Coconut Ice Cream

If you love coconut cream pie, you've got to try this! This recipe is for a small, countertop freezer but it doubles easily if you're using a larger 1/2 gallon freezer. I recommend using fat-free cream cheese since the thickeners will make the ice cream less runny. You can substitute half and half for all or part of the milk to make this even more yummy! Cooking time = 10 minutes toasting coconut and 45 minutes freezing.

• Ready In: 1 hr
• Serves: 8
• Yields: 1 quart

Ingredients

• 4  ounces fat free cream cheese (1/2 an 8 oz. package)
• 5  fluid ounces sweetened condensed milk (1/2 can)
• 1 1⁄2 cups milk
• 1⁄3 cup coconut cream
• 1  teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1⁄2 cup  flaked flaked coconut, toasted

Directions

1. Allow cream cheese to reach room temperature and whisk the sweetened condensed milk into it until smooth.
2. Whisk in milk (or half and half), coconut cream and vanilla and chill until you are ready to freeze according to your freezer's instructions.
3. Toast coconut by placing it in a baking pan at 350F for 8-10 minutes; stir the coconut and bake a few minutes longer if needed until it is lightly browned.
4. Stir in the cooled, toasted coconut after the ice cream is slightly frozen and continue freezing to desired hardness.
5. Stir the ice cream after removing the agitator to evenly distribute the coconut (since it sometimes clumps around the agitator.) Pack and freeze the ice cream to harden it further if desired.