Makes about 1 quart We use two different types of toasted coconut in this ice cream: unsweetened coconut steeps with the milk and cream to impart a full coconut flavor without added sugar, and sweetened coconut is folded into the finished ice cream for just a bit of texture and crunch. We’ve found that using unsweetened coconut at the end doesn’t give the ice cream the same delicate bite.

TECHNIQUE: Ice cream

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT: Ice cream machine

INFUSING AND CHILLING TIME: 20 minutes, plus 2 hours or overnight

SHELF LIFE: 1 week

INGREDIENTS

• 1 Cup Unsweetened Dried Shredded Coconut
• 1/4 Cup Sweetened Dried Shredded Coconut
• 2 Cups Heavy Cream
• 1 1/4 Cups 1% or 2% Milk
• 3/4 Cup Sugar
• 1/4 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
• 5 Large Egg Yolks

INSTRUCTIONS

TOAST THE COCONUT

1. Position racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Spread the unsweetened coconut on a small rimmed baking sheet, and spread the sweetened coconut on another small rimmed baking sheet.
3. Put them both in the oven and toast, stirring every 2 minutes, until golden brown, 4 to 6 minutes total.
4. Alternatively, you can toast the coconut on the stovetop in a dry skillet over medium heat. Toast the two types separately and stir constantly to prevent burning.

INFUSE THE MILK/CREAM

1. In a heavy nonreactive saucepan, stir together the cream, milk, half of the sugar (6 tablespoons), and the salt.
2. Put the pan over medium-high heat. When the mixture just begins to bubble around the edges, stir in the unsweetened coconut.
3. When slight bubbling resumes around the edges of the pan, remove from the heat and cover the pan.
4. Let steep for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a distinct coconut flavor has infused into the liquid. (Taste it to monitor the progress.)
5. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl, pressing on the coconut to extract as much liquid as possible.
6. Rinse the pan, then return the infused cream to the saucepan.

MAKE THE BASE

1. In a medium heatproof bowl, whisk the yolks just to break them up, then whisk in the remaining sugar (6 tablespoons). Set aside.
2. Uncover the cream mixture and put the pan over medium-high heat. When the mixture approaches a bare simmer, reduce the heat to medium.
3. Carefully scoop out about 1/2 cup of the hot cream mixture and, whisking the eggs constantly, add the cream to the bowl with the egg yolks.
4. Repeat, adding another 1/2 cup of the hot cream to the bowl with the yolks.
5. Using a heatproof rubber spatula, stir the cream in the saucepan as you slowly pour the egg-and-cream mixture from the bowl into the pan.
6. Cook the mixture carefully over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it is thickened, coats the back of a spatula, and holds a clear path when you run your finger across the spatula, 1 to 2 minutes longer.
7. Strain the base through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean container.
8. Set the container into an ice-water bath, wash your spatula, and use it to stir the base occasionally until it is cool.
9. Remove the container from the ice-water bath, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate the base for at least 2 hours or overnight.

FREEZE THE ICECREAM

1. Freeze in your ice cream machine according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
2. While the ice cream is churning, put the container you’ll use to store the ice cream into the freezer.
3. Add the sweetened coconut in the last minute or so of churning or fold it in by hand after transferring the ice cream to the chilled container.
4. Enjoy right away or, for a firmer ice cream, freeze for at least 4 hours.