Fresh Strawberry Ice Cream
Recipe by Nicole Thom-Arens
Serves 4 to 8
When strawberries are in season, they are absolutely delicious. Nothing beats fresh, sweet strawberries with a splash of cream, in my opinion, but fresh strawberry ice cream is a close second especially on a hot summer day. This is a French-inspired ice cream recipe in that it uses eggs and requires an ice cream maker. Be sure to follow the manufacturer’s churning instructions for your machine for best results.
Ingredients:1 cup heavy whipping cream1 1/2 cups whole milk2/3 cup granulated sugar + 1/2 tablespoon, divided1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste4 egg yolks1 tablespoon cornstarch1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (Reduce to 1/4 teaspoon if not using Diamond.)1 pound fresh strawberries
Instructions:1. Place a mesh strainer over a medium-sized bowl. Set aside.2. Add the cream, milk, 1/3 cup sugar, and vanilla to a medium saucepan. Heat over medium heat on the stovetop until small bubbles form on the sides of the pan. Stir occasionally.3. While the milk mixture is heating, add the egg yolks, 1/3 cup sugar, salt, and cornstarch to a second medium-sized bowl. Whisk until the mixture is thick and pale yellow.4. Once the milk mixture is hot, add 1/2 cup to the egg mixture; whisk to combine. Once combined, while whisking, add an additional 1/2 cup of milk mixture. 5. While whisking the milk still in the saucepan, add the egg and milk mixture. Cook over medium heat until thickened and bubbling. 6. Pour the custard through a mesh strainer into the clean medium-sized bowl set aside earlier. 7. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap—be sure to press the wrap to the top of the custard. Chill in the fridge for 3 hours or overnight. 8. Just before you’re ready to churn the ice cream, prepare the strawberry puree by washing, drying, and trimming 1 pound of fresh strawberries. Add the berries to a bowl with 1/2 tablespoon sugar. Puree with an immersion blender. (You could also blend this in a food processor or stand blender.)9. Add the blended strawberries to the chilled custard. 10. Follow the manufacture’s instructions for churning. Serve as soft serve or transfer to container and freeze before serving.