Tomato, Basil and Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

Challenge your palate and enjoy this delightful mingling of unique ingredients combined to create an enlightened experience for your mouth

1 Pint of Cherry Tomatoes

Salt (Sprinkle)

1 Pint (2 Cups) Half & Half

1 Pint (2 Cups) Cream

2 Tablespoons Flour

1 Teaspoon Salt

½ Cup Fresh Sweet Basil Leaves (Whole)

2 Large Eggs

1 Cup Sugar

1 ½ Teaspoons Vanilla Extract

1/2 Cup of Semi-Sweet Chocolate “Mini” Morsels

Preheat oven to 400 F. Cut cherry tomatoes in half. Put cut side up on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt. Roast for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and cool.

Put Half & Half, cream, flour, salt, and basil in a saucepan and heat on medium. Stir occasionally to keep mixture from burning or sticking. Cook until bubbles form, but not boiling.

Beat eggs, sugar and vanilla together in a separate bowl.

Add the egg, sugar and vanilla mixture to the saucepan and cook on medium. Use a thermometer and cook until the mixture reaches 165 F.

Strain the cooked mixture through a sieve and discard the basil leaves.

Mash the roasted tomatoes.

Add the roasted tomatoes, cover and chill the mixture in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

My favorite device for making quick ice cream is the Oster Ice Cream Shop*. It is compact, simple to use, inexpensive and requires no rock salt for freezing. The Ice Cream Shop contains a Freezer Bowl that is chilled for eight hours in the freezer allows ice cream to be made quickly.

Pour the ice cream mixture into the ice cream maker. Add the Semi-Sweet Chocolate “Mini” Morsels to the mixture at about 5 minutes into the freezing process.

It will take approximately 15 to 30 minutes for the ice cream to begin to thicken and freeze.

(Note: *Any ice cream maker can be used according to the manufacturer’s directions).