Ice Cream: Fruit or Berry in Custard Base

Donvier Ice Cream Maker

By Cat, Jun 2008 (Photo, right, from Cooking.com (1))

• See also: 1. Puddings & Frozen Desserts Menu; 2. Ice Cream Basics; 3. Crème Anglaise (Stove-Top Custard Sauce)
• Includes: 1. Berry Ice Cream; 4. Peach Ice Cream; 5. Lemon Ice Cream

Today’s commercial ice cream is nothing like old-fashioned ice cream from the local dairy. Today’s version includes a lot of questionable additives and highly processed ingredients which I prefer to avoid. Instead, I make my own.

Berry Ice Cream

This recipe is adapted from Nourishing Traditions, by Sally Fallon with Mary G. Enig, PhD. (2).  Makes 1 quart. The original recipe calls for ½ cup maple syrup, but I prefer to use stevia and honey. If using all maple syrup or honey, I provide the amount as a range, depending on the sweetness of the berries.

You can use all one type of berry, or a mixture of berries.  For example, blueberries, huckleberries, raspberries, boysenberries, marionberries, or blackberries.  Cherries can also be used (pit removed).  Fresh or frozen will work.  The original recipe purees the berries before adding to the egg/cream mixture.  Alternately, you can leave them whole.

To puree the berries, use a food processor or a blender.  If using a blender, puree in batches.  You can either fold the pureed berries into the egg/cream mixture for a swirl, or add egg/cream mixture to the berries in the processor/blender to blend thoroughly.

Ingredients & Equipment:

• 2 cups berries, fresh or frozen
• ½ – ⅔  cup raw local honey or maple syrup (OR ¼ tsp stevia plus 1 – 2 Tbsp raw local honey)
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 Tbsp arrowroot (optional)
• 2 cups raw cream (never use ultra-pasteurized)
• Equipment:
• large bowl
• egg whip
• ice cream freezer
• ice and rock salt if using an old-fashioned freezer

Method:

1. Stir stevia into honey in small bowl; set in a pan of hot water to warm.  Or if using all honey (no stevia), simply warm the honey.
2. Beat egg yolks with whip until frothy.  Beat in the warmed stevia/honey and arrowroot.  Stir in cream.
3. Fold in pureed or whole berries. (or you can add egg/cream mixture to the pureed berries in blender/processor to blend).
4. Freeze in a 1.5 – 2-quart ice cream freezer, according to manufacturer’s directions. See also Freezing the Ice Cream (in the Ice Cream Basics post).
5. For ease of serving, transfer to an empty yogurt container with lid, and store in freezer.

Testing:  7/21/08  I tried this using chopped fresh Flathead cherries, but only used 1 cup (it’s all I had). I pureed the chopped cherries with half of the cream, then stirred into the sweetened yolk and cream mixture.  Result:  Consistency was great, easy to serve after “warming” in the refrigerator for 30 minutes; I’m convinced the arrowroot is a good addition.  Light cherry flavor, would have been even better with 2 cups of cherries.

Peach Ice Cream

This recipe is adapted from Nourishing Traditions, by Sally Fallon with Mary G. Enig, and makes 1 quart.   You can use other fruit, such as pears, plums or apricots, instead of peaches.

Ingredients & Equipment:

• 2 cups peaches, peeled and sliced
• ¼ cup raw local honey or maple syrup (OR ⅛ tsp stevia extract powder plus 2 Tbsp raw local honey or maple syrup)
• 2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 tsp gelatin
• 2 egg yolks, lightly beaten
• 2 cups raw cream (or whipping cream)
• Equipment:
• large bowl
• small saucepan
• egg whip
• ice cream freezer
• ice and rock salt if using an old-fashioned freezer

Method:

1. Peel and slice peaches into a large bowl.
2. Dissolve stevia (if using) in lemon juice; stir in maple syrup or honey, the pour over fruit and toss well to coat.
3. Cover and let stand at room temperature for 2 hours.
4. Drain the fruit and combine ¾ cup of the drained juice with the gelatin in a small saucepan.  Heat gently until gelatin dissolves.
5. Place fruit in food processor (or blender, in batches) with gelatin mixture, and puree.  (NOTE:  if you want a chunkier texture, puree only about ¼ of the peaches, leaving the rest in slices.)
6. Stir in yolks and cream.
7. Freeze in a 1.5 – 2-quart ice cream freezer, according to manufacturer’s directions. See also Freezing the Ice Cream (in the Ice Cream Basics post).
8. For ease of serving, transfer to an empty yogurt container with lid, and store in freezer.

