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    Home / Desserts / Ice Cream & Frozen Treats

    Tarragon Olive Oil Ice Cream

    Published Apr 6, 2012

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    tarragon olive oil ice cream

    In the preface to Chez Panisse Desserts, Alice Waters writes:

    [Dessert] should be just the right flavor and texture to complete the meal, something to amuse and surprise the palate one more time–never overwhelming or dulling.

    This ice cream embodies those principals, with its creamy, delicate texture and unusual combination of flavors. A bit of flaky salt lends eye-opening crunch, and I dare your palate to not be amused by the subtle complexity of fruity olive oil and herbaceous tarragon.

    tarragon in a jug

    I never would have thought to combine tarragon and olive oil in an ice cream. But last week, I came upon the idea while helping professional food photographer Eric Wolfinger style a shoot illustrating the concept of savory elements in desserts for Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants.

    tarragon in a bowl

    Pre-shoot, I read through a series of interviews by Kimpton pastry chefs, including Tim Nugent of Scala's in San Francisco, who said that his favorite dessert to incorporate savory elements into is gelato; specifically, tarragon olive oil. So I put that on the list, and Eric responded by saying, "Tarragon olive oil gelato? I want to eat that!"

    He didn't have to twist my arm. I whipped up a batch based on David Lebovitz's olive oil ice cream from my ice cream bible,The Perfect Scoop,and blended in a bunch of blanched and shocked tarragon, a technique I learned from my stint at Farallon which keeps the herb looking vibrant. The finished ice cream was bright pea green and tasted like nothing I'd ever experienced previously. During the shoot, we ended up nestling a scoop of it beside a strip of bacon topped with whole roasted baby bell peppers which we drizzled with dark chocolate and sprinkled with flakes of sea salt and crushed peppercorns.It tasted as outrageous as it sounds.

    olive oil being poured into a blender

    While I enjoyed the crazy dessert we concocted for the photo shoot, I like this ice cream best plain, drizzled with a bit more olive oil and flecked with a tiny pinch of crunchy Maldon salt. But tarragon and olive oil both pair well with citrus (especially grapefruit), berries and chocolate. I can imagine serving this in a berry soup, with grilled peaches or pineapple, with black pepper shortbread, or next to a slice of flourless chocolate cake. And I'd wager that basil olive oil ice cream would be a tasty variation, lacking tarragon.

    ice cream mix being poured through a sieve

    While you might expect olive oil ice cream to feel heavy on the palate, or taste unpleasantly like olives (or oil), the effect is actually sublime. The texture is as smooth, dense and delicate as any good, home-churned ice cream, and the flavor comes through as something mysterious, subtle and fruity. In this ice cream, the flavor of the tarragon adds yet another dimension, winding its way around the nuances of the olive oil without obscuring it.

    tub of olive oil ice cream

    If you're not familiar with the flavor of tarragon, it is often (unjustly) said to taste like licorice. But licorice conjures up waxy red and black candies that no one in their right mind would get excited about.Jerry Traunfeld, owner of The Herbfarm, gives a more vivid description of the misrepresented plant inThe Herbfarm Cookbook:

    Freshly picked tarragon will fill your mouth with a strong minty heat and release a peppery sensation in your throat that lingers for quite some time. The predominant flavor in tarragon comes from the identical essential oil that's found in anise, but rather than having a cloying licorice quality, it has citrus and green herb characteristics that, combined with its spiciness, produce a delicious savoriness.

    olive oil ice cream in a bowl

    Or, to quote my friend, videographer Pete Lee, who also tasted this ice cream:

    Eric said tarragon tastes like licorice, and I was like, 'I don't like licorice.' But then I tasted the ice cream and I was like, 'I like that.'

    ice cream in a bowl

    More Herbal Ice Creams:

    • Lemon Balm Crème Fraîche
    • Chocolate Mint Chip
    • Lemon Verbena (and Red Berry Shakes)
    • Matcha Mint Chip Ice Cream

    *Bojon appétit! For more Bojon Gourmet in your life, follow along on Instagram,  Facebook, or Pinterest, purchase my gluten-free cookbook Alternative Baker, or subscribe to receive new posts via email. And if you make this tarragon olive oil ice cream recipe, I’d love to know. Leave a comment and rating below, and tag your Instagram snaps @The_Bojon_Gourmet  and  #bojongourmet.*

    scoops of tarragon ice cream
    4.80 from 5 votes

    Tarragon Olive Oil Ice Cream

    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    You are going to fall in love with this sophisticated ice cream!
    Alanna Taylor-Tobin
    Prep Time: 45 minutes
    Chilling time: 6 hours 30 minutes
    Total: 7 hours 15 minutes
    Servings: 6 to 8 servings (makes 1 quart).

