Coconut Ice Cream with Hazelnut Brown Butter Sauce

 5 from 5 reviews

This Coconut Ice Cream is rich and creamy with a wonderful, deeply nutty flavor. This eggless ice cream base has toasted coconut flakes, coconut cream, salted honey brown butter, plus other ingredients. Serve this coconut ice cream with an easy and quick hazelnut brown butter sauce that you can use for any kind of dessert. Also learn an idea of how to turn this dessert sauce into a sauce for savory dishes.

Hello my friends,

This coconut ice cream recipe is my favorite ice cream flavor. I know it may seem that I have been telling you the same thing for every ice cream recipe, but it’s true. It has not been easy to pick a favorite because all of the ice cream recipes here at Spoonabilities are absolutely amazing. This homemade coconut milk dessert has toasty browned butter, and it’s nutty, it’s creamy, it’s rich, and it’s perfectly balanced, and it’s an eggless ice cream. What’s not to love?

It was a bit of a challenge to get the right name for this recipe because I want the name to reflect the three main ingredients: Salted Honey Brown Butter, toasted coconut flakes, and coconut cream. Some of the possible names on my list are: honey brown butter ice cream, toasted coconut ice cream, brown butter coconut ice cream, coconut cream ice cream, and coconut milk ice cream. Did I pick the right one? Only time will tell.

Coconut Ice Cream Base Ingredients

Of course you know by the name that the ice cream base is made with coconut, but we are also combining coconut flakes and coconut cream for a deep, rich coconut flavor.

Coconut Flakes

We are using unsweetened coconut flakes because you can control the amount of sugar that goes into the ice cream base. I prefer to toast the coconut flakes in the oven because it only takes 5 minutes, and by toasting the coconut you bring out a nutty flavor, and your house will smell amazing.

Coconut Cream

For the coconut cream, you can pick your favorite brand, but my personal preference is Aroy-D unsweetened. Why? This coconut cream consists of the solid part of the first-press of the coconut meat. It's 100% coconut cream with no additives or preservatives. Some brands will have thickeners like guar. Other coconut cream options are Savoy Coconut Cream or Let's Do...Organic Heavy Coconut Cream. Those are my recommendations, but you can use any coconut milk or coconut cream, but it is particularly noteworthy to make sure it is full fat.

This coconut ice cream base will provide both fat and flavor, boosted by the addition of the toasted coconut flakes. Fat content is important to get the most creamy and delicious ice cream. Yes, this is not a healthy diet recipe.

Steps to Make Coconut Ice Cream

The coconut ice cream base ingredients are toasted coconut flakes, corn syrup, brown sugar, granulated sugar, xanthan gum, water, and coconut cream.

1. Toast the coconut flakes in the oven. In a small bowl mix the brown sugar, white sugar, and xanthan gum

2. Set a saucepan over medium heat; add all the ingredients except the coconut cream and whisk vigorously until smooth. Stir until the sugar mixture dissolves. Adjust the temperature if necessary to prevent a simmer. It takes about 3 minutes.

3. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the honey brown butter and the coconut cream. Keep whisking until the brown butter is melted and the coconut cream is thoroughly combined. Let the base cool. Transfer the brown butter coconut base to an airtight container and refrigerate for 24 hours for better texture and flavor. Read more about the secrets of the ice cream base in the recipe Pear & Blue Cheese Ice Cream with Pear Preserves, Apricots & Honey.

4. The next day add the ice cream base into the ice cream maker. Churn for about 25-30 minutes. Check your machine manual, as time may differ from one machine to another.

Different Step then Last Year

Last year when making ice cream, I made the basic ice cream base first, and I added the flavoring either just before or right after churning. This year, I added the flavor while I was making the initial base. Why? The ice cream recipes from last year used preserves, jams, and caramel sauce. Those ingredients are perfect for incorporating the flavor as a final swirl to get chunks in each bite. This year I want the flavors to be full incorporated into the ice cream as the shining stars.

For example, I did the same method of combining the flavor into the ice cream base in the Pistachio ice cream and the Peppers in Paradise Pineapple Jalapeno Ice Cream recipes.

Like this recipe so far? Be the first to know when we release new ones!

Salted Honey Brown Butter

This coconut ice cream has two interesting ingredients with an intense and nutty flavor: toasted coconut flakes and salted honey brown butter. Brown butter takes this ice cream to another level of awesomeness. If you haven’t tried brown butter ice cream, you must do so asap because you are missing the most amazing ice cream flavor.

What is Brown Butter?

Brown butter is a more complex, deeply toasted version of whole butter. Black & Bolyard takes grass-fed, non-GMO butter from American farms, and carefully browns the milk solids in the butterfat before infusing them with wonderful flavors. Salted Honey Brown Butter is deep-toasted, with an intensely flavorful infusion of honey to craft a stunningly alluring experience.

Brown butter can replace regular butter anywhere you usually use it, in both sweet and savory recipes, as a spread on toast, muffins, banana bread; a sauté of vegetables, or eggs; baked into cookies, muffins, or pies; and a sauce for seafood, meats, and pastas. I used to make my own brown butter, but not anymore since I discovered this shelf-stable brown butter from Black & Bolyard.

What is the Difference between Butter, Clarified Butter, Ghee, and Brown Butter?

