HANDS-ON TIME
30 MIN
TOTAL TIME
6 HR 30 MIN
Makes 1 quart
Ice cream is probably my greatest weakness. When I was growing up, Grandma Barbara would buy giant tubs of it that were so heavy, they came with their own handles. My favorite flavor, then and now, is strawberry. Even when the flavor is artificial, like Strawberry Quik, I devour it.
Since I’ve gotten older and become kind of a good cook (insert dimpled smile), I really like to make ice cream at home. I’ve tried all sorts of ambitious recipes, including salted caramel–rosemary, but I always go back to strawberry. One summer while up at my house in the Catskills (yep, where Dirty Dancing took place) I was craving it real bad but didn’t have an ice cream maker on hand. I didn’t have eggs, either. That’s when I came up with this almost-instant version. The secret is whipping heavy cream with just a tiny bit of unflavored gelatin, which helps stabilize it, and then folding it into sweetened condensed milk laced with strawberry jam. It’s not exactly ice cream, which is why I call it “iced cream.” Whatever—it’s delicious.
Put a 9 by 5-inch metal loaf pan in the freezer to chill.
In a large bowl, whisk together the sweetened condensed milk, strawberry preserves, vanilla seeds, and salt. Refrigerate until chilled, about 15 minutes.
In a small saucepan, sprinkle the gelatin over 3 tablespoons water. Let stand until nearly dissolved, about 3 minutes. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until the gelatin is completely dissolved. Scrape into a large bowl and let cool slightly.
Add the heavy cream to the bowl with the gelatin and, using a handheld mixer, beat on medium-high speed until the cream holds stiff peaks, about 2 minutes. Do not overbeat the cream because the fat will begin to separate and it will look curdled (see Note).
Using a rubber spatula, stir one-third of the whipped cream into the condensed milk mixture to lighten it. Fold in the remaining whipped cream by scooping cream from the bottom of the bowl and folding it over the top with the rubber spatula; rotate the bowl occasionally while folding. Scrape the strawberry cream into the chilled loaf pan. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze until firm, about 6 hours. Serve in bowls or glasses, or on an ice cream cone.
DO IT AHEAD The iced cream can be frozen for up to 2 weeks.