360 minutes
A delicious and creamy homemade strawberry ice cream made with fresh strawberries, half and half, and a hint of Cointreau.
Fresh Strawberries, divided
0 oz
Sugar, divided
cups
Cointreau
tablespoons
cups
Corn Syrup
cups
Kosher Salt, to taste
teaspoons
Lemon Juice, if needed
0 drops
1. Macerate Strawberries
Start by quartering 170 grams (6 ounces) of strawberries and then slicing those quarters crosswise into very thin pieces. Place these sliced strawberries in a mixing bowl, and combine them with 100 grams (0.5 cup) of sugar and 4 tablespoons of Cointreau. Cover the bowl and let it stand in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, or up to 2 days.
2. Prepare Strawberry Purée
Next, take the remaining 680 grams (24 ounces) of strawberries and process them in a countertop blender until they become very smooth, which should take about 30 seconds. To ensure a silky texture in your ice cream, strain this strawberry purée through a fine-mesh strainer. Measure out 355 milliliters (1.5 cups) of the purée and set it aside.
3. Mix Base Ingredients
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the 355 milliliters (1.5 cups) of strawberry purée with 473 milliliters (2 cups) of half-and-half, 118 milliliters (0.5 cup) of corn syrup, and the remaining 180 grams (0.75 cup) of sugar. Taste the mixture and add 0.5 teaspoons of kosher salt to enhance the flavors, and a few scant drops of lemon juice if you find it needs a bit more brightness.
4. Chill Mixture
Chill the strawberry mixture until it is very cold, at least down to 7°C (45°F). You can do this by placing it in the refrigerator or an ice bath.
5. Churn Ice Cream
Once the mixture is thoroughly chilled, pour it into your ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer's instructions. In the last minute of churning, add the strawberry mix-ins from the refrigerator.
6. Freeze and Serve
Finally, transfer the churned ice cream into an airtight container and place it in the freezer for at least 4 hours before serving.
Omit the strawberries. . Increase
Roast the strawberries before incorporating them into the mix. . Process
Infuse the cream base with fresh basil leaves. . Process
Fold in finely chopped dark chocolate or mini chocolate chips just before freezing. . Proportion
Omit the strawberries. . Add
The quality of your strawberries is paramount. Look for ripe, sweet, and fragrant berries. They should be bright red, without any white shoulders, which indicate under-ripeness. Local farmers' markets are ideal for finding the freshest picks.
Before you blend the strawberries into your base, macerate them in sugar. This process not only sweetens the berries but also draws out their natural juices, intensifying the flavor. Allow at least 30 minutes for maceration, but a couple of hours is even better if you have the time.
Since strawberries vary in sweetness, adjust the sugar to taste. Remember that cold dulls sweetness, so the base should be slightly sweeter than you’d like the finished product to be.
A custard base (with egg yolks) will give you a creamier, richer texture. For the smoothest texture, strain the custard through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any bits of egg that may have scrambled.
Over-churning can lead to buttery textures. Churn your ice cream until it’s about the consistency of soft serve, then transfer it to a freezer-safe container to firm up.
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