Tangerine Ice Cream (Easy Blender Recipe)

Tangerine ice cream made in a blender is one of the most refreshing frozen desserts you’ll ever make! It’s incredibly creamy, bursting with sweet citrus flavor, and you won’t believe how easy it is.

If you’ve already tried my lemon ice cream or my orange ice cream, you already know that this blender method produces something truly special, and tangerine ice cream is no different.

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These frozen desserts are smooth, creamy, and full of real fruit flavor, with no ice cream maker required, no churning, and almost no effort at all.

Which Tangerines are Best?

After making the orange version so many times, when I received Ojai pixie tangerines from Melissa’s Produce, I didn’t even give it a second thought! Tangerines are sweeter than oranges, and Ojai pixie tangerines are the pinnacle of what this fruit should be–they’re super sweet! So I knew the ice cream would be fantastic.

The result was absolutely wonderful. This tangerine ice cream has all the bright citrus flavor you’d hope for, but with a sweetness that’s a little more delicate than orange. It’s perfect served in a bowl, cone, or a frozen tangerine cup! Use any tangerine (or mandarin) as long as they are relatively sweet. Don’t use store-bought juice as it won’t be the same (usually pasteurized.)

FYI, I was blown away by the health benefits of tangerines! If you love tangerines, check out my mandarin orange cake, which is based on my Sicilian whole orange cake or my candied citrus peel (which would make a gorgeous garnish for this ice cream, by the way.)

Top Tips

Use freshly squeezed tangerine juice for the best flavor. Bottled juice won’t give you the same results.

The acid in the tangerine juice is actually what helps the cream to set, just as it does in the lemon and orange versions, and just as it does in a posset. So no eggs, no custard base, and no ice cream machine needed.

Tangerine Ice Cream Recipe (Blender)

Ingredients

• heavy whipping cream
• whole milk
• sugar
• tangerines (juice and zest)

– Special equipment: 8″ or 9″ metal baking pan.
– If you want to use the tangerine rind as bowls, cut the tangerines in half, remove the segments without ripping the rind, and cut a little off the bottom (without going all the way through) so that it can sit flat. Place in the freezer until ready to use–it’s easy peasy!

Directions

Place the baking pan in the freezer.

Pour the cream, and milk into the blender container.

Next, add the sugar and tangerine juice, then add the zest.

Blend for about 45 seconds, then pour into the cold metal pan. Put back into the freezer for about an hour.

Remove from the freezer and stir gently with a spoon, and return to the freezer. Repeat two more times (three stirs in three hours.)

Serve the Tangerine Ice Cream

Use an ice cream scoop to serve the citrus ice cream into pre-frozen tangerine shells, cones, cups or bowls. Garnish with a citrus leaf, if desired. Or drizzle with this decadent chocolate sauce for an over the top treat!

I’ve also made peach ice cream and mango ice cream using this same method, and both are absolutely worth trying once you’ve worked your way through this one. There really is no end to where this blender technique can take you!

Have you tried making tangerine ice cream at home? Leave a comment below and let me know how it turned out!

FAQs

1. Can I use store-bought tangerine juice? I don’t recommend it, as it won’t taste the same, especially since you need grated tangerine zest, too.
2. How long does this keep in the freezer? Try to use it within 2 weeks (keep in an airtight, freezerproof container.)
3. Why does this tangerine ice cream recipe work? The citrus interacts with the dairy to thicken it , even before it goes into the freezer. It’s natural science!

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