• Butter is a dairy product made from the fat and protein components of milk or cream. It can be made from the milk of cows, sheep, goats, buffalos, or yaks. Butter is made up of three things: fat, milk solids, and water.
• Clarified Butter is butter that is heated to evaporate the water and separate out the milk solids, leaving behind a golden liquid. The clarified butter has almost all the moisture, and the solids are removed.
• Ghee is cooked a little longer than clarified butter to evaporate all of the moisture, separate all of the milk solids, and deepen the flavor. Ghee is lactose-free, has a slightly higher concentration of fat than butter, and more calories. And ghee doesn’t have milk solids and is pure butterfat. Ghee’s smoke point is 482°F/250°C
• Browned Butter is made the same way as ghee, but is cooked until the milk solids caramelize, resulting in a savory nutty or toasty, deeper, richer, intense flavor. Brown butter’s smoke point is 350°F/175°C
• Ghee is neutral in taste; brown butter is sweet. In cooking, ghee is used as a culinary oil, but brown butter is used as a taste enhancer. For example, you can add brown butter to baked goods to add a sweeter taste to it.

Public service announcement: It doesn’t matter if you use whole butter, clarified butter, ghee, or brown butter; you should use butter in moderation. They all have some health benefits, but overuse will affect your health adversely.

Hazelnut Brown Butter Sauce for Desserts

As if it wasn’t enough to give you the fantastic flavors inside this coconut ice cream, we’re also creating an amazing hazelnut brown butter sauce to drizzle on top of the ice cream. This sauce is optional, but it’s a winner, and the best part of this sauce is that you can use it for any dessert or even for savory dishes. Make this brown butter sauce ahead of time and just put it in the microwave for 10 seconds before using. The warm sauce will soften the ice cream for an out of this world experience.

Making the Dessert Sauce

You can make this sauce in less than 5 minutes. The amount of each ingredient will vary depending on what your needs and tastes are. First, heat a small frying pan and toast the chopped hazelnut for about 2 minutes. Stir constantly for an evenly toasted nut. Then add the honey brown butter, sugar, Frangelico, and a pinch of sea salt. Stir until the sugar dissolves and the alcohol evaporates. It will take around 1 or 2 minutes. That’s all!

Making a Savory Sauce

Do you want to use this sauce for a savory dish? Easy, leave out the sugar, and use this variation of the recipe. In a small frying pan, toast the hazelnuts and set aside. Add to the empty pan brown butter, shallot, chopped garlic, and sauté for a minute. Add a splash of hazelnut liqueur and cook until the alcohol evaporates. Use this brown butter sauce for ravioli, scallops, fish, or just about anything.

I believe we are closing National Ice Cream Month over the top with this homemade coconut ice cream with hazelnut brown butter sauce. I’m so excited to hear your comments about this recipe and see your creations that you share with us by tagging @Spoonabilities on Instagram and other social media and using the hashtag #Spoonabilities.

Stay tuned because we will bring more summer recipes. We are heating up our grill for a three-ingredient recipe, and working on watermelon recipes in salads and cocktails, and a strawberry dessert.

Happy Summer!

Carlos
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Coconut Ice Cream with Hazelnut Brown Butter Sauce

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5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 5 reviews

• Author: Carlos Leo
• Total Time: 8 minutes
• Yield: 8 1x

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Description

This easy homemade coconut ice cream has toasty browned butter with a nutty, creamy, and rich flavor. This eggless ice cream base has coconut cream, and toasted coconut flakes topped with a hazelnut brown butter sauce. The perfect summer frozen dessert, this ice cream marries perfectly with the tart desserts of Fall. Serve during the holidays on top of the pumpkin or apple pie.

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• ½ cup (lightly packed) light brown sugar
• ¼ cup sugar
• ½ teaspoon xanthan gum
• ¾ cups light corn syrup
• 2 cups water
• 2+½ cups unsweetened coconut cream
• ⅓ cup Salted Honey Brown Butter

OPTIONAL: Hazelnut Brown Butter Sauce:

• 3 Tablespoons Frangelico
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• ⅓ cup Salted Honey Brown Butter
• ⅓ cup toasted & chopped hazelnuts
• Pinch sea salt

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 300F.
2. Spread the shredded coconut in an even layer on a sheet pan and bake, shaking the pan occasionally, until the coconut is an even dark amber color, about 5 minutes.
3. At the same time, in a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar, granulated sugar, and xanthan gum.
4. Combine the toasted coconut, corn syrup, and 1 cup water in a small saucepan. Add the sugar mixture and whisk vigorously until smooth. Set the pan over medium heat and cook until the sugar has fully dissolved, about 3 minutes, stirring often and adjusting the heat if necessary to prevent a simmer.
5. Remove from heat and stir in the honey brown butter and coconut cream. Let the base cool.
6. Transfer the cooled mixture to an airtight container and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 6 hours, or for even better texture and flavor, 24 hours.
7. The next day, add the ice cream base into the ice cream maker. Churn for about 25-30 minutes. Check your machine manual as time may differ from one machine to another.

 OPTIONAL: Hazelnut Brown Butter Sauce:

1. In a small saucepan or frying pan, toast the chopped hazelnut for about 2-3 minutes at medium-low heat, stirring constantly.
2. Add the Salted Honey Brown Butter, sugar, Frangelico, and a pinch of sea salt. Stir until the sugar dissolves and the alcohol evaporates - about 1-2 minutes.

Equipment

Ice Cream Maker

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Salted Honey Brown Butter

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Notes

The base can be further stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Just be sure to fully thaw the frozen base before using it.

• Prep Time: 3 minutes
• Cook Time: 5 minutes
• Category: Dessert
• Method: churn
• Cuisine: International

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