Ben & Jerry's Kiwi Ice Cream

This is the classic Ben & Jerry’s kiwi ice cream from their Homemade Ice Cream and Dessert Book, a recipe most people skip past in favor of more familiar flavors. That’s a mistake. The combination of bright, tangy kiwi against rich Vermont-style custard makes one of the most refreshing scoops you’ll find in summer.

The Ben & Jerry’s house style starts with the eggs. Most ice cream recipes use yolks only. Ben & Jerry’s uses whole eggs, including the whites, which whip into the cream and produce that distinctive Ben & Jerry’s mouthfeel: a little fluffier than French custard, a little lighter on the tongue, but still rich and dense.

Kiwi handling is the trick. Mashed and macerated with a small amount of sugar for an hour before mixing, the fruit releases enough juice to incorporate smoothly into the custard. The macerated puree retains its fresh, slightly grassy flavor without going stringy, which can happen when whole kiwis go into a blender.

Heavy cream alone, without milk, is also Ben & Jerry’s signature. The high fat content gives the ice cream a luxuriously dense texture and prevents the iciness that can plague homemade fruit ice creams. Don’t substitute half-and-half here; it will not freeze properly.

Use ripe kiwis. A firm-as-a-rock kiwi has no flavor and no juice. Look for ones that yield slightly when pressed, similar to a ripe pear.

Pro Tips

• Don’t blend the kiwis in a food processor or blender. The black seeds break down into a bitter, gritty paste. Mashing with a fork is the right technique.
• Whisk the eggs until light and fluffy before adding sugar. Underwhipped eggs produce a denser, less fluffy ice cream.
• Stir the macerated kiwi into the cream just before churning. Letting it sit longer can curdle the cream slightly.
• Freeze the canister of your ice cream maker for at least 24 hours before churning. Warm canisters produce soft-serve, not ice cream.

Variations

• Add a splash of fresh lime juice with the kiwi for a brighter, more tropical flavor.
• Stir in chunks of fresh strawberries for a kiwi-strawberry mash-up.
• Top each scoop with a thin drizzle of honey for a floral, gourmet finish.