Lucuma Halva Ice Cream

Name: Lucuma Halva Ice Cream
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Ingredients: 1 cup (240 ml) Heavy cream; 1 cup (240 ml) Whole milk; 5 Large egg yolks, separated from whites; ¾ cup (150 g) Granulated sugar; ⅛ teaspoon (0.6 g) Salt; ½ cup (120 g) Sesame halva (tahini paste–based), at room temperature, broken into small pieces; 3 tablespoon (25 g) Lucuma powder; 1 teaspoon (5 ml) Vanilla extract (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A Middle Eastern–Peruvian fusion ice cream that blends the earthy, nutty richness of sesame halva with lucuma's distinctive maple-like sweetness. Smooth, creamy, and deeply flavored, this frozen dessert is best served with a drizzle of tahini or a sprinkle of pistachios.

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 20 min
Wait: 6 hr
Total: 6 hr 35 min
Makes: 1 quart / 1 liter (serves 6–8)

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Steps

Before you start

Read the full recipe and note the total time; most is passive waiting (chilling and freezing).
If your ice cream maker requires a pre-frozen bowl, place it in the freezer at least 6–8 hours before you churn (or overnight).
Separate your eggs fresh, measure all ingredients, and have them ready (mise en place).

1
Heat cream and milk
- Pour the heavy cream and whole milk into a medium saucepan.
- Place over medium heat and bring to steaming (about 140°F / 60°C), stirring occasionally.
- Do not boil.
- This should take about 7–8 minutes.
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Ready when: Mixture steams and small bubbles form at the edges; instant-read thermometer reads 140°F (60°C)
Tip: Watch carefully to avoid boiling; a gentle steam indicates the right temperature
2
Temper and whisk eggs
- While the cream heats, whisk the egg yolks and granulated sugar together in a separate medium bowl for 2–3 minutes until pale and thick.
- Whisk in the salt.
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Ready when: Mixture is pale, thick, and ribbons form when you lift the whisk
Tip: Use a whisk if possible; constant whisking incorporates air and prevents lumps
3
Combine and cook custardOven 170°F / 75°C
- Slowly pour the hot cream mixture into the egg mixture while whisking constantly.
- Temper the eggs slowly and steadily to avoid scrambling them.
- Once combined, pour the entire mixture back into the saucepan and place over medium heat.
- Whisk constantly for 8–12 minutes until it reaches 170°F (77°C) on an instant-read thermometer.
- It should coat the back of a spoon thickly.
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Ready when: Mixture reaches 170°F (77°C) on an instant-read thermometer and coats the back of a spoon
Tip: Tempering slowly (over 1–2 minutes) prevents the eggs from scrambling; stop and whisk if you see any flecks of cooked egg
4
Incorporate halva and lucuma
- Remove from heat.
- Break the sesame halva into small pieces (roughly pea-sized) and add to the warm custard along with the lucuma powder and vanilla extract (if using).
- Whisk vigorously for 2–3 minutes until the halva is mostly dissolved and the mixture is smooth and uniform in color.
- A few tiny specks of halva are fine and add pleasant texture.
- If you prefer a completely smooth texture, strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl now.
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Ready when: Mixture is smooth and golden-beige in color, with halva largely dissolved and no large clumps visible
Tip: Whisk hard and steadily to break down the halva; if it won't fully dissolve, a quick 2–3 second pass with an immersion blender works wonders
5
Chill the base
- Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean bowl (this removes any small bits of cooked egg and ensures a silky texture).
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to overnight.
- The custard must be thoroughly chilled before churning.
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Ready when: Mixture is cold to the touch, no longer steams, and reaches at least 40°F (4°C) on a thermometer
Tip: Chill longer (overnight) for the best results; a very cold base churns faster and yields a smoother texture
6
Churn the ice cream
- Pour the chilled custard mixture into your ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer's instructions.
- Most machines will take 20–25 minutes.
- The ice cream is ready when it resembles soft-serve: thick, creamy, holding its shape but still soft enough to scoop with a spoon.
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Ready when: Mixture is thick and creamy, resembles soft-serve consistency, and the paddle meets significant resistance
Tip: If your base did not chill enough (warmer than 40°F / 4°C), the churning time may extend and the texture may be icy; ensure the base is very cold before churning
7
Freeze until scoopable
- Transfer the churned ice cream to a freezer-safe container with an airtight lid (1.5-quart / 1.5-liter or larger).
- Smooth the top with a spatula, then press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the ice cream to prevent freezer burn.
- Cover with the lid and freeze for at least 4–6 hours, or until firm and scoopable (not rock-hard).
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Ready when: Ice cream is frozen solid and scoops cleanly with slight resistance; not so hard it's impossible to scoop
Tip: A thicker, deeper container freezes more slowly; for faster freezing, use a wider, shallower container and check at 3 hours

Good to know

Tips

Egg safety is paramount: reaching 170°F (77°C) is the USDA standard to kill Salmonella in yolks. Use pasteurized eggs if available, and always use a reliable instant-read thermometer.
Halva incorporation: Sesame halva is thick and oil-based. Whisking vigorously when the mixture is hot helps it disperse evenly. If it won't fully dissolve, a quick 2–3 second pass with an immersion blender works wonders.
Flavor balance: Sesame halva is sweet and rich; lucuma adds complexity and a subtle maple note. After incorporating halva and lucuma, taste the mixture (a tiny spoonful is fine; the eggs are cooked) and add a pinch more salt if the flavor feels flat or muddled.
Color and appearance: The combination of sesame and lucuma creates a distinctive golden-beige hue. If your lucuma powder is old or low-quality, the color may be duller; fresh lucuma powder is bright and brings vibrant color to the ice cream.

Make ahead

The custard base can be made up to 2 days ahead; chill covered in the refrigerator. The finished ice cream keeps for up to 2 weeks in the freezer.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: not applicable. Refrigerator: up to 24 hours (will soften). Freezer: up to 2 weeks in an airtight container; after that, freezer burn and ice crystal formation degrade texture. To serve: scoop with a warm or wet spoon for cleaner scoops. If too hard, let sit on the counter for 5–10 minutes to soften slightly.

Substitutions

Lucuma powder → Dulce de leche or caramel sauce (2–3 tablespoons, swirled in after churning) or maple syrup (1 tablespoon mixed in after churning). Lucuma's maple-like sweetness is hard to replicate exactly, but dulce de leche or maple provide similar earthy-sweet notes. Use less if swirling since lucuma is dry and won't dilute the texture.
Sesame halva (tahini paste–based) → Tahini (1/2 cup / 120 ml, thinned with 2 tablespoons milk) with an extra 2 tablespoons sugar, or pistachio paste (1/2 cup / 125 g) for a different nut flavor. Tahini alone is less sweet and oilier; adding extra sugar balances it. Pistachio paste is equally rich and delicious but will change the flavor profile to pistachio–lucuma instead of sesame–lucuma.
Whole milk → Half-and-half (use 1 cup / 240 ml instead of milk) or Greek yogurt (use 1/2 cup / 120 ml milk + 1/2 cup / 120 g Greek yogurt). Half-and-half makes the ice cream richer and creamier. Greek yogurt adds tang and makes it more of a frozen yogurt; reduce sugar slightly to 1/2 cup if using yogurt.
Vanilla extract → Omit entirely for a pure flavor profile, or use 1/2 teaspoon almond extract for subtle nuttiness. Vanilla is optional; it enhances but isn't essential. Almond extract complements both halva and lucuma nicely if you want extra depth.