Summer days as a kid were made for swimming, playing outside and eating ice cream. I remember going to visit my Dad’s parents every summer. I used to look forward to helping my granddad with his garden. We would pick fresh tomatoes, green beans and cucumbers for dinner. Then we would head out on the back porch to make homemade ice cream. We would help him layer the ice and rock salt and watch as the ice cream churned. The the best part, getting a taste.
I got an ice cream maker for my birthday last year. All those memories of summer ice cream as a kid made me want to share the tradition with my girls. Ice cream machines may have changed a bit, but the joy and excitement of making your own ice cream is as great as I remembered.
This week my youngest daughter and I went to the farmers market to buy strawberries, her favorite. Then we came home and my girls pushed their chairs up to the counter to help me measure and mix it all together. They eagerly watched and waited for a first taste. The cold, sweet strawberry ice cream was a wonderful treat on a hot summer day. So here is the recipe that had us all smiling and thinking about seconds.
Homemade Strawberry Ice Cream – Serves 8 (makes about 2 quarts)
- 3 cups strawberries, hulled and sliced
- 1 cup sugar, divided
- 1 1/2 cup whole milk or half and half
- 2 cups whipping cream
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
First prepare your ice cream maker according to the manufacture. Make sure that if your are using a newer electric model that you have chilled the bowl ahead of time.
In a medium sized bowl mix together your strawberries and 1/2 cup of sugar. Cover your bowl and let your berries and sugar sit in the fridge for 30 minute to 1 hour to allow the berries to macerate or form their own syrup.
Then in a food processor or blender puree you berries until they are chopped into small pieces.
In a large bowl mix together the strawberry puree, milk, cream, the remaining 1/2 cup sugar, vanilla and salt.
Pour your strawberry mixture in your ice cream maker and allow it run until your ice cream is frozen. The ice cream setting on my Cuisinart is 25 minutes.
Spoon your ice cream into a freezer safe container and allow it to freeze and firm up for an additional 2 hours.
So scoop up some summer fun with homemade strawberry ice cream. This delicious treat is still fun to make on a hot summer day.
