Strawberry Ice Cream

Directions

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. (Most manufacturers recommend that the churning bowl be frozen for 24 hours before making ice cream; the mixing bowl can go in while you are prepping the custard base.

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 now.

In a separate bowl, beat the yolks and sugar 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 sugar mixture, whisking the entire time. Continue until all the liquid is combined. Don’t rush this; otherwise you will end up with scrambled eggs.

Return the custard , 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.

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.

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.

Combine the remaining sliced berries and remaining sugar 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.

Remove 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.

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 favorite cone. This ice cream will keep for about a month before starting crystallize.