Homemade Fresh Strawberry Ice Cream: The Ultimate Creamy Summer Treat Recipe
Velvety smooth, incredibly creamy, and bursting with the fresh, sweet flavor of ripe strawberries – this homemade strawberry ice cream is the quintessential summer delight! Crafted with nothing but wholesome, real ingredients, this luxurious dessert offers a texture that’s simply irresistible. Forget store-bought; our scratch-made recipe promises a crowd-pleaser that will have everyone clamoring for more. Serve it tall in a sundae glass or piled high on a crispy cone – every spoonful is a taste of pure bliss!
Before I could even finish composing the introduction for this recipe, the mere thought of this luscious dessert had me craving it instantly. The anticipation alone was enough to make me exclaim, “GIVE. ME. NOW.” This isn’t just any ice cream; it’s a dream concoction of smooth, luxuriously creamy goodness, generously laced with the authentic taste of real strawberries throughout. It strikes that perfect balance – sweet and indulgent, yet never cloyingly so.
For me, summer officially kicks off the moment I’m enjoying an ice cream cone on a warm day, with the inevitable drips running down my arm. It’s an iconic part of the season, much like picnics, barbecues, and quality time with family. The long, lazy dog days of summer often call for a little pick-me-up around 3 PM, and I can confidently promise that this creamy strawberry ice cream will hit the spot every single time. Its refreshing coolness and vibrant flavor are the perfect antidote to the heat, offering a moment of pure, unadulterated joy.
The Anticipation: A Week of Planning for This Sweet Treat
Did you happen to notice the series of healthy salad recipes I shared all week long, leading up to Friday? Yes, that was entirely intentional! It was all part of a grand plan to build up to this very moment – the unveiling of this incredible fresh strawberry ice cream recipe. Can you believe I managed to keep this delicious secret for an entire week, resisting the urge to spill the beans about the creamy, fruity reward awaiting you after a long week? It sounds almost cruel, doesn’t it? But honestly, I’m not sure how I pulled it off. The truth is, I deliberately held back from even photographing this strawberry ice cream until I was ready to publish the post. I knew the instant these beautiful scoops had their glamour shots, my husband and I would dive in with spoons ready. So, in my defense, I wanted to ensure we all had our fill of salads to balance out the generous amounts of ice cream we fully intended to enjoy!
A Trip Down Memory Lane: Summers and Ice Cream
Growing up, summer was synonymous with endless scoops of ice cream, the magical glow of fireflies, the freedom of no school, and – for me, at least – a stack of captivating library books ♥. Was it a similar experience for you? Oh, you mean the library books weren’t a universal summer staple? Was that just my peculiar charm? Oops, moving along!
I fondly recall how those warm, sticky Chicago summer days would gently transition into cool, crisp summer nights. My quiet suburban neighborhood had a special visitor every summer evening: the ice cream man. His jingling tunes were the soundtrack to our childhood summers, and deciding what flavor to choose from his truck was often the toughest decision of my young life. Oh, to go back to those simpler days! I especially adored those Flintstones ice cream push-ups, particularly the vibrant orange ones. I swear, I could have eaten those for breakfast every day, and on countless occasions, I pleaded, or rather, *begged* my mom to let me.
The Unbeatable Taste of Homemade: Why This Recipe Shines
But is there anything in the world that truly rivals the pure delight of homemade fresh strawberry ice cream? This recipe is a testament to that. Each glorious batch contains an entire pound of fresh, ripe strawberries, ensuring that authentic berry flavor permeates every single bite. We take a dual approach with the strawberries: some are pulsed into a vibrant purée, intensifying the fruit essence, while others are finely chopped into small pieces. This thoughtful preparation means you get delightful bursts of real strawberry fruit throughout the creamy ice cream, adding both texture and an explosion of flavor.
On a side note, have you ever noticed how strikingly pink some commercial strawberry ice creams, like Blue Bell’s, appear? The intensity of that color always makes me wonder about the naturalness of it. With our homemade version, you get a beautiful, natural pink hue from the sheer abundance of real strawberries, a genuine reflection of its wholesome ingredients.
