Ice Cream With Olive Oil and Dates
Published July 4, 2024
Rachel Vanni for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne.
- Total Time
- 10 minutes
- Prep Time
- 5 minutes
- Cook Time
- 5 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil (the more flavorful the better)
1 Medjool date, pitted and torn into 3 or 4 pieces
1 to 2 scoops very cold vanilla ice cream
Flaky sea salt
Nutritional analysis per serving (1 servings)
24 grams carbs; 11 milligrams cholesterol; 198 calories; 7 grams monosaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 12 grams fat; 2 grams fiber; 135 milligrams sodium; 1 gram protein; 21 grams sugar
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
In a small skillet, heat the oil and date over medium. Once sizzling, 1 to 2 minutes, turn off the heat.
- Step 2
Scoop the ice cream into a bowl, then scrape the dates and all of the oil on top. Sprinkle with a pinch of flaky sea salt. Eat as soon as possible.
Private Notes
Comments
Look, don't judge, but I had prunes instead of dates and I tried it and I'm here to report that the slick, sweet, gummy center of the prune toasts beautifully in olive oil and tastes amazing against the salt and sweet ice cream. Tried it with dates and...the prune is way better.
The fact that store-bought ice cream made The New York Times Cooking page, inspires me to write this note. It takes my mind away from the apocalypse my neighbors and I who reside in the Southern Appalachian Mountains are experiencing in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene’s destruction a week ago. I have thought for months now that Tillamook ice cream, produced by a diary coop in Oregon and sold in Asheville, NC by several grocers has to be the best I have ever eaten.
This dessert is my new obsession. It is so easy, and tastes better than 99% of the desserts you would order in a restaurant. I am going to make it again right now!
I tried toasting some walnuts in the pan before adding the dates. I will be jarring this and giving it out as gifts this summer, it's that good.
I admit, I was a skeptic when I first saw this recipe last year. Olive oil on ice cream? People must be getting desperate. Saw it show up again yesterday and was surprised that it didn't repel me in the slightest. Not feeling well today, I woke up from a nap, hot, sweaty and annoyed, and the thought of this recipe was the only thing that got me out of bed. Pulled out th dates from the back of the cabinet and the Trader Joe's Selezione Sicilian EVOO, bc the recipe said it would be better with a flavorful oil, dropped 1 tbs of oil in the skillet and 2 torn dates (1? why bother?). I didn't remember to check the flame bc my old, cheap stove has a mind of its own and chose to cook the dates 2 min, flipping once. Dates were a little over cooked/burnt, but I didn't care. Poured the entire concoction over the ice cream, generously sprinkled some flaky salt, took a bite and knew my life had changed. So. So. Delicious. Everything works in balance and overcooking the dates was the best part. They had a candylike crunch with a smoky flavor that worked beautifully with the ice cream, which had a smooth texture from the olive oil, which did not taste oily at all. And then the salt hits you like an exclamation point at the end of the beautiful sentence. I can't wait to make this again tomorrow (is tonight too soon?).
use more than one date