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Strawberry Ice Cream

by . Featured in NIGELLA SUMMER
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Introduction

There is just something about home-made strawberry ice cream: it's the taste of blue skies, of sun on your shoulders; an idealised memory of summer in perfect culinary form.

And please read the Additional Information section at the end of the recipe before proceeding.

For US cup measures, use the toggle at the top of the ingredients list.

There is just something about home-made strawberry ice cream: it's the taste of blue skies, of sun on your shoulders; an idealised memory of summer in perfect culinary form.

And please read the Additional Information section at the end of the recipe before proceeding.

For US cup measures, use the toggle at the top of the ingredients list.

Strawberry Ice Cream
Photo by Petrina Tinslay

Ingredients

Serves: 10-12

Metric Cups
  • 500 grams strawberries
  • 175 grams caster sugar (plus 2 tablespoons)
  • 500 millilitres full fat milk
  • 500 millilitres double cream
  • 1 vanilla pod
  • 10 large egg yolks
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1¼ pounds strawberries
  • ¾ cup superfine sugar (plus 2 tablespoons)
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 1 vanilla bean
  • 10 large egg yolks
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Method

  1. Hull and roughly chop the strawberries, put them into a bowl and sprinkle over the 2 tablespoons of caster sugar and leave them to steep and infuse with flavour.
  2. Pour the milk and cream into a heavy-based saucepan, and add the vanilla pod, split down the middle lengthways. Bring the pan nearly to the boil and then take it off the heat and leave to infuse for 20 minutes.
  3. In a large bowl whisk the egg yolks and the 175g / ¾ cup sugar until thick and pale yellow. Take the vanilla pod out of the milk and cream and pour, whisking the while, the warm liquid over the yolks. Put the cleaned-out pan back on the heat with the cream, milk, egg and sugar mixture and stir the custard until it thickens, then take it off the heat and pour it into a bowl to cool.
  4. Puree the strawberries in a processor, and when the custard is cool fold in the lemon juice and strawberry puree.
  5. At this point you can either freeze the ice cream in an ice-cream maker, or in a plastic tub in the freezer. If you do the latter you should whip it out every hour for 3 hours as it freezes and give it a good beating, either with an electric whisk, by hand or in the processer. That gets rid of any ice crystals that form and that make the ice cream crunchy rather than smooth.
  1. Hull and roughly chop the strawberries, put them into a bowl and sprinkle over the 2 tablespoons of superfine sugar and leave them to steep and infuse with flavour.
  2. Pour the milk and cream into a heavy-based saucepan, and add the vanilla bean, split down the middle lengthways. Bring the pan nearly to the boil and then take it off the heat and leave to infuse for 20 minutes.
  3. In a large bowl whisk the egg yolks and the 175g / ¾ cup sugar until thick and pale yellow. Take the vanilla bean out of the milk and cream and pour, whisking the while, the warm liquid over the yolks. Put the cleaned-out pan back on the heat with the cream, milk, egg and sugar mixture and stir the custard until it thickens, then take it off the heat and pour it into a bowl to cool.
  4. Puree the strawberries in a processor, and when the custard is cool fold in the lemon juice and strawberry puree.
  5. At this point you can either freeze the ice cream in an ice-cream maker, or in a plastic tub in the freezer. If you do the latter you should whip it out every hour for 3 hours as it freezes and give it a good beating, either with an electric whisk, by hand or in the processer. That gets rid of any ice crystals that form and that make the ice cream crunchy rather than smooth.

Additional Information

Before you begin making the custard fill the sink half full with cold water. If you think the custard looks like splitting at any stage, plunge the pan into the cold water and whisk like mad.

MAKE AHEAD / STORE:
Best eaten within 1 week but will keep for up to 1 month in the freezer.

Before you begin making the custard fill the sink half full with cold water. If you think the custard looks like splitting at any stage, plunge the pan into the cold water and whisk like mad.

MAKE AHEAD / STORE:
Best eaten within 1 week but will keep for up to 1 month in the freezer.

Tell us what you think

What 9 Others have said

  • I recently tried this recipe after much deliberation and I was so please and impressed with the results. I love strawberry ice cream and this really does remind me of the true dairy ice creams you tend to get at village shops in the countryside during summertime and not the commercial sugary slop we are all used too. I actually halved this recipe as I was making just for myself but after the fabulous results I’d wished that I had made a full batch. I made another half batch the following week however and as I recently purchased a copy of Nigella Summer I cannot wait to try white chocolate ice cream with hot blackberry sauce! Nigella you have taught me to love being in the kitchen and the rewards it brings! You really are a national treasure.

    Posted by LS1991 on 29th June 2022
  • Tinned strawberries work really well if you can’t get fresh. If using tinned don’t cover with sugar, the juice is really sweet and full of flavour. Don’t use all the juice from tin just a few spoonfuls is enough. I like to purée half and keep some big chunks. Left over strawberry juice can be kept and added to pink gin, topped up with tonic and garnished with fruit . Excellent with ice cream!

    Posted by Lofal on 10th May 2020
  • Thank you! I made this April 28, 2020 and it was delicious! I did not puree the strawberries (didn't want to mess with getting the food processor out). Thank you for sharing your recipe!

    Posted by Feline5 on 30th April 2020
  • We have made this ice cream twice since we’ve been confined to our homes. Absolutely yummy. The only thing I had to do was strain the strawberries to remove pips owing to an awkward eater in the house, but this is the most yummy and moreish strawberry ice cream - make it! You know you want to. Really simple to follow recipe too.

    Posted by McCollantics on 29th April 2020
  • Fantastic! It's my new go-to Strawberry Ice Cream Recipe.

    Posted by Liebelle on 22nd October 2017
  • Brilliant recipe. Makes delicious ice-cream. Love this website!!!

    Posted by alexlovesbaking on 23rd December 2015
  • This recipe is perfecto! I would not change a thing.

    Posted by Dymo on 3rd September 2015
  • I would suggest that you cover the custard with cling film when you're letting it cool. It prevents a skin forming on the top.

    Posted by ElizaSherr on 30th August 2015
  • I only gently mashed the strawberries. Then added some more just before freezing. Yummy yummy. Best strawberry recipe so far.

    Posted by Juneann on 10th July 2013
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