A delightful vanilla ice cream recipe swirled with homemade strawberry sauce. Silky Strawberry-Vanilla Swirled Ice Cream positively transforms any warm summer day.
I think it’s safe to say that most of us seek congruity in our lives- harmony and peace–whether it’s through watching re-runs of our favorite television shows, by standing shoulder-to-shoulder in a small kitchen sharing laughs with our loved ones, by writing in complete and utter silence, or by opening the curtains on a summer morning, only to discover a picturesque day waiting outside the window. I found it in this strawberry-vanilla swirled ice cream.
For me, peace is the feeling that you get when you wake up early on a Saturday morning, ready to take on the day. It’s the sound of people snoring, and the hubbub of the over-sized air conditioner in the living room struggling to cool the entire house. It is the feeling of standing barefoot in a small kitchen–covered in grey and blue Jackson Pollocke-d linoleum tiles–wearing basketball shorts that barely fit and an azzurro blue pinstriped dress shirt that could easily accommodate two.
When I awoke early Saturday morning, I felt in peace for the first time in a long time. I haven’t been home much, which explains a lot (even my lack of posting). The night before, I planned to push all of my work aside, I turned off my cell phone, and shut down my laptop. I was relieving myself of anything that didn’t involve creating in the kitchen.
I had several punnets of strawberries from the farmers’ market waiting to be used up. I grabbed a legal pad from my backpack, my favorite pen, and began jotting down what I’d make with the berries. First on the menu– Strawberry-Vanilla Swirled Ice Cream. Three words: To. Die. For.
Strawberries are the taste of a rhapsodic wide-skied summer–this ice cream is the essence of that.
It all starts off with a classic vanilla ice cream base- the seeds from a plump vanilla bean are scraped into a pan of simmering cream, milk, and sugar. Half a dozen bright orange egg yolks are then whipped with a spoonful of sugar and a pinch of salt, until they turn a beautiful, pale primrose.
A mugful of the simmered cream is gradually ladled and continuously whisked into the bowl of yolks, until frothy, pale, and light. The warm yolk mixture is then combined into the remaining vanilla-freckled cream, and is set to cook on a gentle flame until it is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon.
While the dulcet elixir is set to cook, a punnet of strawberries is hulled and quartered into a waiting bowl. A lazy snowfall of cane sugar and lemon zest, along with a light squeeze of lemon juice are added, springing the flavors into action. The berries are then squidged with a fork until the entire mixture is nubby and sweet; it is then set to a boil until slightly thickened.
Once both mixtures have been tucked away in the fridge–and the base has settled in the refrigerator– for a few hours, the frosty ice cream bowl is put on its respective base, and the machine is set to churn the vanilla custard into the consistency of soft-serve.
The vanilla ice cream is slid into a container and dollops of the venetian-red berry sauce are swirled into the freckled base. The container is then put in the freezer for a few hours, until it’s just firm enough.
After a few hours of “endless” waiting, you shout “It’s time for ice cream!” You hear footsteps racing to the kitchen. Suddenly, bowls, mugs, and spoons bombard the kitchen table, surrounding the homemade ice cream and you- the scooper. Scoops are quickly doled out, and the remaining ice cream is secretly tucked away in the freezer, behind the gallon bag of frozen blueberries for days that long for picturesque skies and a sense of peace.
Yield: Makes a little over 1 Quart
Adapted from: Canal House Cooking: Vol. 1
Making ice cream at home is no big deal. It’s both therapeutic and satisfying, plus- nothing compares to homemade ice cream.
You could stop after you’ve made the vanilla base, but you’d be missing out on summer in a bowl.
Let’s face it, vanilla beans can be pricey, a good substitute would be 2-3 teaspoons of vanilla bean paste (which is affordable and is just as good) or 2 teaspoons of good-quality vanilla extract. Try not to put more than a scant tablespoon of the vanilla bean paste or the extract because you don’t want the vanilla over-powering the strawberries.
I suspect that other types of berries will work well, if prepared in a similar manner.
You will need an ice cream maker to make this recipe, but if an ice cream maker is something you don’t have, worry not: Make the vanilla ice cream first. Every hour for 3 hours into freezing the vanilla ice cream, blitz it in a food processor or blender (if you have neither, whisk it). Then, put it back in the container. Do so until it is the consistency of soft-serve; swirl in the strawberry sauce, and let it solidify a bit. Then, you’ve yourself some kick-butt strawberry-vanilla swirled ice cream.
Ingredients
Heat the cream:
- 1 ½ cups / 355ml / 12 oz heavy cream
- 1 ½ cups / 355ml / 12 oz whole milk
- ½ cup / 100g / 3.55oz natural cane sugar (can use granulated)
- 1 vanilla bean split lengthwise (alternatives in the headnotes)
Whisk the Egg Yolks:
- 6 Egg Yolks
- ¼ cup / 50g / 1.75 oz natural cane sugar (can use granulated)
- Pinch Salt
Make the Strawberry Sauce:
- 1 lb / 454g / 16 oz strawberries, hulled and halved
- ½ cup / 100g / 3.55oz natural cane sugar (can use granulated)
- Zest of ½ a lemon
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Instructions
Make the Custard: Put the cream, milk, and ½ cup (100g / 3.55oz) sugar into a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Scrape the seeds from the plump vanilla bean into the pan, add in the whole bean, as well. Simmer the cream over medium-heat, gently stirring until the sugar dissolves.
Meanwhile, whisk together the bright orange egg yolks, salt, and ¼ cup (50g / 1.75oz) sugar in a large mixing bowl until the yolks are thick and are a a beautiful, pale primrose.
Gradually ladle about 1 cup of the simmered cream into the yolks, whisking constantly. Stir the warm yolk mixture into the vanilla-freckled hot cream in the saucepan. Reduce the heat to low (kamran note: if you’re cursed with an electric stove, as I am, up the heat to around medium-low) and cook, stirring constantly, until the custard is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon, registering between 175ºF and 180ºF on an instant-read thermometer, about 10-15 minutes. Constantly stirring the custard as it cooks prevents it from coming to a boil and curdling (something you don’t want!)
Strain the custard into a bowl, and add the vanilla bean. Set the bowl in a ice bath, and whisk the custard frequently until it has cooled off. Cover the custard with cling film (have the cling film touch the custard, so it doesn’t form a skin after it’s chilled) and refrigerate until completely chilled, about 4 hours (the custard base can be refrigerated for up to 2 days).
Make the Strawberry Sauce: In a large skillet or saucepan, mash together the strawberries, sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally until slightly thickened, about 10-12 minutes. Transfer to a heat-safe bowl and refrigerate, covered.
Make the Ice Cream: Discard the vanilla bean, and churn the custard in an ice cream maker (I’ve included instructions in the headnotes if you don’t have an ice cream maker), following the manufacturer’s instructions.
Scoop the ice cream, which will have the consistency of soft-serve, into a large container with a lid. Dollop spoonfuls of strawberry sauce all over the ice cream. Gently swirl the venetian-red sauce into the vanilla ice cream with a butter knife or a spoon.
Cover, and freeze for a couple hours until it is just firm. If you’re serving the ice cream after it’s completely frozen, let it soften a bit before serving.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12Serving Size:
1/3 cup scoop
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 242Total Fat: 14gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 129mgSodium: 37mgCarbohydrates: 27gFiber: 1gSugar: 25gProtein: 3g
