Oh look at that, it’s ice cream season. I blinked and now it’s June. The older I get the truer cliches seem to get. Like a dysfunctional symbiotic relationship. These days, I’m the insufferable grownup saying things like, well the year sure is going by fast! Of course, the poets have a prettier way of phrasing it, so before summer slips away into a moment in time, before it sips away like a bottle of wine, let us churn it into ice cream. No actually, better yet, let’s not churn anything, let’s make this no-churn olive oil ice cream with hot fudge. Because we might not have an ice cream machine at home, but we do have a sophisticated palette.
This is a NYTime Cooking recipe, and last summer, when the world seemed to be drizzling olive oil on everything, I’ll admit, I was intrigued. I stumbled onto the trend and before I knew it I was quickly collapsing. Just like everybody else, I found myself experimenting and pushing my boundaries. I bought a squeezable bottle of olive oil to make things easier. I was drizzling that thing on everything. It was a fun season, I like shocking my tastebuds from time to time. I made my mom try vanilla ice cream lightly drizzled with expensive fruity extra virgin olive oil and sprinkled with the finest sea salt. The woman had a teaspoon and speechless, walked away from the bowl. I was a little offended to be honest, but happy to have more left for me.
Then, I saw this recipe and it was obvious. I had to try it.
Like most no-churn ice cream recipes, this one has a condensed milk base and is lightened with whipped cream. The olive oil is here for flavor, but it’s not overpowering, so don’t be afraid. Using a good quality extra olive oil is imperative for a decent final product, so keep that in mind.
The hot fudge is chewy and rich, the chocolatey cherry on top. The olive oil here is so subtle it’s barely noticeable, and it’s mostly a source of fat in place of the usual butter. Make sure to use kosher salt, you want it be balanced, not salty.
I didn’t make any changes to the original recipe, because it’s so simple and effective, there was no reason to add anything. No-churn ice creams are mellow versions of regular ice creams, perhaps not as creamy and silky. But comparing the two is missing the point. One makes a no-churn ice cream for the easiness, convenience, and speediness of it. And as far as those criteria go, you can’t get much better than this. The amount of sugar in this is something we’ll choose to overlook. Whenever I open a can of condensed milk I never think of the sugar bomb I’m about to consume, I think if it is socially acceptable to drink it straight out of the can (no, I’ve never done that. No, I never will. I’m civilized.) Besides, if you’re having ice cream, it’s a nonverbal agreement, the sugar comes with the perks!
I don’t know why I’m going on about the sugar content in this, if you’re here you just want some easy ice cream, don’t you? In that case, if you do make this No-Churn Olive Oil Ice Cream With Hot Fudge, please let me know in the comments!
No-Churn Olive Oil Ice Cream With Hot Fudge
1
quart ice cream and ¾ cup sauce25
minutes + 3 hours’ freezingIngredients
- Ice Cream:
2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk (7 oz)
2 tbsp fruity extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 tsp kosher salt
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- Hot Fudge:
2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk (7 oz)
1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped (2 oz)
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1 tbsp fruity extra-virgin olive oil
Directions
Make the ice cream: In a medium bowl, whisk together the sweetened condensed milk, olive oil and salt until well combined.
In a separate larger bowl (or in the bowl of a stand mixer), whisk the heavy cream by hand or with a hand or stand mixer until stiff peaks form. When you lift the whisk out of the bowl and flip it over, a peak of whipped cream should stand upright without flopping over. Add a dollop of the whipped cream to the smaller bowl with the condensed milk and stir vigorously to help loosen the condensed milk mixture.
Add the lightened condensed milk mixture to the whipped cream and, using a rubber spatula or large metal spoon, gently combine the two components by dragging the utensil under and over the mixture, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl as you go. Repeat this folding to fully incorporate the cream while maintaining its air bubbles.
Transfer to an airtight container and freeze until firm, at least 3 hours or overnight.
Make the hot fudge sauce: To a small microwave-safe bowl, add the sweetened condensed milk, chocolate and salt. Microwave on high in 30-second increments until the chocolate is completely melted, 30 to 60 seconds total. Add the olive oil and stir vigorously until smooth. Alternatively, heat the condensed milk, chocolate and salt in a small saucepan over medium, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate is melted, then turn off the heat and stir in the olive oil.
To serve, let the ice cream sit at room temperature to thaw for at least 10 minutes before scooping, then top with the hot fudge sauce. The hot fudge can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days; microwave right before serving until loose enough to dollop over the ice cream. The ice cream can be frozen for up to 1 month.
