Strawberry Ice Cream
By America's Test KitchenPublished on August 22, 2007
Time
55 minutes, plus 40 minutes macerating, 50 minutes cooling, 3½ hours chilling, and 2 hours freezing
Yield
Serves 8 (Makes 1 quart)
Ingredients
16 ounces (454 grams) fresh strawberries (about 3 cups), hulled and slicedPinch Salt 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar (8 ¾ ounces 248 grams)1 ¼ cups whole milk 1 ⅓ cups heavy cream 6 large egg yolks 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice 3 tablespoons vodka 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Before You Begin
Though the frozen ice cream will keep in the freezer for up to 2 days, its flavor and texture are best when it is eaten the day it is made.
Instructions
- Toss the strawberries and 1/2 cup of the sugar together in a medium nonreactive saucepan. Mash the berries gently with a potato masher until slightly broken down. Let stand, stirring occasionally, until the berries have released their juices and the sugar has dissolved, 40 to 45 minutes.
- Meanwhile, position a strainer over a medium bowl set in a larger bowl containing ice water. Heat the milk, cream, 1/2 cup of the sugar, and the salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until steam appears and the milk is warm (about 175 degrees), about 5 minutes. While the milk is heating, whisk the yolks and remaining 1/4 cup sugar in a medium bowl until combined and pale yellow. Whisk about half the warm milk mixture into the beaten yolks, 1/2 cup at a time, until combined. Whisk the milk-yolk mixture into the warm milk in the saucepan; set the saucepan over medium heat and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until steam appears, foam subsides, and the mixture is slightly thickened or an instant-read thermometer registers 180 to 185 degrees. (Do not boil the mixture, or the eggs will curdle.) Immediately strain the custard into the bowl set in the ice-water bath; cool the custard to room temperature, stirring it occasionally to help it cool.
- While the custard is cooling, set the saucepan containing the berries over medium-high heat and bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring occasionally, until the berries are softened and broken down, about 3 minutes total. Strain the berries, reserving the juices. Transfer the berries to a small bowl; stir in the lemon juice and vodka, then cool to room temperature, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until cold. Stir the vanilla and the reserved juices into the cooled custard, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until an instant-read thermometer registers 40 degrees or lower, at least 3 hours or up to 24 hours.
- Pour the custard into the ice cream machine canister and churn, following the manufacturer’s instructions, until the mixture resembles soft-serve ice cream. Add the strawberries and any accumulated juices; continue to churn the ice cream until the berries are fully incorporated and slightly broken down, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the ice cream to an airtight container, press plastic wrap flush against the surface, cover the container, and freeze the ice cream until firm, at least 2 hours.
Time
55 minutes, plus 40 minutes macerating, 50 minutes cooling, 3½ hours chilling, and 2 hours freezingYield
Serves 8 (Makes 1 quart)Ingredients
16 ounces (454 grams) fresh strawberries (about 3 cups), hulled and sliced
Pinch Salt
1 ¼ cups granulated sugar (8 ¾ ounces 248 grams)
1 ¼ cups whole milk
1 ⅓ cups heavy cream
6 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons vodka
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Ingredients
16 ounces (454 grams) fresh strawberries (about 3 cups), hulled and sliced
Pinch Salt
1 ¼ cups granulated sugar (8 ¾ ounces 248 grams)
1 ¼ cups whole milk
1 ⅓ cups heavy cream
6 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons vodka
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Ingredients
16 ounces (454 grams) fresh strawberries (about 3 cups), hulled and sliced
Pinch Salt
1 ¼ cups granulated sugar (8 ¾ ounces 248 grams)
1 ¼ cups whole milk
1 ⅓ cups heavy cream
6 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons vodka
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Why This Recipe Works
Early in our search for the best ice cream recipe, it became apparent that “French-style” ice cream, made with a custard base relying on egg yolks, far surpasses "Philadelphia-style" ice cream, made without eggs. In texture as well as flavor, the egg yolk version simply had far more of the richness and creaminess that we look for in ice cream. As for cream in our ice cream recipe, we liked an equal amount of heavy cream and whole milk. Besides adding sweetness, we found sugar gives ice cream a smoother, softer, more "scoopable" end product.
Before You Begin
Though the frozen ice cream will keep in the freezer for up to 2 days, its flavor and texture are best when it is eaten the day it is made.
Instructions
- Toss the strawberries and 1/2 cup of the sugar together in a medium nonreactive saucepan. Mash the berries gently with a potato masher until slightly broken down. Let stand, stirring occasionally, until the berries have released their juices and the sugar has dissolved, 40 to 45 minutes.
- Meanwhile, position a strainer over a medium bowl set in a larger bowl containing ice water. Heat the milk, cream, 1/2 cup of the sugar, and the salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until steam appears and the milk is warm (about 175 degrees), about 5 minutes. While the milk is heating, whisk the yolks and remaining 1/4 cup sugar in a medium bowl until combined and pale yellow. Whisk about half the warm milk mixture into the beaten yolks, 1/2 cup at a time, until combined. Whisk the milk-yolk mixture into the warm milk in the saucepan; set the saucepan over medium heat and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until steam appears, foam subsides, and the mixture is slightly thickened or an instant-read thermometer registers 180 to 185 degrees. (Do not boil the mixture, or the eggs will curdle.) Immediately strain the custard into the bowl set in the ice-water bath; cool the custard to room temperature, stirring it occasionally to help it cool.
- While the custard is cooling, set the saucepan containing the berries over medium-high heat and bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring occasionally, until the berries are softened and broken down, about 3 minutes total. Strain the berries, reserving the juices. Transfer the berries to a small bowl; stir in the lemon juice and vodka, then cool to room temperature, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until cold. Stir the vanilla and the reserved juices into the cooled custard, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until an instant-read thermometer registers 40 degrees or lower, at least 3 hours or up to 24 hours.
- Pour the custard into the ice cream machine canister and churn, following the manufacturer’s instructions, until the mixture resembles soft-serve ice cream. Add the strawberries and any accumulated juices; continue to churn the ice cream until the berries are fully incorporated and slightly broken down, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the ice cream to an airtight container, press plastic wrap flush against the surface, cover the container, and freeze the ice cream until firm, at least 2 hours.
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