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup heavy cream
    • 6 large egg yolks
    • 1 1/3 cups whole milk
    • 1/2 cup sugar
    • pinch salt
    • 1 bunch tarragon, de-stemmed (1 generous cup, gently packed)
    • 1/2 cup fruity, extra-virgin olive oil

    Instructions

    Cook the custard:

    • Place the heavy cream in a 1-quart capacity container (I use a mason jaand set aside.Place the egg yolks in a medium bowl anchored on a damp towel and set aside.
    • In a medium saucepan, warm the milk, sugar and salt over a medium flame, swirling the pot occasionally until the milk is steaming and small bubbles form on the bottom of the pan, a few minutes.
    • When the milk is hot, dribble it into the yolks, whisking constantly. Return the mixture to a medium-low flame, and cook, stirring constantly with a heat-proof silicone spatula, scraping the sides and bottom of the pan, until the mixture begins to "stick" (form a film othe bottom of the pan, a few minutes.
    • Immediately remove the pot from the heat and pour the hot custard into the cold, heavy cream. Place in the fridge to chill for at least 4 hours, and up to 2 days. (If you're in a hurry, you can place the mixture in an ice water bath and stir until it is cold.)

    Prepare the tarragon:

    • Bring a medium saucepan of water to a rolling boil. Have a medium bowl filled with ice water at the ready. Blanche the tarragon until bright green, 5-10 seconds, drain through a strainer, and plunge into the ice water. When it's cold, drain it and use your hands to squeeze all the water out.
    • Place the blanched, squeezed tarragon in a blender. Add about a cup of the cold ice cream base and blend on low until smooth, slowly adding the remaining ice cream base. With the motor still running, slowly pour in the olive oil. Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve.

    Churn the ice cream:

    • Return the ice cream base to the jar and place it in the freezer for half an hour to get it really cold, shaking or stirring it every 10 minutes (this will make for a smoother ice cream). Spin the ice cream in an ice cream maker until it is the consistency of a thick milkshake. Transfer the ice cream to a storage container (preferably one that has been chilled in the freezeand freeze for at least 2 hours for a scoopable consistency.
    • Serve scoops of ice cream with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of flaky sea salt, such as Maldon. The ice cream is best within a week of being made, but will keep for several months.

    Notes

    Inspired by Tim Nugent and based on David Lebovitz' Olive Oil Ice Cream from The Perfect Scoop.
    This ice cream is all about the olive oil, so use the best stuff you can afford, preferably freshly-pressed and extra-virgin.
    French tarragon (as opposed to the Russian variety) has the best flavor and is the stuff most commonly found at well-stocked grocery stores and farmer's markets (see photo in post, above).
    This ice cream is 'amusing and surprising' on its own, or drizzled with a bit of extra olive oil and flecked with a pinch of flaky sea salt; see the post above for further serving suggestions.
    Nutritional values are based on one of six servings.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 477kcalCarbohydrates: 25gProtein: 7gFat: 40gSaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 255mgSodium: 58mgPotassium: 378mgFiber: 1gSugar: 20gVitamin A: 1290IUVitamin C: 4.5mgCalcium: 207mgIron: 3.3mg
    Making this? I'd love to see!Tag your snaps @The_Bojon_Gourmet and #bojongourmet!

    Tarragon Olive Oil Ice Cream

    Inspired by Tim Nugent and based on David Lebovitz' Olive Oil Ice Cream from The Perfect Scoop

    This ice cream is all about the olive oil, so use the best stuff you can afford, preferably freshly-pressed and extra-virgin. French tarragon (as opposed to the Russian variety) has the best flavor and is the stuff most commonly found at well-stocked grocery stores and farmer's markets (see photo in post, above). This ice cream is 'amusing and surprising' on its own, or drizzled with a bit of extra olive oil and flecked with a pinch of flaky sea salt; see the post above for further serving suggestions.

    Makes about 1 quart, 6-8 servings

    1 cup heavy cream
    6 large egg yolks
    1 1/3 cups whole milk
    1/2 cup sugar
    pinch salt
    1 bunch tarragon, de-stemmed (1 generous cup, gently packed)
    1/2 cup fruity, extra-virgin olive oil

    Cook the custard:
    Place the heavy cream in a 1-quart capacity container (I use a mason jar) and set aside.Place the egg yolks in a medium bowl anchored on a damp towel and set aside.

    In a medium saucepan, warm the milk, sugar and salt over a medium flame, swirling the pot occasionally until the milk is steaming and small bubbles form on the bottom of the pan, a few minutes.

    When the milk is hot, dribble it into the yolks, whisking constantly. Return the mixture to a medium-low flame, and cook, stirring constantly with a heat-proof silicone spatula, scraping the sides and bottom of the pan, until the mixture begins to "stick" (form a film on) the bottom of the pan, a few minutes.

