This month’s #FoodieExtravaganza theme is creative ice cream flavors. The Foodie Extravaganza is a monthly party hosted by bloggers who love food! Each month we incorporate one main ingredient or theme into recipes to share with you. Thanks to Camilla of Culinary Adventures with Camilla for challenging us with this theme.

I knew exactly what I wanted to do and I’m happy to say this ice cream flavor was a huge hit. That container of homemade ice cream didn’t last very long in the freezer. We even let the little man try it. He wasn’t even flustered by the frozen treat and immediately asked for more. He practically begged at my husband’s knees and when he saw that the bowl was empty a tantrum ensued. Photographic evidence to the right; he can thank me for that later.

Now on to my creative ice cream flavor.

When I made hummus I could only find a large jar of tahini paste and immediate searched the web for other uses for the ingredient and I have used it in dressings and stir fry sauces. I started thinking of ways to use it in sweet dishes. I figured it could probably substitute peanut butter in almost anything. When the #FoodieExtravaganza theme for July was announced I had my answer! Tahini Ice Cream!

I followed a recipe for peanut butter ice cream and simply substituted the tahini paste. (Fun fact: I accomplished my mission and emptied my jar. A feat my husband never thought would happen.) But I wanted to take this ice cream a step further and do not only a play on peanut butter ice cream but a play on PB&J. So I added lemon curd! That decision was probably the best one I could have made. The tahini ice cream had a perfectly smooth texture and a very deep and earthy flavor. It’s not as sweet as peanut butter. It definitely needed that cut of tang from the lemon to brighten and lighten the spoonful of frozen dessert.

I wasn’t sure if I should add the lemon curd into the ice cream while it was churning and further research led me to the idea of layering. I spooned a layer of lemon curd on the bottom of the dish and spread the ice cream over top. Depending on the depth of your dish you may want to add another layer of lemon curd to the batch, finishing the layering with ice cream.

Tahini and Lemon Curd Ice Cream

Ingredients:

• 1 C tahini paste
• 3/4 C sugar
• 1 1/3 C heavy cream
• 1 C milk
• 2 tsp vanilla bean paste (I used Nielsen-Massey)
• lemon curd, as much as desired

Steps:

1. Using a hand mixer, combine tahini paste and sugar until smooth and sugar is dissolved. Stir in the heavy cream, milk, and vanilla bean paste.
2. Place ice cream base in ice cream maker and follow the directions for your ice cream maker.
3. Spread lemon curd on the bottom of a freezer friendly dish. Top with ice cream and freeze until ready to serve. (If desired, create multiple layers of lemon curd and ice cream, ending with ice cream.)

*This recipe is adapted from http://tastykitchen.com/recipes/desserts/peanut-butter-ice-cream-for-the-ice-cream-maker/*

Be sure to check out the rest of these other creative ice cream flavors:

Chocolate Decadence Ice Cream by A Day in the Life on the Farm
Chocolate Malted Whopper Ice Cream by My Daylights
Crushed Pineapple Ice Cream by Food Lust People Love
Custard Cream & Strawberry Swirl No Churn Ice Cream by Baking in Pyjamas
Éma’a (Syrian Ice Cream) by Tara’s Multicultural Table
Fruity Fruit Popsicles by The Freshman Cook
Lemon Basil Ice Cream by Our Good Life
Lemongrass Ginger Coconut Ice Cream by The Joyful Foodie
Maple Bacon Ice Cream by Cooking With Carlee
No-Churn Chopped Macaron Vanilla Bean Ice Cream by Rhubarb and Honey
No Churn Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream by Fearlessly Creative Mammas
No Churn Reese’s Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream by NinjaBaker.com
Oat and Dulce de Leche Swirl Ice Cream by Passion Kneaded
Peach Cobbler Ice Cream by Cherishing a Sweet Life
Rhubarb Ice Cream by From Gate to Plate
Root Beer Barrel Ice Cream by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
The Bees’ Knees Semifreddo by Culinary Adventures with Camilla

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