Toasted Coconut, Orange, & Dark Chocolate Ice Cream--Day 5: Ice Cream Marathon

Keeping it in the family again today.  This is my Mom.

Her name is Sue.

What you should know about my mom:

She's a heck of a cook.

She throws super fun parties (Once, during her wine and cheese party in February several years ago, it was an unseasonably 65° outside at night and people were having a dance off to blaring music on our deck at 1am in the morning).

She'll tell you not to worry about something until it's time to worry about it.  It's the best advice you'll ever get.  As a kid I thought it was always time to worry about it.  As an adult I get it now.

We look pretty darn similar.  I'm mistaken for her all the time in her hometown.  She gets a hoot out of that.  If there wasn't a 29 year age difference maybe I would too.

She has a wonderful, hilarious group of friends who are like second "Moms" to my sister and I.  I think this a testament to the mantra that good people draw other good people to them.  She has quite the Ya-Ya Sisterhood going on. 

(As much as I want to, I swore to my mom I would never release the photo of four un-named ladies on a lake floatie shaped like a torpedo in the middle of the lake.  It has Ya-Ya written all over it.  I even think one of them has a cocktail in her hand...and if I shared it, you'd never read a Peanut Butter & Dill Pickles post again.  I'd be dead.)

She always knows what to say or do in a sticky situation.  I wish I could carry her around in my pocket sometimes.

She's simply the best.

She has 3 loves:

1. My Dad

2. Her kids

{P.S. This is a classic example of an age when she would refer to us as "lil smacks" because we were so little, young, and cute.  That still cracks me up.}

3...and anything having to do with dark chocolate, coconut, and oranges.

This ice cream is for her.

Which I realize isn't exactly fair because she's in London and can't enjoy it.

Then I remembered she's in London...and nothing about that is fair to the rest of us.

So here's my mom, immortalized in ice cream.  It's simply the best.

Love ya Mom.

{Toasted Coconut, Orange, & Dark Chocolate Ice Cream}
Makes about 1 Quart
Base adapted from Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 c. half & half
• 1 tbsp. cornstarch
• 1 c. heavy cream
• 3/4 c. sugar
• 1/2 c. cocoa, sifted
• 1 tbsp. corn syrup
• Pinch of salt
• Zest & juice of one orange, separated
• 2 tbsp. cream cheese
• 1/2 tsp. coconut extract
• 1/2 c. toasted coconut *see bottom*
• 2 oz. chopped dark chocolate

1. Combine 1/4 c. half & half and all of the cornstarch in a small bowl and set aside.
2. Mix the sifted cocoa and sugar in a small bowl and set aside.
3. In a large sauce pan or pot whisk together the remaining half & half, cream, and sugar/cocoa mixture.  Once combined whisk in corn syrup, salt, and orange zest.
4. Heat over medium heat until simmering.  Don't let it reach a full rolling boil.  Stir for 4-5 minutes.
5. Add the cornstarch mixture and stir constantly for 2-3 minutes until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon.
6. Remove 1/2 c. of the hot milk mixture and pour over the cream cheese.  Whisk until the cream cheese has melted and thickened the milk.
7. Add the cream cheese mixture back to the heated milk, add the orange juice, and whisk to combine.
8. Take a gallon size plastic bag and line a bowl or food storage container with it.  This will help keep structure to the bag.  Pour the hot liquid into the bag and seal; trying to eliminate as much as from inside the bag as you can.
9. Remove the bag from the container and set in an ice bath for 20-30 minutes to chill the mixture.
10. Once cooled, pour the liquid into your ice cream maker and process according to the manufacturer's instructions.
11. In the last 5 minutes of processing, add in the coconut and chopped chocolate.
12. Scoop into a container and chill the ice cream in the freezer until fully set.

{How to Toast Coconut}
There are a few ways to toast coconut but the way I often do is in a dry, nonstick skillet on the stovetop.  Add in whatever quantity of coconut you need (in the photos below I used one whole bag).

Heat over low to medium low heat.  This isn't something you can walk away from.  As the coconut heats, start to turn it more frequently.  Once you start to smell the coconut you're getting close to needing to turn it constantly.

The time to fully toast will depend on how much coconut you have in the pan.  If you wait for all the coconut to turn golden brown it will burn.  Below is exactly what you are looking for.

Once it's toasted to your liking, immediately transfer it to a bowl or dish.  If you leave it in the hot skillet, it will continue to cook.

Voila!  You toasted coconut!  Relish in the delicious, tropical smell of your kitchen.  Extra points if you can visualize a beach and killer sunset off in the distance...