Avocado-Lime Ice Cream

Name: Avocado-Lime Ice Cream
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 4 (80 g) large egg yolks, room temperature; ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar; 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream, cold; 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk, cold; 2 medium (300 g) ripe avocados, pitted and peeled; 3 tablespoon (45 ml) fresh lime juice, freshly squeezed; 1 tablespoon (6 g) lime zest; ¼ teaspoon (1 g) fine sea salt

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A vibrant ice cream combining creamy ripe avocado with fresh lime juice and zest. Made with a traditional custard base of egg yolks, cream, and milk, this silky, tropical dessert is rich yet bright—the lime juice prevents the avocado from browning and adds a sophisticated tang that balances the richness. Churned smooth until velvety and frozen until perfectly scoopable, it's an inspired take on Mexican flavors, perfect as a refreshing palate cleanser on warm evenings.

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 20 min
Wait: 4 hr 55 min
Total: 5 hr 30 min
Makes: 1 quart (4 cups; serves 4–6)

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Steps

Before you start

Freeze the ice cream maker bowl for at least 24 hours (or overnight) before starting; an insufficiently frozen bowl will result in grainy or slushy ice cream
Select avocados that yield slightly to gentle pressure but are not brown or mushy; check ripeness the day before if needed
Have all equipment clean and dry, especially the ice cream maker bowl
Juice the limes just before using; freshly squeezed juice is essential for the best flavor

1
Heat cream and milk
- In a 2-quart (2 L) heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine 1 cup cold heavy cream and 1 cup cold whole milk.
- Set over medium heat and stir occasionally with a wooden spoon until small bubbles form around the edges and steam rises from the surface, about 5–8 minutes.
- The mixture should feel hot to the touch but not boil.
- Once steaming, stop heating.
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Ready when: Steaming with small bubbles around edges, not boiling
Tip: Don't walk away; if the milk boils over or scorches on the bottom, it will impart a burnt flavor. Stir occasionally to prevent a skin from forming.
2
Temper egg yolks with sugar
- In a medium heat-safe bowl, whisk together 4 large egg yolks at room temperature and 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar for 1–2 minutes until the mixture is pale, thick, and creamy (the whisk should leave a ribbon trail).
- Slowly pour the hot cream-milk mixture into the egg mixture while whisking constantly and vigorously.
- Pour no faster than 1/4 cup at a time, pause to whisk well, then continue.
- This gradual addition tempers the yolks and prevents them from scrambling.
- Once all the cream is added, whisk until the mixture is completely smooth, pale, and uniform with no streaks of white or cream visible.
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Ready when: Pale, thick, fully combined, no white or cream streaks
Tip: Work quickly and whisk vigorously. If you add the hot cream too rapidly, the eggs will scramble and the custard is ruined—it cannot be fixed.
3
Cook custard to safe temperatureOven 170°F / 75°C
- Pour the tempered mixture back into the saucepan.
- Set over medium-low heat and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula, until the custard reaches 170°F (77°C) on an instant-read thermometer, or until it coats the back of the spoon and a finger dragged across the spoon leaves a clear, unbroken trail (not a wet smear).
- This takes 8–12 minutes.
- Do not allow the custard to simmer or boil; keep the heat at medium-low and stir constantly to prevent curdling.
- The moment it reaches 170°F (77°C), remove from heat immediately.
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Ready when: Reaches 170°F (77°C) or coats spoon with clear, unbroken trail
Tip: A thermometer is the most reliable guide for safety. Without one, the spoon test is critical—if you see bits of scrambled egg forming or the mixture begins to bubble, immediately remove from heat and plunge the pan into an ice bath to stop the cooking.
4
Strain and chill custard
- Pour the hot custard through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean bowl, pressing gently with the back of a spoon.
- This removes any stray bits of scrambled egg, ensuring a silky, smooth final ice cream; discard any solids.
- Set the bowl into an ice bath (a larger bowl filled with ice and a little water) and stir gently and frequently with a rubber spatula for 25–30 minutes until the custard is completely cold, around 40°F (4°C).
- Alternatively, cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours until thoroughly chilled.
- The custard must be completely cold before adding the avocado.
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Ready when: Custard is completely cold (around 40°F / 4°C)
Tip: A cold custard churns more efficiently and develops a smoother, creamier texture. A warm or room-temperature custard will result in grainy, icy ice cream that doesn't freeze properly in the machine.
5
Blend avocado and lime
- Halve 2 medium ripe avocados lengthwise, remove the pit, and scoop the soft flesh into a blender.
- Add 3 tablespoons (45 ml) fresh lime juice and 1 tablespoon (6 g) lime zest (from about 2 limes total), plus 1/4 teaspoon (1 g) fine sea salt.
- Blend on medium speed, stopping to scrape down the sides with a spatula as needed, until the mixture is completely smooth and creamy with no visible chunks of avocado, about 1–2 minutes.
- Do not overblend, or the avocado may warm slightly.
- Transfer to a small bowl.
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Ready when: Smooth and creamy with no visible chunks
Tip: Fresh lime juice prevents the avocado from oxidizing and browning. Don't prep the avocado until right before blending; if it sits more than 10–15 minutes without the lime juice, it will turn brown.
6
Fold avocado into cold custard
- Pour the chilled custard into a large clean bowl (or use the same bowl it cooled in).
- Gently add the avocado mixture on top.
- Using a rubber spatula, fold the avocado into the custard with just a few slow, sweeping motions from the bottom of the bowl to the top, rotating the bowl slightly after each fold.
- Continue until the avocado is evenly distributed and the mixture is a uniform pale green with no white streaks or swirls.
- This should take just 3–5 folds.
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Ready when: Uniformly pale green with no white streaks or swirls
Tip: Gentle folding incorporates less air than stirring or whisking. Too much air results in icy, grainy ice cream. Work gently and stop as soon as the mixture is uniform.
7
Churn in ice cream maker
- Pour the avocado-custard mixture into your ice cream maker, with the freezer bowl inserted (it must have been frozen for at least 24 hours, per the manufacturer's instructions).
- Turn on the machine and churn according to your machine's instructions, usually 20–30 minutes.
- The ice cream is ready when it reaches soft-serve consistency: pale green, thick, creamy, and scoopable but still slightly soft.
- The paddle should move with noticeable resistance, requiring effort to turn near the end.
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Ready when: Soft-serve consistency, pale green, thick and creamy
Tip: If your freezer bowl is not adequately frozen (not frozen for a full 24 hours), the mixture will not freeze properly and will be slushy, grainy, or icy. Plan to freeze the bowl the evening before you churn.
8
Freeze until firm
- Transfer the soft ice cream to a freezer-safe container with a tight-fitting lid (a 1-quart / 1 L glass or plastic container works well).
- Smooth the surface slightly and cover with the lid and/or plastic wrap pressed directly onto the surface to prevent freezer burn and ice crystal formation.
- Freeze for at least 4 hours, or overnight, until firm and easily scoopable.
- The ice cream will continue to freeze and harden as it sits.
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Ready when: Firm and easily scoopable
Tip: A tight cover is essential to prevent freezer burn and off-flavors. To serve, let the ice cream soften at room temperature for 3–5 minutes, or dip your scoop in hot water and wipe it between scoops for easier scooping.

