Strawberry Vanilla Bean Ice Cream Recipe

Strawberry Vanilla Bean Ice Cream Recipe

Yield: About 1 quart (4 cups)

Prep Time: 30 minutes (plus chilling & churning time)

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Chill Time: 6+ hours (ideally overnight)

Churn Time: 20–30 minutes

Ingredients

For the custard base:

• 2 cups (480 ml) heavy cream

• 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk

• 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar

• 1 vanilla bean (or 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste)

• 5 large egg yolks

• Pinch of salt

For the strawberry swirl:

• 1 ½ cups (225 g) fresh strawberries, hulled and chopped

• 2 tablespoons sugar (adjust to taste)

• 1 teaspoon lemon juice

• Optional: 1 teaspoon cornstarch (for thickening)

Instructions

1. Prepare the Strawberry Swirl:

1. In a small saucepan, combine strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice.

2. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 8–10 minutes until berries break down and mixture thickens slightly.

3. Optional: Stir in 1 tsp cornstarch dissolved in 1 tbsp water and cook for another 2 minutes to thicken.

4. Remove from heat. Let it cool completely, then refrigerate.

2. Make the Vanilla Custard Base:

1. In a medium saucepan, combine the heavy cream, milk, and scraped vanilla bean seeds (split the bean and scrape out the seeds; add both seeds and pod to the mix).

2. Heat over medium heat until hot but not boiling (steaming and tiny bubbles around the edges), about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let steep for 10–15 minutes.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the sugar and salt until pale and slightly thickened.

4. Temper the eggs: Slowly pour about 1/2 cup of the hot cream mixture into the egg yolks while whisking constantly. Then pour the tempered yolks back into the saucepan with the remaining cream.

5. Cook the custard over low-medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula, until it thickens enough to coat the back of the spoon (170–175°F / 77–80°C). Do not let it boil.

6. Strain the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl. Discard vanilla bean pod.

7. Let it cool at room temperature for 15–20 minutes, then cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.

3. Churn the Ice Cream:

1. Once the custard is thoroughly chilled, pour it into your ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions (usually 20–30 minutes).

2. When the ice cream is almost done, gently fold in the chilled strawberry swirl or layer it in as you transfer the ice cream to a storage container.

4. Freeze:

1. Transfer the churned ice cream to a freezer-safe container. If layering the strawberry swirl, alternate spoonfuls of ice cream and strawberry sauce, and swirl gently with a knife.

2. Cover with plastic wrap or an airtight lid and freeze for at least 4–6 hours, until firm.

Serving Tips

• Let the ice cream sit at room temperature for 5–10 minutes before scooping for easier serving.

• Serve with fresh strawberries, waffle cones, or shortbread cookies.

Variations

• Add crushed graham crackers for a strawberry cheesecake vibe.

• Blend strawberries into the base before churning for pink strawberry-vanilla ice cream.

• Use frozen strawberries (thawed and drained) if fresh are out of season.