Strawberry Ice Cream
Makes: 1 generous quart/1 generous liter
Strawberry ice cream was my dad’s favorite. My version is dense and creamy, with a slight pleasant crunch of strawberry seeds and a true strawberry flavor. Rather than having large icy pieces of strawberry in the ice cream, I process the berries until only small bits remain and then top the ice cream with fresh strawberries, cut in half or quarters and macerated in sugar.
Plan Ahead The strawberries will take anywhere from several hours to as long as 2 days to thaw.
Sweetened Strawberry Purée
Makes: About 530 grams/about 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons/500 ml (Amount needed to add to the custard base: 341 grams/about 1¼ cups/296 ml)
| frozen strawberries | 567 grams (20 ounces) | about 4 cups |
| lemon juice, freshly squeezed and strained | 10 grams | 2 teaspoons (10 ml) |
| sugar | 50 grams | ¼ cup |
1) In a colander suspended over a deep bowl, thaw the strawberries completely. This will take several hours or as long as 2 days in the refrigerator. Press and stir the berries to force out the juice until you have about 88 grams/7 tablespoons/100 ml of juice.
2) Transfer the juice to a small saucepan and boil until dark, thickened, and reduced to about one-quarter of its original weight or volume (about 4 teaspoons/20 ml). (Alternatively, you can do this in the microwave, in a 4 cup/1 liter glass measure with a spout, lightly coated with nonstick cooking spray, swirling or stirring every 20 to 30 seconds. I prefer this method for purity of flavor.) Allow it to cool until no longer hot.
3) In a food processor, purée the strawberries until only little bits remain. Scrape the purée into the cooled juice. Add the lemon juice and sugar and stir until the sugar has dissolved.
The sweetened strawberry purée keeps in an airtight container for 10 days refrigerated or 6 months frozen.
Ice Cream Base
| Sweetened Strawberry Purée | 341 grams | 1¼ to 1¾ cups (296 to 414 ml) |
| pure vanilla extract | . | ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) |
| cornstarch | 9 grams | 1 tablespoon |
| milk | 106 grams | ¼ cup plus 3 tablespoons (104 ml), divided |
| heavy cream | 290 grams | 1¼ cups (296 ml) |
| sugar | 175 grams | ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons |
| glucose or reduced corn syrup | 42 grams | 2 tablespoons (30 ml) |
| salt | . | a pinch |
| 6 (to 9) large egg yolks | 112 grams | ¼ cup plus 3 tablespoons (104 ml) |
| strawberry essence, preferably Aftelier (optional) | . | about 6 drops, to taste |
* Have ready a fine-mesh strainer suspended over a medium bowl.
* Prepare an ice water bath (see instructions).
1) Into a medium bowl, weigh or measure the strawberry purée. Stir in the vanilla. Cover and refrigerate it.
2) In a custard cup or small bowl, stir together the cornstarch and 30 grams/2 tablespoons/30 ml of the milk until smooth, adding the milk slowly as you mix it in. Cover with plastic wrap.
3) In a medium saucepan, with a silicone spatula, stir together the remaining milk (76 grams/5 tablespoons/74 ml), the cream, sugar, glucose, and salt until well blended.
4) In a small bowl, place the egg yolks and whisk them lightly. Set it near the cooktop.
5) Over medium heat, bring the milk mixture to a slow boil, stirring constantly. Lower the heat and cook at a slow boil, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes to evaporate some of the water in the mixture. Remove the pan from the heat. Allow the mixture to cool for a few minutes, to about 180°F/82°C.
6) Stir the cornstarch mixture to make sure it is smooth and then whisk it into the hot milk mixture. Return the pan to the heat and bring the mixture to a slow boil. Cook for 1 minute, whisking gently. It will thicken slightly.
7) Remove the cornstarch mixture from the heat and gradually whisk about ½ cup/118 ml of the mixture into the egg yolks to temper them. Then use a whisk to stir the egg yolk mixture back into the pot. Check the temperature. If an instant-read thermometer reads 170°F/77°C, there is no need to heat it further. If it is lower, heat the mixture on low, stirring constantly, until thickened a little further. When a finger is run across the back of the spatula, it will leave a well-defined track. An instant-read thermometer should read 170° to 180°F/77° to 82°C.
8) Immediately remove the pan from the heat and pour the mixture into the strainer, scraping up the thickened mixture that has settled on the bottom of the pan. Press it through the strainer into the bowl and scrape any mixture clinging to the underside into the bowl.
9) Set the bowl in the ice water bath and allow it to cool until no longer warm to the touch, stirring occasionally. Stir in the strawberry purée mixture and the strawberry essence, if desired. Cover and refrigerate for a minimum of 8 hours or until no warmer than 43°F/6°C. (Alternatively, continue cooling it in the ice water bath.) Set a covered storage container in the freezer.
10) Churn the strawberry custard in a prechilled ice cream maker. Transfer the ice cream to the chilled container. Press a piece of plastic wrap on the surface of the ice cream, cover the container, and allow the ice cream to firm in the freezer for at least 4 hours before serving.
Store
Covered storage container: frozen, 3 days
Scoops
* When reducing the strawberry juice, it is important to stir it every 20 to 30 seconds to prevent spattering.