Black Garlic Ice Cream (No-Churn)
A creamy no-churn ice cream made with fermented black garlic, heavy cream, milk, and vanilla. Rich caramel-dark flavor with none of the sharpness of regular garlic.
Ingredients
For the black garlic base
- 3/4 cup whole milk
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1-2 black garlic cloves start with 1 for subtle flavor, 2 for more depth
For the ice cream
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream chilled
- 1/8 tsp vanilla essence
Instructions
Make the black garlic base
- Add the milk and sugar to a small saucepan over low-medium heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves fully, about 3 to 4 minutes. Do not let it boil.
- Remove from heat. Mash the black garlic cloves into a smooth paste using the back of a spoon, then stir the paste into the warm milk. Let it steep for 5 minutes.
- Transfer the mixture to a blender and blend until completely smooth with no garlic bits remaining.
- Pour into a bowl and refrigerate until fully chilled, at least 30 minutes. Place bowl over an ice bath to speed this up.
Whip the cream
- Pour the chilled heavy cream into a large bowl. Beat on medium-high speed with a hand mixer or stand mixer until stiff peaks form, about 3 to 4 minutes.
Combine and freeze
- Add the vanilla essence to the chilled black garlic milk. Pour it into the whipped cream and fold gently with a rubber spatula until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Pour into a freezer-safe loaf pan or container and smooth the top. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the ice cream to prevent ice crystals. Cover tightly.
- Freeze for at least 6 hours or overnight until firm.
Serve
- Remove from the freezer 5 minutes before scooping. Scoop into bowls or cones and serve immediately.
Notes
How many cloves: One clove gives a subtle background depth. Two cloves make the black garlic noticeably present. Both are delicious. Start with one and taste the base before freezing.
Where to buy black garlic: Look in the produce section of specialty grocery stores, health food shops, or buy it online. Some larger supermarkets also carry it near the garlic and shallots. Once peeled, it keeps in the refrigerator for up to a month.
Texture note: Because this base uses milk and sugar rather than condensed milk, the final texture is slightly lighter and less dense than a condensed milk no-churn. Whip your cream to firm stiff peaks for the best scoopable result.
Vegan option: Replace the heavy cream with chilled full-fat coconut cream (whip from refrigerated cans), and swap the milk for oat milk or coconut milk. The flavor will be slightly coconutty but still excellent.
Storage: Store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 weeks, with plastic wrap pressed onto the surface.
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