Lots of sunshine, days at the lake, and local berries are the best parts of summer around Seattle. We’ve visited farms and picked our own strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries this season. And we can find blackberries growing wild just about anywhere we walk this month. (Including blackberry vines creeping under/over/through our fence!) When we pick berries I always freeze a few so we can enjoy them year round. This ice cream uses fresh or frozen berries to make a berry sauce that gets swirled in a vanilla custard base for a creamy decadent treat!

Homemade ice cream is not hard. It just takes some time and preparation. First, make sure the bowl of your ice cream maker is frozen. That step is essential. Then you’ll need to prepare the custard base and berry sauce the day, or at least morning ahead so it has time to chill. And after the ice cream is churned it needs another 4 or so hours in the freezer to set. You can eat it straight out of the ice cream machine but it’ll be very soft and melt almost instantly. By all means sneak a taste (or lick the bowl clean like my kids always request to) but I recommend letting it firm up in the freezer before serving so it’s scoop-able.

NOTE: The addition of vanilla or almond extract here is optional. I went with vanilla but almond and berries are a heavenly combination. If you leave the extract out even more of that berry flavor will shine through!

Berries and Cream Ice Cream

INGREDIENTS

2 cups heavy cream
1 cup whole milk (2% also works)
1 1/4 cups sugar
6 egg yolks
1 tsp. vanilla extra OR 1/4 tsp. almond extract (optional)
16 oz. fresh or frozen berries (I used approx. equal parts strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries)
1 Tbsp. cornstarch + 1 Tbsp. water
1/2 cup brown sugar
squeeze lemon juice

DIRECTIONS

1. In a saucepan over medium low heat, combine the heavy cream, milk, and sugar. Stir occasionally, heating the mixture until bubbles form around the edges. Remove from heat.
2. Meanwhile, whisk 6 egg yolks together in a bowl vigorously until pale yellow. After you have removed the cream mixture from heat, remove a few tablespoons of the hot cream mixture from the pan, and slowly, whisking constantly, pour the hot cream mixture into the eggs. Do not add the eggs straight or they will scramble at the bottom. Once you have added about 3 tablespoons of the hot mixture return the pan with the cream mixture to medium-low heat and slowly whisk in the entire egg mixture. Heat, stirring constantly, until thickened. (You should be able to dip the back of a spoon into the mixture and the cream should coat the back of the spoon. You can test this by dragging your finger through the cream on the back of the spoon and if it leaves a trail you’re done.) Don’t cook hotter than 160 degrees.
3. Remove from heat and chill in the refrigerator (for several hours or overnight).
   Once the mixture is chilled, freeze according to your ice cream maker’s instructions (a 4-5 quart machine).
4. To make the berry mixture, add the berries, brown sugar, and a squeeze of lemon juice to a sauce pan and cook on medium low heat until the berries break down slightly. Combine the cornstarch and water in a small bowl and add to the berry mixture. Continue to simmer until the berries thicken to a sauce. Remove from a saucepan to a bowl and refrigerate until completely cool (for several hours or overnight). 
5. When the ice cream is almost done churning, take a spoonful of berry mixture and drizzle it into the ice cream machine. Repeat with about half of the mixture (you can add as much or as little berry mixture as you want, the remainder can be served alongside or saved for pancakes/waffles/etc!).
6. Transfer to a freezer-safe container a few scoops at a time, and freeze for at least four hours before serving. 

Adapted from Oh Sweet Basil

It’s strawberry season here now! The first thing we made with our piles of fresh berries was this strawberry gelato, which has become a summer tradition. I’m not sure what makes this recipe gelato (vs regular ice cream), but I know it’s absolutely delicious. It’s also one of the easier ice cream recipes I’ve made.

Don’t skip the step of straining the strawberries to get all the seeds out, it makes it much creamier/smoother. I’ve used both fresh picked strawberries and ones that we’ve frozen first. Just make sure whatever you use is really ripe for the best flavor.

Fresh Strawberry Gelato

INGREDIENTS

3/4 cup sugar
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 cup whole milk
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups sliced very ripe, fresh strawberries

DIRECTIONS

1. In a medium saucepan, whisk together the sugar and cornstarch. Gradually whisk in the milk and whipping cream.
2. Place the pan over medium heat and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture begins to bubble and thickens, 5-10 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.
3. Pour the mixture into a bowl and cool completely (either by pressing plastic wrap directly on the surface and refrigerating or nesting the bowl in a larger bowl filled with ice and stirring until it is cool to the touch).
4. Puree the strawberries in a blender until the mixture is very smooth.
5. Once the gelato base has cooled completely, strain the strawberry mixture through a fine mesh strainer into the creamy mixture. Use a rubber spatula or the back of a large spoon to press the strawberry puree through the strainer so all the pretty strawberry liquid gets strained into the gelato but the seeds are left behind. Stir well.
6. Cover the gelato by pressing plastic wrap directly on the surface. Refrigerate 3 hours or up 24 hours.
7. Process the gelato in your ice cream maker following the manufacturer’s instructions. Scrape the ice cream into a container, cover and freeze for at least two hours or longer before serving.

Adapted from Epicurious via Mel’s Kitchen Cafe