Cuban recipe

Creamy Purple Caimito Ice Cream Without a Machine

Name: Creamy Purple Caimito Ice Cream Without a Machine
Prep time: 40 min
Total time: 460 min
Ingredients: 320 g ripe purple caimito pulp, without skin, seeds or latex; 400 ml cream (35% fat), well chilled; 280 g condensed milk; 1 pinch of salt; 1 teaspoon lime juice (optional)

Creamy purple caimito ice cream with no ice cream maker: ripe pulp, whipped cream and condensed milk. Just 4 ingredients, ready after freezing.

CiberCubaNovember 8, 2026

AI-generated image.CiberCuba

Preparation40 min
Total time7 h 40 min
Servings6-8 servings
DifficultyEasy

Purple caimito is one of those Cuban backyard fruits that perfume the summer: smooth purple skin, milky, sweet pulp with a radial star in the center. It is almost always eaten by the spoonful, straight from the fruit, but turned into ice cream it becomes silky, with a delicate flavor reminiscent of sweet milk.

This version needs no ice cream maker. Well-whipped cream provides the air and condensed milk the creaminess, so the ice cream turns out soft and free of ice crystals. You just have to be patient during the hours of freezing.

Ingredients

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320 g ripe purple caimito pulp, without skin, seeds or latex
400 ml cream (35% fat), well chilled
280 g condensed milk
1 pinch of salt
1 teaspoon lime juice (optional)

Method

Wash the very ripe caimitos well and dry them. Put the cream in the refrigerator so it is very cold when you whip it.
Cut them in half and use a spoon to scoop out only the edible inner pulp, without scraping the skin because it contains latex. Remove all the hard seeds.
AI-generated image.CiberCuba
Pass the pulp through a fine strainer or sieve to remove fibers and bits of seed. Let it cool in the refrigerator for a few minutes.
AI-generated image.CiberCuba
Mix the strained pulp with the condensed milk, the pinch of salt and, if you like, the lime juice, until combined.
AI-generated image.CiberCuba
Whip the cold cream with a whisk until it forms soft peaks, taking care not to overwhip so it does not split.
AI-generated image.CiberCuba
Fold the whipped cream into the caimito mixture in two or three batches, using folding motions so you do not lose the air.
AI-generated image.CiberCuba
Transfer the mixture to a freezer-safe container, smooth the surface and cover it tightly. Freeze for 6 to 8 hours.
Before serving, leave the ice cream out of the freezer for 5 minutes and serve in scoops, with half an open caimito as a garnish if you like.