We tested several recipes for Cinco de Mayo - a spicy watermelon sorbet, a churro soft serve recipe and horchata. After several blissful taste testings - we decided - horchata was the winner, hands down! This recipe came out suuuuuper creamy with a nice cinnamon finish.
Horchata Soft Serve

By Ice Cream Depot
A sweet, creamy, rice-and-almond-based soft serve recipe, perfect for Cinco de Mayo or a hot summer day.
Ingredients
- ½ cup roasted, unsalted almonds
- ½ cup long grain rice
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 cups half and half
- 2 cups whole milk
- 5 egg yolks
- ¾ cup sugar
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
- In a medium saucepan, toast almonds, rice, and cinnamon stick on high heat, tossing frequently, until almonds begin to smell aromatic, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add half and half and whole milk to the pot. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat, cover, and let steep for at least two hours.
- Using a fine mesh strainer, strain the dairy/rice mixture into a bowl. Strained dairy should yield about 2 ½ cups. If less than 2 ½ cups, add whole milk to make up the difference. Discard the rice and almonds.
- In a saucepan, whisk together sugar and egg yolks until well combined and slightly thickened.
- Transfer strained dairy to saucepan with egg yolks and sugar and whisk until combined. Heat saucepan on medium and cook, stirring frequently, until a custard forms on the back of a spoon and a swiped finger leaves a clean line. Stir in vanilla, then salt to taste.
- Pour custard through a fine mesh strainer into an airtight container and chill overnight.
- Pour into the ICD and set to 13.
- When done processing, dispense and garnish a few dashes of cinnamon and crushed up almonds.