This recipe creates a delightful strawberry ice cream with fresh strawberries and a creamy base. It begins by macerating a portion of the strawberries with sugar and alcohol, enhancing their flavor. The remaining strawberries are blended into a smooth purée, strained, and combined with half-and-half, corn syrup, and more sugar. After chilling, the mixture is churned in an ice cream maker, incorporating the macerated strawberries in the final stages. The ice cream is then frozen until firm, resulting in a deliciously creamy treat with bursts of strawberry throughout.
The Best Strawberry Ice Cream Recipe
Ingredients
- 30 ounces 1 quart plus a little extra fresh strawberries, divided
- 1 1/4 cups sugar, divided
- 4 tablespoons 80-proof liquor such as vodka or orange liquor
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 cup corn syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt to taste
Instructions
- Quarter 6 ounces (about 1 cup) strawberries, then slice quarters crosswise into very thin pieces. In a mixing bowl, combine strawberries with 1/2 cup sugar and alcohol and let stand in refrigerator for at least 2 hours and up to 2 days.
- In a countertop blender, process remaining strawberries until very smooth, about 30 seconds. Measure and reserve 1 1/2 cups purée. Extra purée, if there is any, can be put to another use.
- In a clean mixing bowl, whisk together 1 1/2 cups strawberry purée with heavy whipping cream, corn syrup, and remaining 3/4 cup sugar until fully combined. Add salt to taste.
- Chill in refrigerator or ice bath until base is very cold, at least 45°F (7°C), then churn in ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions. In the last minute of churning, retrieve strawberry mix-ins from the refrigerator, strain off syrup, and add mix-ins to the churn; reserve strawberry syrup for another use (it makes a great coffee syrup). Transfer ice cream to airtight container and chill in freezer for at least 4 hours before serving.