There’s nothing more refreshing than home-made ice cream on a hot summer’s day, and this recipe is perfect for it. Strawberries are the main ingredient in this recipe and they have low pH levels, which makes this recipe great to be paired with richberry.
Yield: 2 1/2 pints
INGREDIENTS
For the ice cream base
· 2 cups heavy cream
· 2/3 cup whole milk
· 1 vanilla pod, split and seeds scraped, or 1 tsp vanilla extract
· Pinch salt
· 6 egg yolks
· 1/2 cup sugar
For the strawberry sauce and puree
· 1 pound strawberries, hulled and cut into small pieces (with roughly the diameter of a dime)
· 1 tablespoon lemon juice
· 3/4 cup granulated sugar
METHOD
Freeze the ice cream bowl: Place the ice cream maker churning bowl, plus a separate mixing bowl large enough to contain your custard, in the freezer the day before you want to make ice cream.
Warm the cream, milk, and vanilla: Pour the cream and milk into a medium saucepan set over medium-low heat. Scrape the vanilla seeds from the pod and add to the milk mixture, along with a pinch of salt.
Slowly bring to a gentle simmer, until you see small bubbles around the edges of the pan. Stir occasionally. This will take about 15 to 18 minutes. Remove from heat, and let the vanilla infuse the cream for 15 minutes. (If using vanilla extract, add it in.)
Combine the eggs with the milk: In a separate bowl, beat the yolks together with a whisk until the mixture is thick and pale. Place the milk mixture back over medium-low heat and warm to just below a simmer. The cream should be warm to the touch, and small bubbles around the edge are just beginning to form. The mixture needs to be warm to temper the eggs in our next step. In a slow, thin, steady stream, pour the milk mixture into the egg mixture, whisking the entire time. Continue until all the liquid is combined. Don’t rush this; otherwise, you will end up with scrambled eggs.
Cook the custard: Return the custard (vanilla bean pod and all), to the pan and place it over low heat. Stir gently with a spatula until the custard thickens to the consistency of maple syrup, about 8 minutes. When ready, it will coat the back of a spoon, and if you draw your finger through it, the mark will remain.
Chill the custard: As soon as the custard thickens, remove from heat. Remove the mixing bowl from the freezer, and transfer the custard to the bowl. Allow the custard to cool to room temp, then cover and place in the fridge. This is now the base for your ice cream. It can be made one week ahead of time and kept covered in the fridge.
Make the strawberry sauce: Place half of the sliced strawberries in a saucepan with half of the sugar and all of lemon juice. Place over medium heat and bring to a gentle boil. Stir occasionally and watch the pot, as the berries will foam up and could boil over. After 10 minutes, lightly smash the cooking berries with a potato masher. Continue cooking the mixture, stirring occasionally, until the volume is reduced by half. This should take about 8 minutes. The sauce is ready when the syrup is a deep red, and thick like honey. Remove from heat. Transfer to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate.
Make the fresh berry puree: Place the remaining sliced berries in a blender or food processor, or using an immersion blender. Puree until you have a thin sauce. Transfer to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate.
Churn the ice cream: Remove the vanilla pod from the cooled custard base. Stir in the cooled strawberry sauce and fresh strawberry puree. Transfer to ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions. When ready, it will be the consistency of soft-serve ice cream.
Eat immediately as soft serve, or freeze to harden: The ice cream can be served immediately if desired. To harden to a scoopable consistency, transfer the ice cream to a loaf pan or other freezer-safe container, press a piece of parchment paper over the top, and cover it with a lid. Place in the freezer for at least 2 hours. When ready, scoop onto your favourite cone. This ice cream will keep for about a month before starting to crystallize.
Consume Miracle Berry: Just before digging in, chew 1 or more freeze-dried miracle berry (this can also be done during the preparation of ingredients). Ensure to remove pits to avoid a bitter taste.
Fact: The active ingredient miraculin from miracle berry will turn sour foods such as lemon, lime, orange, grapefruit, non-fat yoghurt and other citrus food to taste sweet without adding sugar. We recommend two halves or 2 servings for maximum effectiveness. Make sure to follow instructions from the back of the packaging.
CALORIE SAVINGS:
1/2 cup sugar, 3/4 cup granulated sugar 970 Calories
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