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Lemon Basil Olive Oil Gelato

Just eight ingredients will give you this bright, fresh Lemon Basil Olive Oil Gelato. This cool, creamy, refreshing dessert will satisfy all of your cravings it's so good! xx
5 from 5 reviews
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Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Gelato, Ice Cream
Keyword: Lemon, Basil, Gelato, Frozen Dessert, Olive Oil

Ingredients

  • 2 cups whole milk
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup fresh lemon zest (about 4 lemons)
  • ¼ cup fresh whole basil leaves
  • 2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • ¼ cup good quality extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

  • In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, add the milk and sugar, stirring until the sugar has dissolved; this will take about 5 minutes. Add in the lemon zest, basil leaves and fresh lemon juice. Turn off the heat and let sit for 30 minutes.
  • Take the basil out, return to medium-low heat once more and whisk in the egg yolks, one at a time making sure the first is well blended before adding in the second. Add in the salt and gently whisk for about 10 to 15 minutes or until the ice cream base is hot to the touch (it should reach 170 F (77 C) to kill any bacteria from the eggs). Remove from the heat and transfer to a large-lidded container. Add in the basil back to the ice cream mixture. Cover and set in the fridge until chilled through, about 2 to 3 hours.
  • Once cool, add to your ice cream maker* and proceed with manufacturer's instructions. You want to stop the gelato before it gets too firm, for me this was around 25 minutes in my ice cream maker. At this point drizzle in the olive oil while the machine runs. Scoop into a clean, lidded container and freezer for several hours before serving.

Notes

I've made this with both the basil in the final gelato and also where I would take it out before putting the mixture into the ice cream maker. I think I preferred the version without, fyi, although some of the photos have the basil in the gelato.
Second, see above notes (in the Before We Get Started section of the blog post) on how to make without an ice cream maker.
Thanks for baking with me! Please rate + comment this recipe and tag me on social @displacedhousewife #displacedhousewife so I can see your beautiful treats! xo