There’s a reason we all scream for ice cream: it’s just that good. The lactose intolerance is just an unfortunate byproduct of something that is totally worth the trip. Happy Birthday, Mom!
Remembering the lychee ice cream experience back from Chinese New Year, I wanted to find a way to prevent too many ice crystals from forming around the fruit. Most sites recommended adding a little vodka since it doesn’t freeze. Worked like a charm.
Tip: Don’t add too much vodka – max 2 T per 1.5 quarts or it might interfere with the ice cream freezing
This is an absolutely terrible picture of the ice cream. It was poorly scooped and all we had on hand was Hubby’s phone. Trust me, it’s out of this world.
Strawberry Ice Cream
Original recipe somewhat adapted from other ice cream recipes/techniques
Makes 1.5 quarts
1 quart strawberries, caps removed
1 T lemon juice
1 cup whole milk
pinch of salt
2/3 cup sugar
2 cups heavy cream
2 tsp vanilla extract
5 large egg yolks
1 T vodka
Puree strawberries in a blender or food processor until smooth (leave a few chunks if preferred). Stir in lemon juice.
Heat milk, salt, and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat just before it simmers. Stir the egg yolks together in a measuring cup or small bowl. Pour some of the heated milk into the yolks, whisking constantly to prevent scrambling. Add the yolk mixture back to the milk and stir constantly over low heat until custard is thick enough to coat the back of a heat-resistant spatula, about 3-4 minutes. If it curdles, you cooked it too long.
Set up an ice bath in a large bowl by putting in ice and then adding some cold water. Nestle a medium-sized bowl into the ice bath. Pour heavy cream through a fine-mesh strainer into the medium bowl. Strain the yolk mixture into the heavy cream. Add the strawberry puree and vodka. Chill the custard (refrigerator/freezer helps speed up the cooling process). Freeze according to your ice cream manufacturer’s directions.