It’s kind of a misnomer to say this is strawberry and buttermilk ice cream, when the quart batch has but 1/4 cup of buttermilk in it. To be strictly fair, it probably should be called “Strawberries and Cream” ice cream. But that’s redundant. So, what the heck, it’ll just have to stay as strawberry and buttermilk, I suppose. However, this recipe isn’t mine, so I can’t rename it anyway.
Everywhere we travel I enjoy reading the food section of the local newspaper. And this recipe was in the Denver Post when we were in Colorado recently. I read the article with interest, because the interview was about cookbook author, Jeni Britton Bauer, who, literally, has spent years trying to figure out a method for home cooks to get an ice cream that is truly creamy and isn’t hard as a rock to scoop once you’ve frozen it. If there’s anything that confounds me it’s that problem with making home made ice cream. And each type of ice cream requires a different amount of time sitting out on a counter to make it soft enough to scoop. I never seem to plan far enough in advance to make that solution work for me. Or I leave it too long and it become soup.
If you go to the article about Bauer’s methods you’ll learn a whole lot about the chemistry of making and freezing ice cream. Which is why Jeni Bauer started her own ice cream company. But nicely, she’s decided to share with all of us her secrets of making smooth, scoop-able ice cream at home. She’s written a cookbook about it, called Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams at Home. And there are some real secrets involved. I’m sure there’s a long, long chapter at the beginning of her book all about her unusual methods.
What exactly? Well, she insists that in order to avoid making ice crystallized ice cream (the kind that makes you think you’ve made ice rather than something creamy) you have to:
(1) make a custard which is more tedious than just combining milk, cream, sugar and flavorings, although this one does not include eggs;
(2) include a small amount of cream cheese in the mixture [that’s a real innovation – I don’t think I’ve ever read another ice cream recipe with cream cheese in the ingredient list];
(3) add a small amount of corn syrup [which I did know helps to keep the frozen ice cream more pliable];
(4) add buttermilk, even if it’s just a small amount; and
(5) quick-chill the base mixture in a water and ice bath, to get the temp down below what a standard refrigerator would do. And you need to freeze it immediately according to your ice cream machine’s usual directions.
So, I made some. And, indeed, it meets ALL of my high expectations. There were two recipes in the newspaper article, but the strawberry was the one I wanted to make. And since strawberries are on the wane here anyway, I did it quickly. In this particular batch she has you roast the strawberries briefly (not enough to brown, just enough to soften them), puree the mixture, and use a mere 1/2 cup (you will have leftover strawberry puree – enough to make another batch). I was skeptical there would be enough strawberry flavor with just 1/2 cup. But I was proven wrong on that one. There’s a perfect amount of flavor. It tastes just like most good-quality store-bought strawberry ice cream.
What I will tell you is that the process is a bit more work than some of the ice creams I’ve made before. So set aside the necessary time to really take care of all the steps. You could do it in stages, but one of her more unusual secrets is the quick-chill of the custard base, and I don’t think that can be done in stages – you need to mix the base, chill it fast, then freeze it in your machine, pronto.
When the 30 minute were up (it took less time to freeze the ice cream because it was colder to start with) the ice cream was SO darned good – kind of like soft serve ice cream [the way most of the ice creams are when they’ve just finished churning]. But you need to freeze it for about 4 hours before it’s completely frozen through. Jeni recommends covering the top of the ice cream with a piece of parchment paper. I usually use plastic wrap instead. The ice cream isn’t soft at that point, but it IS scoop-able. Hooray.
I’ve put her cookbook on my Wish List at Amazon, so am hoping one of my kids will see it and give it to me for my milestone birthday next month. Hint, hint.
What I liked: the flavor is wonderful. The texture is ultra-creamy. Seems more creamy than usual ice creams, to me, although the ice cream base is approximately half cream and half whole milk. And it’s definitely scoop-able right out of the freezer container when you’re all done.
What I didn’t like: well, it is a bit more work than usual. But I think you’ll find – like I did – that it’s worth the effort. Next time I’ll probably make a 1 1/2 recipe batch because I think that much will fit in my ice cream machine. Since I have some of the strawberry puree left, I definitely should use it up in another batch.
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Roasted Strawberry & Buttermilk Ice Cream
Recipe By: Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams at Home,” by Jeni Britton Bauer (in Denver Post, 6/2011)
Serving Size: 8
NOTES: You will have extra roasted-strawberry puree (it’s necessary to fill the baking dish with berries so they don’t scorch or dry out as they roast). You’ll need an ice-cream machine. Makes about one quart.
ROASTED STRAWBERRIES:
1 pint strawberries — hulled and sliced 1/2-inch thick
1/3 cup sugar
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
ICE CREAM BASE:
1 1/2 cups whole milk
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 ounces cream cheese — (4 tablespoons) softened
1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
2/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/4 cup buttermilk
1. Prep the strawberries: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Combine the strawberries with the sugar in an 8-inch square glass or ceramic baking dish, stirring gently to mix well. Roast for 8 minutes, or until just soft. Let cool slightly. Puree the berries in a food processor with the lemon juice. Measure 1/2 cup of the pureed berries; refrigerate the rest of the puree for another use.
2. Mix about 2 tablespoons of the milk with the cornstarch in a small bowl to make a smooth slurry. In another bowl whisk the softened cream cheese and salt together, until smooth. Fill a large bowl with ice and water.
3. Combine the remaining milk, the cream, sugar and corn syrup in a 4-quart saucepan, bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat, and boil for 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and gradually whisk in the cornstarch slurry. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat and cook, stirring with a heat-proof spatula, until slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat.
4. Gradually whisk the hot milk mixture into the cream cheese until smooth. Add the reserved 1/2 cup strawberry puree and the buttermilk and blend well. Pour the mixture into a 1-gallon Ziploc freezer bag and submerge the sealed bag in the ice bath. Let stand, adding more ice as necessary, until cold, about 30 minutes.
5. Freeze: Pour the ice-cream base into the frozen canister of your ice-cream maker and spin until thick and creamy.
6. Pack the ice cream into a storage container, press a sheet of parchment directly against the surface, and seal with an airtight lid. Freeze in the coldest part of your freezer until firm, at least 4 hours. [To serve, you may have to let this sit out for about 2 minutes, but that’s about it – it’s really scoop-able from a hard-frozen state.]
Per Serving: 315 Calories; 18g Fat (49.7% calories from fat); 3g Protein; 38g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 65mg Cholesterol; 106mg Sodium.
Sue
said on July 30th, 2011:
My family recently enjoyed this ice cream. I made minor alterations, replacing the lemon juice with balsamic vinegar (in homage to one of Carolyn’s fabulous ice cream recipes) and reducing the sugar a bit. The recipe definitely is worth the effort!
I agree, Sue. I may have to try the balsamic too. I think it could have a bit less sugar also – thanks for the reminder since I’m going to make this again soon . . . carolyn t
elizabeth
said on July 31st, 2011:
I’ve made her vanilla bean recipe a couple times now, http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/vanilla-bean-ice-cream.
The lemon velvet recipe you posted, David Lebovitz chocolate sherbet and this vanilla bean are my three favorites. I seem to prefer homemade ice cream without egg.
Good job, Elizabeth! I haven’t dried David’s chocolate sherbet, nor have I tried her vanilla. Will have to look into that one – if it’s anywhere near as delicious as the strawberry, I’ll love it! . . .thanks, Carolyn T