Making homemade strawberry ice cream is a delightful and refreshing treat. Here’s a simple recipe to guide you through the process:
### Ingredients:
– 2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
– 1 cup granulated sugar, divided
– 2 cups heavy cream
– 1 cup whole milk
– 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
– Pinch of salt
– Optional: 1 tablespoon lemon juice (to enhance the strawberry flavor)
### Instructions:
1. **Prepare the Strawberries:**
– In a medium bowl, combine the sliced strawberries with 1/2 cup of sugar. Let the mixture sit for about 30 minutes to macerate, allowing the strawberries to release their juices.
– After 30 minutes, use a blender or food processor to puree the strawberries until smooth. If you prefer chunks of strawberries in your ice cream, pulse the mixture until it reaches your desired consistency.
2. **Make the Ice Cream Base:**
– In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the heavy cream, whole milk, the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt until the sugar is fully dissolved.
3. **Combine the Mixtures:**
– Stir the strawberry puree (and lemon juice if using) into the ice cream base until well combined.
4. **Chill the Mixture:**
– Cover the mixture and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight. Chilling the mixture ensures that it will freeze properly in the ice cream maker.
5. **Churn the Ice Cream:**
– Pour the chilled mixture into your ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions. This usually takes about 20-25 minutes, depending on your machine.
6. **Freeze the Ice Cream:**
– Once the ice cream has reached a soft-serve consistency, transfer it to an airtight container. Press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the ice cream to prevent ice crystals from forming, then cover with the container’s lid.
– Freeze the ice cream for at least 2 hours, or until it’s firm enough to scoop.
7. **Serve:**
– Scoop the homemade strawberry ice cream into bowls or cones and enjoy!
### Tips:
– For a richer flavor, you can use half-and-half instead of whole milk.
– If you like your ice cream extra smooth, strain the strawberry puree to remove the seeds before adding it to the ice cream base.
– Experiment with add-ins like chocolate chips, crushed cookies, or swirls of strawberry jam.
Enjoy your delicious homemade strawberry ice cream!