Lemon Ice Cream

This recipe is adapted from Better Homes and Gardens, July 2008.  Makes about 3 1/2 cups (almost 1 quart), and is more like a gelato than ice cream.  This type starts as a custard of milk, eggs and sugar, cooked on top of the stove.

While the original recipe calls for 1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp cups granulated (white) sugar, I prefer to use stevia for most of this, and I know from experience that stevia works great in a custard.  For the rest of the sweetener, you can use white sugar or raw honey.  Raw honey is a great option because it provides wonderful vitamins, minerals and enzymes.  But if you don’t have raw honey, may as well use white sugar.

The original recipe also calls for a 6 egg yolks.  Now, unless you have a great use for egg whites, this is a huge waste of good food, so I use mostly whole eggs and a few yolks.

Ingredients & Equipment

• For the Custard:
• 2 – 3 lemons
• ¼ –  ½ tsp stevia extract powder
• 2 Tbsp raw local honey
• ⅛ tsp unrefined sea salt
• 3 whole eggs
• 1 egg yolks
• 1 cup raw milk 
• For the ice cream:
• 1 cup raw cream (or whipping cream)
• Equipment:
• small jar
• medium bowl
• large bowl
• even larger bowl for ice bath
• wooden spoon
• ice cream freezer
• ice and rock salt (if using old-fashioned freezer)

Method:

1. Make the Custard: Finely shred 2 Tbsp zest from lemons; set aside.  Squeeze juice to equal  ¾ cup in a jar; stir in stevia until dissolved; cover and refrigerate.
2. Whisk honey, salt and lemon zest into eggs and yolks until well blended.
3. Heat milk in a large saucepan just until tiny bubbles begin to appear around the edge of the saucepan.  Then pour into egg mixture, whisking well.
4. Return mixture to saucepan over medium heat.  Cook and stir continuously with a wooden spoon until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a clean metal spoon, about 15 minutes (do not allow mixture to boil).
5. Remove pan from heat.  Transfer to large bowl and quickly cool by placing bowl of custard onto a large bowl of ice water for 5 – 7 minutes, stirring constantly.
6. When completely cool, stir in the cream.  Cover and chill 4 – 24 hours.
7. Make the ice cream: Just before freezing, stir in lemon juice.  Strain mixture through a fine mesh; discard peel.  Freeze in a 1.5 – 2 quart ice cream freezer (or 1 quart Donvier freezer), according to manufacturer’s directions.  See also Freezing the Ice Cream (in the Ice Cream Basics post).

Serving Ideas

• Serve with blueberry sauce, and a shortbread or Danish Sand cookie.

Testing:  7/13/08:  as written, with ¼ tsp stevia and honey, but it took 3 small and 1 large lemon to make enough zest and juice.  used a Donvier freezer.  After the first rest, the ice cream jammed the churn, and it almost broke.  I did manage to free it by turning back and forth within its limited range.  The egg custard freezes more evenly than a simple mix of cream, milk & eggs.  Cured almost 3 hours in freezer.  Result:  Taste is nicely tart; color is gorgeously light lemon-yellow. If you want it sweeter, use ½ tsp stevia instead of ¼ tsp.

References:

1. Cooking.com photo: cooking.com/1-qt-premier-ice-cream-maker-by-donvier_115016_11
2. Nourishing Traditions, by Sally Fallon with Mary G. Enig, PhD.; see Beloved Cookbooks for more about this book.
3. Better Homes and Gardens, July 2008.