Recipe: Walnut oil ice cream from Cube Cafe and Marketplace

All the desserts on the menu at Cube Cafe and Marketplace make the mouth water, but for a really spectacular ending to your meal, choose whatever's being served with this smooth walnut ice cream. Pastry chef Jun Tan adds the ultra-fragrant Huilerie Beaujolaise virgin walnut oil to the traditional custard base, infusing the finished frozen cream with both the smell and the flavor of freshly roasted walnuts.

The walnut oil is available for purchase at Cube, a small restaurant whose walls are lined with shelves of gourmet oils, vinegars, condiments, wines and more. It's also available through their online store.

For more information: Cube Cafe and Marketplace, 615 N. La Brea Avenue, Los Angeles 90036, 323-939-1148. Follow Cube's gourmet purveyor Rachel on Twitter @cube_la for specials, an inside look at the kitchen and great food snapshots from her culinary travels.

Walnut oil ice cream from Cube (makes about 1 quart)

• 1 cup whole milk
• 6 large egg yolks
• 1/2 cup sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/3 cups heavy cream
• 1/2 cup Huilerie Beaujolaise Virgin Walnut Oil (can substitute any nut oil, or even an extra-fruity olive oil)

Whisk together yolks, sugar, salt, and vanila in a bowl. Set aside.

In a sauce pot, bring milk to a boil. While whisking, slowly pour the hot milk into the egg mixture until well combined.Transfer the mixture back into the pot. Over medium-low heat, cook the mixture while stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until it reaches about 180 degrees F, or until the mixture coats the bottom of the spoon. Do not overcook it or it will curdle.

Remove the mixture from the heat and whisk in the cream and walnut oil. Strain through a fine mesh strainer and place over an ice bath. Refrigerate for an hour or until well chilled. Pour mixture into an ice cream maker and follow manufacturer's instructions.

Can be served immediately, like a soft-serve ice cream, or transfer to a container with a lid and freeze for about 4 hours for a firmer finished product.