Passionfruit Ice Cream

I have a total crush on David Liebovitz. As, I suspect, do many others. I seriously have never made a recipe of his that wasn't amazing.  So when my local farmer's market had a bushel of gorgeous passion fruits the other day (the season is freakishly short -- if you see them, buy them ALL and freeze the pulp), I knew I had to make this.  Combined with eggs just snatched from under the chicken this morning, it was possibly the most delicious thing I've ever eaten.  

from The Perfect Scoop

1/2 cup fresh or frozen passion fruit pulp (from 6 to 8 fresh passion fruits)

1 cup heavy cream

6 tbsp whole milk

7 tbsp sugar

pinch of salt

3 large egg yolks

a few drops of pure orange oil, or grated zest of 1 small orange (optional)

spoonful of passion fruit seeds (optional)

1. To extract the pulp from the passion fruit, cut each passion fruit in half at the equator and scoop the pulp and seeds into a nonreactive strainer set over a bowl. Use a flexible rubber spatula to press and extract as much of the precious pulp as possible, until the seeds look rather dry.  

2. Mix together the passion fruit pulp and 1/2 cup of the cream in a large bowl. Set a mesh strainer over the bowl.

3. Warm the milk, sugar, salt and the remaining 1/2 cup cream in a medium saucepan. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.

4. Stir the mixture constantly over the medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. Pour the custard through the strainer and stir it into the passion fruit and cream mixture. Mix a few drops of orange oil, if using, then stir until cook over an ice bath.

5. Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions. Add a spoonful of passion fruit seeds to the custard during the least few minutes of churning, if you wish.

Note:  I DIDN'T use orange oil, but DID add a spoonful of the nice crunchy seeds back in at the end. Also -- don't throw out the remaining seeds and pulp!  Put them in a jar with a little sugar and some cider vinegar and make a nice passionfruit shrub!