Lemon Blueberry Swirl Ice Cream

Recipe by Sarah Phillips; Food styling and photos by Kelly Hong © 8-22-2013 Sarah Phillips CraftyBaking.com

Sarah's
Secrets

When swirling ice cream and fresh berry puree together, it's easy to end up with one solid color because the puree mixes into the ice cream easily. To avoid that, we layer the ice cream and puree in a baking pan. First, we spread half of the ice cream into the first layer, then swirl half the blueberry puree into the ice cream. We then add a layer of the remaining ice cream on top and swirl in the remaining blueberry puree. By doing this you will get a distinctive delineation between the two instead of grey-colored ice cream.

To be ready to make frozen desserts and drinks anytime, leave your ice cream maker freezer bowl in the freezer at all times (especially in the summer, when those ice-cold treats are most welcome). Then you can take it out anytime and use it immediately (especially since it takes between 6 and 22 hours to freeze a freezer bowl). To determine whether the bowl is completely frozen, shake it. If you do not hear liquid moving, the cooling liquid is frozen. Before freezing, wash and dry the bowl. Wrap it in a plastic bag to prevent freezer burn. We recommend that you place the freezer bowl in the back of your freezer where it is the coldest. Your freezer should be set to 0 degrees F to ensure proper freezing of all foods.

INGREDIENTS
Lemon Ice Cream Custard Base:
6 large egg yolks
1 cup sugar

2 cups heavy cream
1 cup whole or 2% milk
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
 
Fresh Blueberry Puree Swirl:
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries, fresh or frozen
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice

NOTE: Prepare the ice cream maker freezer bowl:
The same day or preferably 24 hours in advance, freeze the ice cream maker freezer bowl / canister or prepare according to the manufacturer's instructions.
The freezer bowl must be completely frozen before you begin your recipe. The length of time needed to reach the frozen state depends on how cold your freezer is.  

INSTRUCTIONS
STEP I: MAKE THE LEMON ICE CREAM CUSTARD BASE AND THE BLUEBERRY PUREE SWIRL
Make the Lemon Ice Cream Custard Base:
1. Whisk together the egg yolks and sugar, in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, until combined and smooth.
 

2. Gradually whisk in the cream and the milk. Cook the mixture on medium heat, whisking constantly, until slightly thickened. The custard is done when a finger swiped across a spoon leaves a clean line. This should take 6-8 minutes.






3. Remove custard from the heat and add the lemon juice and zest, the salt and the vanilla. Stir to combine.








4. Pour the custard into a large bowl and cover with plastic wrap, pressing it to the surface, so the custard doesn't form a skin.
Chill the mixture until very cold, or overnight.



 
Make the Fresh Blueberry Puree Swirl:
1. Combine the blueberries, sugar and lemon juice in a small saucepan.

2. Heat the blueberry mixture over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is dissolved and the berries start to break down, about 15 minutes.


6. Remove from the heat. Pour the blueberry mixture into a deep bowl and puree with an immersion mixture, until smooth.
NOTE: You may also puree the mixture in a food processor, if desired.

7. Press a piece of plastic wrap on its surface. Chill the blueberry mixture until cold.
NOTE: I chilled the lemon ice cream base and the blueberry puree in the refrigerator overnight.

STEP II: CHURN THE LEMON ICE CREAM BASE. SWIRL TOGETHER WITH THE BLUEBERRY PUREE AND FREEZE.
1. Strain the chilled ice cream base through a fine mesh strainer into a medium bowl.

2. Pour the strained custard into the frozen freezer bowl of a 1 1/2-quart ice cream machine.
Churn the ice cream in an ice cream machine until the consistency of soft serve ice cream.


3. While the ice cream churns, line an 8- x 8-inch pan with plastic wrap.


4. Spoon about 1/2 of the churned ice cream into the plastic-lined pan.


5. Spoon one half of the blueberry puree swirl mixture in dollops over the surface of the ice cream, then, using a chopstick, swirl the blueberry sauce through the ice cream.
Be careful to not cut through or disturb the plastic wrap that is lining the pan.

 

 
6. Add the rest of the ice cream base to the pan and place dollops of the remaining blueberry puree swirl mixture on top.
Using a chopstick, swirl the blueberry sauce through the top layer of ice cream; do not touch the chopstick to the bottom of the pan, and swirl the bottom layer of the previously swirled ice cream and blueberry puree.

7. Cover the finished ice cream, with plastic wrap, pressed directly on the surface, and freeze at least 5 hours, or overnight.

SERVE
After freezing, serve in a bowl or use in a recipe.

STORAGE
Unmold ice cream from the pan, keeping its square shape. Wrap in its plastic wrap, and place in an airtight container.
Homemade ice cream lasts a week or two to about a month in the freezer.

Food styling and photos by Kelly CA © Sarah Phillips CraftyBaking.com