Strawberry Ice Cream
This summer was filled with lots of testing of different ice cream formulas, not all of which were successful. I tried to make the "two ingredient ice cream" in which you just mix heavy cream and sweetened condensed milk. It was so ridiculously rich that it left a thick film on the inside of my mouth. Austin couldn't even finish her bowl. It clearly didn't work (which is saying a lot considering I put crushed Butterfinger in it, and I would eat pretty much anything with Butterfinger mixed in). Maybe I'll try it some day using half and half or something like that so that it isn't quite so overwhelming. The real beauty of the two ingredient ice cream, and the reason that I so desperately wanted it to work, was how easy it was. There wasn't even an ice cream maker needed to make it.
This strawberry ice cream is the exact opposite. I made it and loved it. It was rich and refreshing. It was delicious. But it was waaay more work to make. I had the cream on the stove coming to a precise simmer, which meant I had to stand by the fire the whole time. And that's not easy when you have a troublemaker baby crawling around (wonder where she gets it??). I could have made it without the stove if I was willing to throw completely raw eggs into the recipe, but I'm not. Yes, my eggs are pasturized, and yes, I have been known to eat raw cookie dough, but this just took it one step too far. Some say that using the stove is more for a creamy texture than to cook the eggs, but even the idea that there was some sort of heat applied to the eggs put my mind at ease. And in the end, it was all worth it as I sat down in front of an episode of Jersey Shore with a big bowl of chocolate-smothered homemade strawberry ice cream. Damn you, guilty pleasures.
Strawberry Ice Cream
1 pint fresh strawberries, hulled and chopped 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 2 large eggs, room temperature 1 cup sugar, divided 2 cups heavy whipping cream 1 cup milk 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Combine strawberries, lemon juice, and 1/4 cup sugar in a mixing bowl, set aside in fridge for 1 hour.
In large mixing bowl beat eggs until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Combine with 1/4 cup sugar.
In a saucepan, whisk together the cream, milk, and 1/2 cup sugar. Cook over medium heat until there starts to be bubbles around the edge (but not boiling!). Slowly add about 1 cup of the simmering mixture to the eggs, stirring constantly. Add the egg mixture back into the cream mixture and heat for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla, and allow it to cool completely (you can put it in the fridge to speed up the process).
Mash up the strawberries and stir into the cold ice cream mixture.
Prepare in and ice cream maker per manufacturer's instructions.
Source: Ben & Jerry's Homemade Ice Cream & Dessert Book
