Whether you love plums or are just trying to make use of that ice cream maker you registered for, roasted plum ice cream is your chance to make an easy dessert that you can’t find in stores.

I am one of those people who bought an ice cream maker on a whim because I convinced myself that making a bizarre dessert (baklava with chai ice cream) would most definitely impress a boyfriend’s mother. Whether it did, or didn’t, I have no idea, but I do now have an ice cream maker. And I don’t have that boyfriend.

For all these years since, I have been making different ice cream recipes to justify the cabinet space my ice cream maker continues to take up in my cabinets. For me, the ideal homemade ice cream recipe has to be something you cannot buy at your local grocery store.

Roasted plum ice cream is most definitely not sold near me.

The idea behind roasting the plums before adding them to your ice cream is to create a deeper, more robust flavor. If you have ever eaten strawberry ice cream but left unfulfilled because it needs more, then you will appreciate this method.

The roasting heightens the flavor of plums, and roasting it with cinnamon and honey will add additional layers of depth to the finished product. The roasted plums are then made into a sauce that is combined into the ice cream mixture, so the whole batch has that deep, rich flavor. It almost reminds me of the flavors of Morocco.

Let’s whip up this ice cream and see what you think.

Ingredients

1 ¾ cups firm, ripe plums
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
Generous drizzle of honey
2 eggs
¾ cups granulated sugar
3 cups whipping cream
2 tsp vanilla extract

Roasting the Plums

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
Add ¼ cup of water to a cookie sheet.
Halve the plums and place them in the pan cut side up. No need to remove the pits at this time.
Sprinkle the brown sugar and cinnamon over the plums, and then drizzle with honey.
Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
Remove and discard the pits. Transfer the plums and the juices to a food processor. Blend until mostly smooth.
Refrigerate this mixture until cool.
In a stand mixer, beat the eggs and sugar until they are pale and fluffy and the sugar has dissolved.
Add the cream and beat on medium until it forms soft peaks.
Add the vanilla and plum sauce, and mix to combine. Reserve some of the sauce for topping.
Process the batches through your ice cream maker. This will make more than one batch on most makers, so have your back-up bowl frozen.
As a batch comes out of the ice cream maker, swirl in the remaining sauce.
For soft serve, eat immediately. Otherwise, store in the freezer until ready to eat.

Selecting Plums for the Ice Cream

Nearly any type of plum will work for this recipe, but be cognizant of each plum’s profile so you know what to expect with your ice cream.

In many places, we are lucky to find even one type of plum, let alone the many detailed by Minneopa Orchards. The ability to use these recipes should not be fettered by whatever your local grocery store tries

Many big box stores will have two types of plum: 1 red and 1 black. Expect the black plums to be sweeter and juicier, but softer. The red plums are usually firmer, less juicy, and a bit more tart.

Adjust Ice Cream for the Plum’s Flavor Profile

This is a recipe that you need to taste as you go. Plum fruit can vary wildly, even among the same cultivar. Growing conditions, storage, and transport all impact the final product that you have in your kitchen.

Grocery store plums can be a little bland. They usually offer the most generic plums to appeal to the most people, and so you may not have a huge burst of flavor.

After you run the plums through the food processor, taste the mixture. If it is not sweet enough, adding sweetened condensed milk a tablespoon at a time can add sweetness without making it grainy.

If the flavor is just too mild, increase the proportion of the puree to the cream mixture. The recipe makes several batches of ice cream, so you can either freeze some to add more plums to later, or, if you know your plums are a little bleh in advance, halve the eggs, granulated sugar, whipping cream, and vanilla.

Pairings for Roasted Plum Ice Cream

Serve this ice cream on its own in a cone or dish, but don’t forget to use it to accompany your other fruit-based baked goods. Roasted plum ice cream naturally goes well with Eggless Plum Cake (it really is not too much plum at once), but it also goes nicely with Apple Bread Pudding or Apple Cinnamon Bread.

Have fun with your new recipe! Most of all, don’t forget to add in your favorite spices and sauces to make it your own!

Excited for more plum content? Then check out our plum trees page for the latest growing tips, care guides, recipes, and more!

Still hungry for more? Then discover our other fruit recipes to stock up your kitchen with nature’s healthy and tasty goodies!