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Did you know that pomegranates were thought to be one of the first cultivated fruits? It originally came from what is currently Iran and in ancient times it was considered a sign of ambition and prosperity. In Greek mythology there are references to the juice of a pomegranate being derived from the blood of Adonis or the wife of Orion. As a kid I was really into mythology, mostly Roman but some Greek and since we took Communion it didn’t seem like much of a stretch. If you’re kind of a geek about things like this, like me, you should totally read up on pomegranates :)

Now gods and myth aside pomegranates are one of my favorite fruits just because they are so darn tasty. It’s strange because in general I don’t like tart things and yet I have always loved these guys. I get stoked when I find something pomegranate flavored, like this snow-cone stand near my house in Oklahoma, they had a pomegranate flavored syrup that was like if a pomegranate and a sugar factory had a baby and it was awesome and so stinking good! I don’t know if any of their other flavors were any good because that is pretty much the only thing I ever ordered from there.

It’s not like you find a lot of pomegranate flavored things, in my experience, so when I do find them I get after it.

Since it’s gone from warm to sometimes flat out miserable heat-wise here in South Texas I busted out my Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker (okay so I have 2) a few weeks ago. But when I dug out the boxes it was only to find out that I have apparently lost the paddles for both. And so then I ordered a third but it’s totally different because the 2 in the garage are white and my new one is pink. Boom! And now I can make 3 batches of ice cream in quick succession because I have 3 tubs to keep in the freezer. Boom! Boom!

After a few failed attempts I have gotten this recipe for pomegranate ice cream DOWN. It is SO GOOD. It’s creamy, it’s a little bit sweet and a little bit tart and it’s rich but it doesn’t make you feel like your belly is going to ache after a scoop or 2 or 3. I’m not here to judge. It does leave you with slightly greasy lips because of the heavy cream content but I just saved you a swipe of lip balm so, you’re welcome, I suppose!

POMEGRANATE HOMEMADE ICE CREAM

You’ll need an ice cream maker for this recipe and this is tailor-made for this Cuisinart Ice Cream Machine. You can normally get one for less than $50 and they last for years just as long as you don’t lose the pieces :)

1 cup of pomegranate juice
2 cups of heavy cream
14 ounces of sweetened condensed milk
1/3 cup of white sugar
3-4 limes juiced and zested (zest is optional)

Instructions

Mix juice, sweetened condensed milk, cream and sugar until well incorporated in a bowl with a lid (I use a Tupperware kind of a thing).
Add lime juice to taste, the more juice the more tart your finished ice cream will be. Add zest of lime if desired.
Run the mixture in your ice cream maker for 15-20 minutes, or per manufacturer directions.
Place in an air tight container and quickly place deep in your freezer to help prevent ice crystals from forming.
Allow ice cream to soften slightly prior to serving for best flavor.

* quick tip – If using the Cuisinart I suggest freezing the bowl, taking care that it is nice and flat in the freezer, for at least 48 hours.
* another quick tip – if you find that you have a hard time getting ice cream to “set up” place your mixture in the freezer for 1-2 hours or in the refrigerator overnight to get a firmer freeze straight from the ice cream maker.