    Immediately remove the pot from the heat and pour the hot custard into the cold, heavy cream. Place in the fridge to chill for at least 4 hours, and up to 2 days. (If you're in a hurry, you can place the mixture in an ice water bath and stir until it is cold.)

    Prepare the tarragon:
    Bring a medium saucepan of water to a rolling boil. Have a medium bowl filled with ice water at the ready. Blanche the tarragon until bright green, 5-10 seconds, drain through a strainer, and plunge into the ice water. When it's cold, drain it and use your hands to squeeze all the water out.

    Place the blanched, squeezed tarragon in a blender. Add about a cup of the cold ice cream base and blend on low until smooth, slowly adding the remaining ice cream base. With the motor still running, slowly pour in the olive oil. Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve.

    Churn the ice cream:
    Return the ice cream base to the jar and place it in the freezer for half an hour to get it really cold, shaking or stirring it every 10 minutes (this will make for a smoother ice cream). Spin the ice cream in an ice cream maker until it is the consistency of a thick milkshake. Transfer the ice cream to a storage container (preferably one that has been chilled in the freezer) and freeze for at least 2 hours for a scoopable consistency.

    Serve scoops of ice cream with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of flaky sea salt, such as Maldon. The ice cream is best within a week of being made, but will keep for several months.

    three scoops of ice cream

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. A Canadian Foodie says

      May 24, 2012 at 12:44 am

      I have just made it and will let you know how it turns out. Love the idea and in liquid form, mighty tasty. Doesn't look as green as yours, though I did add a TON of tarragon.
      :)
      Valerie

      Reply
    2. Alanna says

      May 24, 2012 at 7:04 am

      Hm, sorry to hear about the lack of green, but glad you like the flavor in any case! : )

      Reply
    3. Erin says

      March 07, 2013 at 3:43 pm

      While it's hard to imagine ice cream right now during the chill of winder, I positively can't wait to give this a try. Yum!

      Reply
      • Alanna says

        March 07, 2013 at 8:39 pm

        Hope it warms up soon where you are, and that your ice cream dreams come true. :)

        Reply
    4. cheffingit says

      June 05, 2013 at 7:34 pm

      I MUST put tarragon in my garden! Never really liked it in soups, but I think I'd like this immensely! :D

      Reply
      • Alanna says

        June 06, 2013 at 7:13 am

        Heck yeah! Thanks for writing - I've been enjoying your site. :)

        Reply
    5. Anonymous says

      July 01, 2013 at 10:41 pm

      Hi Alanna,
      I made this on Saturday but substituted Basil from the garden for Tarragon, since I hadn't planned ahead at all. We hand cranked 6 quarts and everyone loved it! Next time I'll try it with tarragon.
      Thanks so much for this, and all the other amazing recipes I've tried.

      Bree

      Reply
      • Alanna says

        July 01, 2013 at 11:30 pm

        Hi Bree! I LOVE basil ice cream, and I bet it's awesome here with the olive oil. So glad you all liked it! Props for hand cranking 6 quarts!!!

        Reply
    6. Sam says

      December 09, 2015 at 12:02 am

      Can't wait to make this when my husband collects the new drums for my ice cream maker.

      We're lucky that we have lots and lots of French tarragon in the garden at the moment!

      Reply
    7. Hiltrud Rittner says

      February 27, 2017 at 12:58 pm

      Hugely delicious. Love it with salt flakes, pepper and chocolate. A great combination. My favourite ice-cream so far. THANK YOU!!

      Reply
      • Alanna says

        February 28, 2017 at 2:35 pm

        Yay, I'm so glad you like it! Thanks a bunch for the note. :)

        Reply
    8. Lita Watson says

      June 16, 2017 at 1:09 am

      A wonderful idea to make everyone loves tarragon! I love the quite sweet flavor of it and i don't know if the sugar changed the flavor of it?

      Reply
    9. Nina says

      August 02, 2021 at 7:24 pm

      This was amazing ice cream!! Served with grilled peaches and black pepper shortbread as suggested!! Perfect recipe and suggested pairings. Thank you!!

      Reply
    10. Vicki says

      February 26, 2022 at 3:55 pm

      Hi! It’s been a while since the last comment - I’ve made this a number of times and now recently it has been splitting upon churning. I am now doing double recipe and twice as much tarragon... is my anglaise too cold? Any tips appreciated! Thanks x

      Reply
      • Alanna Taylor-Tobin says

        February 27, 2022 at 8:13 pm

        Hmm I'm sorry to hear that that's happening! I wonder if the larger batch is taking longer to churn and splitting for that reason? Or is it possible that adding the olive oil more slowly to the blender might help it incorporate a little better? I wouldn't think that the anglaise being too cold would be an issue, but I suppose it's possible. I wouldn't think using more tarragon would cause a problem either, though maybe it's adding more water content which is making the ice cream base less stable or something?

        Are you doing everything else the same as when you made a smaller batch?

        Reply

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