Reserve one medium bowl and one large mixing bowl. Fill the large mixing bowl with ice and cold water. Place the medium mixing bowl inside (to create a cold water bath around it).

In a medium sauce pan, add your milk. Pour in the sugar and nonfat milk powder, then whisk to combine.

Next, GENTLY stir in the heavy cream with a rubber spatula. Do not whisk! You don’t want the heavy cream to froth – you’ll be making whipped cream instead of ice cream!

Place the saucepan over medium heat and allow to warm to 110 degrees (or ‘just hot’).

In a small bowl, gently whisk the egg yolks. Once the milk mixture has come to temperature, take it off the heat, and slowly add 1/4 cup of the warmed milk to the egg yolks. Whisk. You are tempering the egg yolks slowly, to avoid getting scrambled eggs!

Add 1/4 cup of milk at a time, whisking throughout, until half of the milk mixture is in the egg yolks.

Once half of the milk mixture is mixed in, the yolks are incorporated and will not scramble. Pour the whole thing back to the saucepan and return to medium heat. Whisk gently.

Bring the ice cream base to 165F, or ‘just about steaming’. Be mindful not to scald your base.

Carefully pour the basil ice cream base into the medium sized bowl fitted into the ice bath. Allow to cool for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

After cooling, add the green food coloring if desired. I like to use Americolor’s “Mint” tint, only about 2 drops. Stir to combine.

Remove the medium bowl from the ice bath and set on the counter. Discard the water from the ice bath and dry the bowl with a tea towel.

Fit a fine mesh sieve over the large bowl, and strain your ice cream base. Gently press down on the leaves in the sieve, to get the most flavor out of them! Discard the leaves and lime zest.

Cover the ice cream base with plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour. Your base has to be completely cold before churning.

After chilling, follow your ice cream maker’s directions to churn. Freeze in an airtight container for several hours before enjoying if you like firmer ice cream, like me!