Good to know

Tips

Use perfectly ripe avocados that yield slightly to gentle pressure but are not brown or mushy. Overripe avocados can break down during blending and result in a grainy or stringy texture.
The frozen ice cream maker bowl is critical; if it's not cold enough, the mixture won't freeze properly during churning and the ice cream will be icy or grainy. Freeze the bowl for at least 24 hours, and avoid opening your freezer door frequently during that time.
Fresh lime juice is essential; bottled juice has a stale, metallic taste that will overpower the delicate avocado flavor. Juice the limes just before using.
Straining the custard removes scrambled egg bits that would create a grainy texture. This step takes only 2 minutes but makes a significant difference in smoothness—don't skip it.

Make ahead

Yes, partially. The custard base can be made up to 1 day ahead: cool completely, cover, and refrigerate. Prepare the avocado-lime mixture no more than 2 hours before churning (it oxidizes and browns quickly). Combine the chilled custard and avocado mixture, then churn and freeze the same day for the best flavor and color.

Storage & reheating

Freezer: up to 2 weeks in an airtight container with a tight-fitting lid. Soften at room temperature for 3–5 minutes before scooping, or dip the scoop in hot water and wipe between scoops for easier scooping. Do not leave ice cream unattended at room temperature for more than 10 minutes.

Substitutions

heavy cream → Half-and-half. Use 1.5 cups (360 ml) half-and-half instead of 1 cup heavy cream to reduce richness; the ice cream will be lighter and less creamy but still smooth and delicious.
fresh lime juice → Fresh lemon juice and zest. Use 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice and zest of 1 lemon (about 5 g) instead of lime; the flavor is tangier and brighter, with a different citrus character.
ripe avocados → 1.5 ripe avocados plus 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt. This creates a lighter, slightly tangier ice cream with less fat. Blend the avocado and yogurt together with the lime juice, zest, and salt as directed.