whizzer stick, and an electric handheld beater, I’ve concluded that the less I have to fiddle with the cream the better. Just keep it simple … and what’s more simple than the lovely Nigella Lawson’s no-churn ice cream? I not only modified her No Churn Pomegranate Ice Cream recipe to work with the ingredients I have on hand–improvisation is an art in these parts–I also used less icing sugar. And instead of fresh pomegranates I used frozen arils, leaving a cupful whole before juicing the rest.

Pomegranate ice cream has fast become a favorite flavor in our household, enhanced by the simplicity of the method in making it.

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Pomegranate ice cream served with a meringue.

Pomegranate Ice Cream 

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups pomegranate juice
  • 1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice
  • 150g icing/confectioner’s sugar
  • 500ml whipping cream
  • 1 cup frozen arils (if using), or the seeds of 1 pomegranate

Method:

  1. Strain the pomegranate and lemon juice through a sieve into a medium bowl.
  2. Add the icing sugar until it dissolves, using either a hand or electric balloon whisk.
  3. Slowly pour the whipping cream into the juice while whisking and continue until soft peaks form in the bright pink cream.
  4. If you are using frozen arils, as I did in the photograph above, drain the defrosted juice, and gently fold the seeds into the whipped cream.
  5. Transfer the ice cream into an airtight container and freeze for at least 4 hours, or overnight.
  6. Remove the ice cream from the refrigerator 15 minutes before serving; this will make it easier to scoop out into balls.
  7. Scatter with fresh pomegranate seeds as a garnish, or, if you’ve used frozen arils in the ice cream, garnish it with a fresh sprig of mint.

 

Preparing pomegranate arils for freezing.
Preparing pomegranate arils for freezing.

Annabel Hughes Aston is a writer and an award-winning chef in Livingstone, Zambia. She is the creator of "bush gourmet" cuisine.