Wednesday, November 4, 2009

No-Churn Pomegranate Ice Cream

This week's theme at I Heart Cooking Clubs is Autumn Harvest. It seems absolutely crazy to post an ice cream recipe for an autumn harvest theme, but pomegranates are in season! I debated about whether or not to choose this recipe, but in the end I decided just to roll with it. The pomegranates have just started popping up in the markets and I haven't had one in a really long time.

In fact, the last time I had a pomegranate I was thirteen years old! I was in seventh grade and our home economics teacher was showing us "unique and exotic fruits". None of us had ever seen a pomegranate before. We didn't even know what it was. She cracked open that pomegranate and we all looked at each other like it was an experiment or something. Nobody wanted to eat it, especially when she told us that we were suppose to eat the seeds. I can still remember biting into one of the seeds with skepticism. I remember thinking that it tasted okay, but I was totally wierded out.

Fast forward twenty years and pomegranates are no longer "unique and exotic". In fact, this time of year, they are everywhere. For years I thought about buying them, but never really knew what to do with them. Not to mention, every time I saw them it reminded me of seventh grade, and let's face it.....who wants to be reminded of seventh grade?

However, I had to bite the bullet and buy a pomegranate for a recipe in Stirring the Pot and I'm glad I did. I made two recipes with that one pomegranate and I really liked both of them. The pomegranate seeds look like little red ruby jewels, they are so pretty.
No-Churn Pomegranate Ice Cream - adapted from Nigella Express by Nigella Lawson
2 pomegranates
1 lime
1-1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 cups heavy cream
Note: You only need 3/4 cup of pomegranate juice. I used Pom juice in place of juicing my own fresh pomegranates. I used my pomegranate for a garnish only.

Juice the pomegranates and the lime, straining the juices into a bowl. You will have approximately 3/4 cup of pomegranate juice. Reserve the pomegranate seeds for garnish. (Or take the easy way out and just pour in 3/4 cup juice, like I did)

Add the powdered sugar and whisk to dissolve.

Whisk in the cream and keep whisking until soft peaks form in the pale pink cream.

Spoon and smooth the ice cream into a rigid plastic container with a tight-fitting lid and freeze for at least 4 hours or overnight. Scatter with pomegranate seeds when you eat it.

Serves 8

Notes/Results: What a fun and easy recipe to make. I love the color of this ice cream, such a pretty pale pink. The ice cream was sweet and the pomegranate seeds added that certain tart and juicy pop in your mouth. It is stunning with the ruby red pomegranate seeds on top for a garnish and would make a very festive and stunning part of your holiday dessert table. I did notice that it took a little longer than four hours to set up, so I would definitely let it set up either overnight or at least 6-8 hours. I couldn't help but be reminded of my thirteen year old self when I was eating this. I felt like I was really eating a "unique and exotic" treat!!

Head on over to I Heart Cooking Clubs to see what everyone else is cooking up. Better yet, cook along with us. I really love Nigella's recipes. I haven't met one that I didn't like!

23 comments:

  1. This looks wonderful! I don't think it is weird at all to have ice cream now! I love the color!!

    I sent you an email about the swap, just making sure that you get it. :)

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  2. This is yummy! How I wish can have some now.

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  3. That's lovely! I've made a pomegranate sorbet, but never an ice cream.

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  4. I am going to have to try this! POM Wonderful got a hold of my blog and sent me a HUGE stash of pomegranate juice. I have bottles of this stuff and I'm looking for ways to use it up :) I'm going to bookmark this recipe. I did see it on Nigella's website but didn't know if I should use the juice in place of the actual fruit. I may need the fruit for the seeds though :) Yours looks great! Can't wait to try it :)

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  5. Ah, so really its kind of like a frozen whipped cream? Looks beautiful.

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  6. This is what I made, too!! LOL...looks great...working on my post now :D

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  7. This is such a creative ice cream flavor. Love it! All seasons are perfect for a bowl of ice cream :-)

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  8. It is always ice cream season!
    Even if I have to wrap up in a blanket before eating it. ;-)
    I had my eye on this recipe too - great idea to use the pom juice.
    The ice cream looks so lovley all pink and jewel encrusted! I love how simply it comes together.

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  9. Such a great recipe. I don't think ice cream is meant only for summer. (Especially here where it works here all year round). ;-) Love the color and how fluffy it looks. Awesome choice!

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  10. Oooh, pomegranate ice cream is such a creative idea! I really like that it's a no-churn recipe, since I don't have an ice cream maker :)

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  11. What a gorgeous ice cream - something to look forward to when the pomegranates re-appear in this part of the world.

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  12. Such a lovely color ice cream. I am an all year round ice cream gal and this sounds fantastic. Gotta love pomegranates.

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  13. What a unique dessert. It looks beautiful and I imagine has a great flavor!

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  14. So pretty! I've never had pomegranate ice cream, it sounds so unique and unusual.

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  15. Exquisite...awesome...I cannot belive this is so simple...fantastic!

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  16. this is just gorgeous! and i bet the pom gave it a wonderfully unique flavor. there's never a bad time for ice cream!

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  17. I love your new photo! LOL, we both posted ice cream. Your version looks so creamy, and you are right-- the pink is so pretty. I just received some POM in the mail and you have inspired me. I'll have to check out Nigella. I usually don't watch her, but I wanna play with your group!

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  18. I love ice cream any time of year! This sounds so delicious and it really is so pretty!

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  19. I had the same experience in school - I was just telling my Mom yesterday when she came home with a pomegranate. I love this ice cream because you don't need an ice cream maker! What a treat!

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  20. Who says that you can't have ice cream during the cold months, especially when it looks this stunning??

    And I remember eating pomegranates as a kid too, but we didn't have anything exotic in our homec class - we had no-yeast cinnamon rolls ... and I don't remember what the other one was. Not memorable at all. LOL

    Thanks for stopping by earlier. I love your blog - just gorgeous. :-) I'm looking forward to future visits.

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  21. I have never tasted a pomegranate. The color of the ice cream is really beautiful and it doesn't require an ice cream machine, something I've never felt the need to own. What a great contribution to IHCC. What I love about the themes is the freedom to interpret them as we will.

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  22. I love pomegranate just wish it wasn't such a chore to eat!

    Although I have 2 ice cream makers, I make my ice cream the "no churn" method. It's so much easier and the taste and texture is no different.

    Gorgeous color and I think I'm going to have to try this one!

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  23. For me, ice cream is a yr round treat! I actually eat my homemade ice cream creations almost every night with a bag of kettle corn. It's the perfect combo!!

    I just tried a pom for the first time last year. My dad is a HUGE fan of them!

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