This ice cream is light and refreshing with a smooth consistency. Dairy and egg free, it is thickened with agar-agar powder. Agar-agar (or Kanten in Japan) is a natural gelling substance extracted from algae. Unlike gelatine, agar-agar is heat resistant once set and is therefore an excellent food stabiliser and is often used in molecular gastronomy. It doesn’t impart any flavour to food and actually promotes the release of flavours in the mouth.
Pour ½ a cup of water into a stainless steel saucepan and sprinkle 2 teaspoons of agar-agar powder over the surface. Heat the water and stir to dissolve the agar-agar. Add 4 cups of canned coconut milk, 1 cup of sugar and the juice and zest of one lime. Heat until simmering then remove from the heat and allow to cool. The agar-agar will set the mixture to a soft custard consistency. When the mixture is set, whisk it to aerate then churn in an ice cream machine until frozen. If you don’t have an ice cream machine, place the mixture in the freezer until half frozen. Remove from the freezer, whisk again then re-freeze.
michelle picker cooks 