Rich Blackberries n’ Cream Ice Cream

I know it’s still a long ways until blackberry season, but I can’t help but want some.

Trader Joe’s (my favorite place on earth) carries the best frozen blackberries. I mean, just look:


Can you believe these are frozen berries? Once they thaw out all the way, you think you are eating them fresh off the bush. Can I say it again? I love you Trader Joe’s!

My husband and I eat a lot of ice cream. Have I mentioned this before?

Blackberries n’ Cream, he says, is the best one I’ve made yet. (He says that all time.)

Blackberries n’ Cream Ice Creamoriginal recipe

Ingredients:For custard base:
2 cups half-and-half (or whole milk would be just as rich and lower in fat–ha, ha)
2 cups heavy cream
4 egg yolks
2/3-3/4 cup white sugar

For blackberry swirl and sauce:
16 oz. blackberries
1/2 cup sugar

Instructions:

For custard base:
Heat the half-and-half in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Do not boil.

In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks and sugar until light in color. (If your arm gets sore from all that whisking, then of course use an electric mixer!)

Gradually add the hot half-and-half to the eggs while whisking. Return mixture to the pan. Cook over low to medium heat until the custard thickens and comes to 160 degrees on an instant read thermometer.

Pour through a fine mesh strainer into a clean bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and chill until very cold. In the meantime, make the blackberry swirl.

For blackberry swirl:Toss berries with sugar and let sit for about an hour, or until the berries release a bit of juice and the sugar is dissolved.

Divide the berries in half. Refrigerate one half to use as a garnish.

Puree the other half in a blender. Strain through a fine mesh sieve over a clean bowl, pressing down to extract as much puree as possible, only leaving seeds behind. (Sometimes I use a whisk, in addition to a silicone spatula to help me do this.)

Chill the puree until ready to use.
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Freeze the chilled custard in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer directions.

Layer ice cream and blackberry puree in a freezable, airtight container. Use the tip of a knife to swirl the puree through the ice cream. (You may not need all of the puree–you can add the remaining puree to the whole berries.) Place in freezer to harden before serving.

To serve–top scoops of ice cream with the blackberries.

Makes about 1 1/2 quarts. Keeps about a week.

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2 Comments

  1. Another delectable item for you to make when you’re here! I wish we had a Traders here! Can you arrange that?

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