Soursop Ice Cream & Coconut Drops

Here in the Caribbean, we have a delicious fruit that’s flavorful with an intoxicating aroma that we call soursop, in Spanish guanabana and other South American countries, graviola. Click here for other names and places where it can be found. Soursop is used to make a variety of desserts, such as a flan as created by my Brazilian friend, Valentina of Trem Bom and beverages like punches, drinks and milk shakes. I also have friends who just like to eat the de-seeded pulp with condensed milk. One of my favourite ways to have it is in a homemade ice cream. And that is exactly what I made for my entry to Meeta’s Monthly Mingle, the theme being, Scream for Ice Cream.

Here's what you'll need to make the ice cream.

Ingredients
1 cup whole milk
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 cups heavy cream
3/4 cup pureed soursop pulp

Method

1. In a medium bowl, using a hand mixer, or whisk, combine milk and sugar until the sugar is dissolved (1 - 2 minutes)
2. Stir in cream and pulp
3. Make ice cream according to your Ice Cream maker instructions.

If you do not have an ice cream maker, click here and here for their marvelous creations and a how-to without an ice cream maker.

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Who does not love coconut? It is one of those fruits that is totally useful, the pulp, the water, the shell, the fibrous outer shelling, everything. From the hard flesh we get milk, cream and oil, the water is refreshing and contains vitamins, the jelly when the coconut is young is tender and a pleasure to eat. The shell is used to make decorative ornaments, buttons and other accessories, the fibrous outer layer was used long ago to make mattresses and I’m sure they are used today in many other ways. The branches of the trees are cut and the leaves de-spine to make pointer brooms (that really do sweep clean). I’m sure that there are many other uses of the coconut and the tree itself.

Caribbean cooking would not be what it is without the coconut. Caribbean life would be something else without the coconut. I’m sure that many of you reading this right now have the same reverence for the coconut.

As I continue to get back to my baking, I find myself turning to the things I used to watch and help my mother bake for us on the weekends. One of those things was the coconut drop. It is so simple to make and so satisfying to eat that I’m sure it will become one of those regular things you make just as it was in my home growing up. If you have children, I’d advise you to make 2 batches, one will definitely not do. :)

You'll need:
1 cup flour
2 cups grated coconut
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp grated nutmeg
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup sugar
2 oz butter, room temperature
1 egg, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla essence
1/4 cup raisins
1/2 tsp lemon zest

Equipment

• Baking sheet lined with parchment paper
• Ice cream scoop (regular-sized)

Method

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
2. In a bowl, combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg
3. In a separate bowl, cream butter and sugar with a hand mixer for 2 - 3 minutes
4. Add egg and essence and continue to mix for a minute
5. Add the dry ingredients to the egg-butter-sugar mixture
6. Stir in coconut, raisins and lemon zest
7. Batter should be stiff
8. Using the ice cream scoop, add scoops of mixture onto the lined baking sheet
9. Bake in oven until lightly browned and cooked through, 15 - 20 minutes
10. Yields 9 coconut drops

Notes
You can use a smaller scoop to yield more drops
Use a tablespoon if you do not have a scoop