Making Unbaked, Raw Egg Recipes Safer: Avocado and Lime Frozen Custard

I’m not going to beat around the bush: the threat of Salmonella scares me. It’s something I’d like to avoid at all costs. That’s why, when I ran across this recipe for Avocado and Lime Frozen Custard, I was torn.

On one hand, I was mesmerized by the use of avocado in a frozen custard. On the other hand, the recipe called for the use of raw eggs. Should I expand my culinary horizons, or keep any potential for salmonella as far away from my digestive system as possible? There was quandary in my kitchen.

In the end (and clearly against my better judgment), culinary wanderlust swayed me. I made this dessert using, of all things, raw eggs. Did I end up with salmonella? Thankfully, no. Would I suggest you be as brazen or as foolish as I? No, dear readers, I would not.

So how is it, exactly, I can suggest this recipe for Avocado and Lime Frozen Custard in good faith, knowing the original version calls for raw egg? For starters, I suggest you make this recipe safer by preparing it with pasteurized shell eggs, or at least by pasteurizing the egg yolks in your microwave prior to use. Once we get any potential for salmonella out of the way, we can get onto the real pleasures of this frozen custard, made infinitely more sophisticated by the incorporation of fresh avocado and lime.

At a loss as to where to buy pasteurized shell eggs? Try this handy store locator from Davidson’s . No store near you? Learn to pasteurize raw eggs yolks in the microwave oven. Worried about the safety of raw egg whites? Now is the time to become better acquainted with pasteurized dry egg white powder or meringue powder, as both can be used in this recipe. Note—pasteurized liquid egg whites won’t be your best bet here, as the egg whites are heated during pasteurization and not recommended for whipping into meringues.

Don’t own an ice cream maker? No worries! I didn’t use mine to create this frozen dessert.  Bear in mind, if you do opt to use an ice cream machine, you’ll be able to skip adding the egg whites (refer to the body of this recipe for further instructions).

Avocado and Lime Frozen Custard

(from Inn Cuisine, adapted from The Complete Encyclopedia of Vegetables and Vegetarian Cooking)

Serves 4-6

• 4 pasteurized egg yolks
• 1 & 1/4 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 ripe avocados
• fresh zest of 2 limes
• juice of 2 limes
• 2 egg whites (I suggest using pasteurized dry egg white powder)
• optional – sliced lime, sprig of mint, or pistachios to garnish

Beat yolks in a bowl. In a medium saucepan, heat heavy cream and sugar, stirring thoroughly until dissolved. As the cream begins to rise to the top of the pan at the point of boiling, remove saucepan from heat. Gently pour beaten egg yolks into the scalded cream, adding slowly in small amounts from a height above the saucepan (about 12 inches, as this step prevents the mixture from curdling); stir until yolk is completely combined. Allow the mixture to continue cooling, stirring occasionally, then chill in the refrigerator for about 20-30 minutes or longer.

After mixture has chilled, peel and mash avocados until smooth, then beat them into the chilled custard using an electric mixer; add the lime zest and lime juice, blending thoroughly. Pour the mixture into a shallow, freezer-safe, rectangular, covered container (a Tupperware type bowl works well) and freeze until ice crystals begin to form or the mixture gets slushy, beating once or twice during this freezing process.

If you are using an ice cream machine, simply pour this mixture into your chilled basin and switch on. There is no need to add the egg whites as directed in the following step, as air is already beaten in with the paddle.

When ice crystals begin to form and mixture is semi-frozen, remove custard from freezer and beat again using electric mixer; set aside. Whisk egg whites (or as suggested, prepared egg white powder) until softly stiff; using a large spoon, fold into the custard gently, yet thoroughly. Cover container, return mixture to the freezer, and freeze until firm. Label and date, using frozen custard within 4 weeks of making.

To serve, scoop into desired serving size and garnish with a slice of lime, sprig of mint or pistachios. Also, try sugaring the rims of your serving bowls by circling with (a slice of) lime and gently swirling in a plate of sugar.

For a fun, after hours, adult version of this frozen custard, try serving individual portions with a teaspoon of your favorite tequila on top. Instead of serving in bowls with sugared rims, try salting the rims instead.

Enjoy!

Thank you for visiting! Be sure to subscribe to Inn Cuisine's free RSS feed, now available via email, so you never miss a recipe!

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Tagged as: avocado and lime frozen custard recipe, avocado and lime frozen dessert recipe, avocado and lime ice cream recipe, frozen dessert recipes, making recipes calling for the use of raw eggs safer, recipes using pasteurized eggs and or dry egg white powder, unbaked desserts using raw eggs, using raw eggs safely in unbaked desserts ice cream and frozen custards