We all scream for ice cream
Cold scoops of flavor scream summer!
Running our tongue up a scoop of cold ice cream is the image of summer. You’ll be surprised how easy it is to make your own from scratch.
Most of us have a summer memory that includes a cold creamy scoop of summer’s favorite treat. Mine is as clear as if I just yesterday visited my great aunt and uncle for our annual summer family reunion, which always included my uncle standing over the wooden hand-crank ice cream maker full of an aromatic custard with cream and peaches lovingly made my my aunt. I can still taste - taste memory is so powerful.
Ice cream, in a sugar cone, of course, is one of summer’s icons. You may be surprised to know how easy it is to make it yourself. Homemade ice cream is free of chemicals and preservatives and bursting with fresh flavor. All it takes is a good basic custard, your farmer’s market abundance, and some imagination.
The basis, or blank palette, of ice cream is good custard. The creamy base just awaits the addition of your favorite flavors. I love to browse the market and imagine what fruits and herbs could marry in that custard. Blackberries and basil; peaches and sorrel; plums and tarragon. Ice cream is a perfect way to use up fruit before it’s over-ripe. You can store it in the freezer for a month sneaking a bite every now and then; mixing up an adult milk shake; or thrilling the kids with a big bowl of lip-licking goodness made by your hands.
I tested many custards and have settled on this one as a foolproof, super creamy, smooth base. This recipe assumes you have an ice cream machine, which I highly recommend. You can make ice cream without one, but the machine adds air while churning making a lighter, smoother ice cream. I use a Cuisinart that cost about $40. You could also buy an attachment for your stand mixer.
This custard (plus flavor additions) make about 1 quart (or 8-10 scoops) of ice cream
Once you have mastered a basic custard, start playing with your flavor additions. There are two primary ways to flavor ice cream.
Watch the video
Infuse the custard
You can add herbs and powders like cocoa or cinnamon to the custard. Herbs are great for this; add a few bruised basil leaves or fresh lavender. Allow these dry ingredients to remain in the custard from the moment it hits the saucepan until you’ve finished cooling and straining it. Some other tasty infusions include nutmeg; rosemary; allspice; tea leaves; and matcha powder.
Add a fruit puree
This is my favorite. I was at the farmer’s market yesterday and the sugar plums were irresistible. I bought a pint of red and a pint of yellow. I can’t possibly eat those before they go, so I churned up a nice large container of plum and Earl Grey tea ice cream.
A couple of pounds of fruit will work with the custard recipe here. Cut up your fruit (for most stone fruit, you can leave the skin; it adds more flavor). Place in a bowl, add 1/2 cup of sugar, a squeeze of lemon or lime, and a pinch of salt. Allow to macerate overnight or at least 4 hours. This will draw out the sweetness and flavor of your fruit.
Once your fruit is macerated, puree in a food processor. Add fresh herbs here, or your favorite spice (peaches and nutmeg would be good, right?. Or Strawberries and black pepper. Go wild!). Keep tasting until you shout ‘yum!’
Plan this out so that your fruit has finished macerating and is pureed by the time the custard is cooled.
This is the place to really pump of up flavor. When I make peach ice cream, I add 1/4 cup of peach liquor. You could also add an extract. If you prefer a very subtle flavor allowing the cream to have voice, then omit the extract or liquor. This is not an exact science; there is plenty of room to be playful. Taste as you go to see if you want to punch up flavor or add a new element.
Combine the puree and the custard just before churning. Be sure they are the same temperature before combining.
We All Scream for Ice Cream
Ingredients
Instructions
- Fill the large bowl with ice cubes and set aside. This is for cooling your custard, so make sure the bowl can accommodate the saucepan you use for heating the milk cream mixture.
- In the non-reactive saucepan, bring milk, cream, and a pinch of salt to a simmer. Keep stirring to prevent sticking and lumping and watch carefully; do not allow it to boil.
- While the cream mixture is heating, in the medium bowl (one that accommodate the addition of the cream mixture) whisk together eggs and sugar (don’t do this ahead of heating the cream, the sugar will set the protein in the eggs). If you have a partner in the kitchen, they can whisk the eggs and sugar while you mind the cream. But, it is easy enough when cooking solo. Just keep your egg bowl near the stove so you can watch the cream while whisking adding a stir or two.
- Once the cream mixture is hot enough (just below a boil - watch for tiny bubbles around the rim of the custard), settle the bowl with eggs onto a folded towel or silicone trivet to prevent it from sliding around and slowly pour 1/2 cup of the cream mix in a light stream into the egg mix whisking constantly to prevent curdling the eggs. It’s very important to drizzle into the eggs slowly and whisking constantly.
- Add the egg mixture to saucepan with the remaining milk/cream and cook over low heat, stirring constantly until mixture thickens just enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon (about 180º). This should take about 15 minutes. Be sure your heat is not too high, this could cause your custard to get lumpy by cooking too fast. *
- Remove custard from the heat. Add some cold water to your bowl of ice so you can nestle the pan into it. Allow custard to come to room temperature (this takes about 20 minutes). Stir occasionally to prevent a “skin” on the surface and watch that the pan doesn’t tip and take on water as the ice melts.
- Once cooled remove the pan with the custard, strain through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl (preferably glass or ceramic). Cover with plastic and chill in refrigerator overnight or at least 4 hours.
Notes
Here are some ideas to get your culinary imagination sparked using current farmer’s market bounty.
- Peaches and jalapeño (add tequila after the mixture has spend at least 6 hours in the freezer for an adult milk shake)
- Peaches and basil (or tarragon or rosemary)
- Berries and rosemary (or basil or sorrel)
- Blackberries or plums and Earl Grey tea
- Berries and bourbon
- Plums, pistachio and rose water
- Roasted Beets and oranges or clementines (add ginger or basil).
You should not rely on this information as a substitute for, nor does it replace, professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have any concerns or questions about your health, you should always consult with a physician or other health-care professional.