Embrace Summer with Your Own Fresh Batch
Summer is just around the corner, and it’s time to let the good times roll! What better way to celebrate than by making a batch of this incredible fresh strawberry ice cream? Imagine filling a crispy cone to the brim, letting it soften just slightly until it’s even creamier, and then savoring every single lick. This isn’t just a dessert; it’s an experience, a memory in the making.
May your weekend never truly end, may your summers be wonderfully warm, and may your ice cream always be perfectly smooth and incredibly creamy!
The joy of homemade ice cream often starts with the right tools. Here is the ice cream maker I personally used to achieve this velvety texture.
Fresh Strawberry Ice Cream
Indulge in the ultimate summer dessert with this recipe for velvety smooth fresh strawberry ice cream! Crafted from scratch using an entire pound of ripe, juicy strawberries and simple, whole ingredients, this ice cream boasts a luxurious creamy texture and an authentic fruit flavor that’s unparalleled. It’s the perfect sweet remedy for hot days and a guaranteed crowd-pleaser for any occasion. Prepare to be amazed by the rich taste and delightful bits of real strawberry in every spoonful!
Ingredients
- 1 lb. fresh strawberries, hulled
- 1 cup + 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 8 egg yolks
- 2 1/2 cups whole milk
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prepare your strawberries: Take all but 5 of the hulled strawberries and place them into a food processor. Pulse until you achieve an almost ‘slushy’ or chunky purée-like consistency. Set this purée aside. Finely chop the remaining 5 strawberries into tiny pieces, and set these aside as well. Place a fine mesh strainer over a large, clean bowl; this will be used later and should also be set aside.
- Prepare the egg yolk mixture: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the 8 egg yolks and the remaining 1 cup of granulated sugar. Beat them together on medium-high speed for approximately 2 minutes, until the mixture becomes pale yellow and slightly thickened. Set this aside.
- Heat the dairy: In a medium-sized saucepan, combine the whole milk and heavy cream. Heat this mixture over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it just barely reaches a simmer. You’ll notice small bubbles forming around the edges of the pot on the surface of the milk, indicating it’s just below boiling point. It’s crucial not to let the milk boil completely, as this can scorch it.
- Temper the egg yolks: With your electric mixer running on a low setting (just above stir), slowly and gradually pour 1/4 cup of the hot milk mixture into the beaten egg yolks. This step is called tempering and prevents the eggs from scrambling. Once incorporated, slowly add another 1/4 cup of the hot milk mixture while the mixer is still running. Turn the mixer off. Carefully pour the tempered egg yolk mixture from the mixer bowl into the saucepan containing the remaining warm milk and cream.
- Cook the custard and combine: Continue to cook the mixture over medium-low heat, stirring continuously with a spatula or wooden spoon, for about 7-9 minutes. The custard will gradually thicken to a consistency that coats the back of your spoon (it won’t be as thick as pudding). Immediately strain the cooked ice cream mixture through the fine mesh strainer you prepared earlier into the large bowl. This step ensures a silky-smooth base by catching any small bits of cooked egg. At this point, if you prefer a smoother ice cream without seeds, you can strain the strawberry purée as well before adding it. Otherwise, remove the mesh strainer and add the prepared strawberry purée, the chopped strawberries, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt into the strained custard mixture. Stir everything together until well combined. Cover the surface of the ice cream custard directly with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming, and allow it to cool completely in the refrigerator for at least 5-6 hours, or preferably overnight, for best results.
- Churn and serve: Once thoroughly chilled, churn the ice cream mixture in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s directions. Keep in mind that if you have a smaller ice cream maker, you may need to freeze the mixture in two separate batches. You can serve this delightful ice cream as soft serve directly from the ice cream maker, or transfer it to an airtight container and let it firm up further in the freezer for a few hours. The ice cream can be kept frozen for up to 1 month (if it manages to last that long!). For easier scooping, remove the ice cream from the freezer about 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy your homemade masterpiece!
Notes
- I have not tested this fresh strawberry ice cream recipe with any milk alternatives; only cow’s milk has been used for optimal results.
- The foundational ice cream base for this recipe is slightly adapted from a classic vanilla gelato recipe by Laura Vitale.
Have you made this recipe?
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