If you’re craving a flavour that’s both exotic and comforting, you’re in for a treat. Today, I’m sharing my recipe for homemade pandan ice cream. This is one of my favourite unique flavours. Now, not everyone loves pandan because it has a distinctive, strong taste that can be a bit polarizing. It blends the richness of vanilla and coconut with a hint of floral freshness. If you’re someone who enjoys trying new flavours, pandan is definitely worth exploring. Trust me, once you try it, you might just get hooked!

What’s Pandan?

Let me tell you about pandan. It’s a plant native to Southeast Asia, scientifically known as Pandanus amaryllifolius. What makes it so special are its long, blade-shaped leaves that release an extraordinary fragrance when crushed or warmed. The flavour of pandan is often described as a mix of vanilla and coconut, but it has a unique character that’s hard to pinpoint. Some people pick up hints of almond, a subtle floral note, or even a grassy taste. My husband says it reminds him of green tea. Either way, it’s a flavour deeply rooted in the culinary traditions of the region.

In Southeast Asian culinary traditions, pandan leaves are cherished for their versatility and flavour-enhancing properties. They are a staple ingredient in a variety of dishes, both savoury and sweet. They are used in a variety of ways. They can be tied into knots and added to rice for a subtle fragrance, boiled to make pandan tea, or blended into extracts for use in cooking and baking. But perhaps the most popular application of pandan is in desserts, where it imparts its unique flavour and aroma to cakes, puddings, and, of course, ice cream. Overall, pandan is a versatile and beloved ingredient that adds a touch of exotic flair to any dish it graces.

I’ve seen how my mom used pandan leaves to take simple dishes to the next level. Whether she was making desserts or my favourite Hainanese Chicken, pandan always made everything taste so much better. Besides its lovely aroma, pandan is also known for its vibrant green colour, which can be used to naturally colour dishes and desserts.

The Appeal of Homemade Ice Cream

Making ice cream at home is great for a few reasons. You get to control what goes in, so you can skip the artificial stuff and use real, natural ingredients. Plus, there’s something fun about making your own dessert. Using pandan leaves takes it up a notch by adding natural flavour without any chemicals. If you haven’t tried making pandan ice cream yet, give it a go—it’s definitely worth it.

Coconut Milk: Coconut milk serves as the creamy base for this recipe, providing richness and a subtle coconut flavour. It’s a popular choice in dairy-free and vegan recipes, offering a creamy texture without the need for dairy products.

Vegan Cream: In this vegan version, heavy cream is replaced with a vegan alternative such as coconut cream or cashew cream. These alternatives provide a similar creamy texture and help achieve the desired consistency without using dairy.

Granulated Sugar: Sugar is added to sweeten the ice cream and enhance its flavour. It also helps to improve the texture of the final product by lowering the freezing point of the mixture, resulting in a softer consistency.

Pandan Leaves: Pandan leaves are the star ingredient in this recipe, lending their unique aroma and flavour to the ice cream. Blending the pandan leaves with water helps to extract their essence, infusing the mixture with their distinct tropical flavour.

1. Tying Leaves in Knots: This method involves tying the pandan leaves into knots and simmering them with the milk. Tying the leaves allows the flavours to infuse more gradually into the milk, resulting in a subtle pandan flavour. This method is traditional and often preferred when making dishes where a milder pandan flavour is desired.
2. Blending the Leaves: Blending the pandan leaves with water and then adding the mixture to the milk allows for a more concentrated infusion of pandan flavour. This method can result in a stronger, more pronounced pandan flavour in your ice cream. It’s a great option if you like a stronger pandan flavour.

Pandan Extract (optional): Pandan extract is an optional addition that enhances the pandan flavour and adds a vibrant green colour to the ice cream. It provides an extra boost of pandan essence for those who desire a more intense flavour.

Egg-Free and Vegan

Unlike traditional ice cream recipes that often use egg yolks as a thickening agent, this recipe is completely egg-free and can be vegan-friendly (with the substitutions). Instead of relying on eggs for texture and creaminess, the combination of coconut milk, vegan cream, and sugar creates a smooth and creamy base. This results in an ice cream that is lighter in texture compared to custard-based ice creams made with eggs. I find that omitting eggs from the recipe results in a lighter and less dense ice cream with a cleaner flavour, allowing the pandan flavour to shine through more prominently.

Serving Suggestions

So, when it comes to serving up your homemade pandan ice cream, the options are pretty endless. You could go classic and scoop it into a cone or bowl for a simple and satisfying treat. Or, get a little fancy and top it with some toasted coconut flakes or crushed nuts for some extra texture and flavour. But if you’re feeling a bit more adventurous, why not use your pandan ice cream as the star of a dessert masterpiece? Maybe a warm slice of pandan chiffon cake topped with a generous scoop of your homemade ice cream.

Homemade pandan ice cream is a perfect mix of flavour and nostalgia, bringing the taste of home and tradition with every bite. There’s something really satisfying about making ice cream from scratch. You get to tweak the flavours to your liking and control the quality of the ingredients. No weird additives or preservatives—just pure, delicious ice cream. Plus, watching it come together and enjoying that creamy treat is the best part.