Monday, April 29, 2013

Strawberry Ice Cream Cups


I can finally feel spring arriving! Just this morning I planted my very first vegetable garden. It's small but I'm ruthlessly optimistic...

Anxiously waiting for the farmer's markets to start popping up, young grass to sprout, and trees to start unleashing their leaves is maddening. Finding strawberries that aren't astronomically priced really helps move that feeling along. Not that chocolate isn't fantastic year-round, but berries must take priority when they're fresh and cheap. And what better way to enjoy them than in homemade ice cream?


Finding Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams at Home in the used bookstore was probably my find of the season. So far, I'd recommend it highly! The ice cream still comes out nice and creamy without using egg yolks and an overnight rest in the refrigerator. Anything that can be done to shorten the time from custard-to-cone is worth trying, especially when you don't have to sacrifice flavor.

I'd recommend serving these with a little extra berry puree, whipped cream, and fresh berries. But there's nothing boring about having them plain either.

Don't let the fairly pale color of this ice cream fool you. The berries truly shine and the flavor is more intense than you'd expect.


Strawberry Ice Cream Cups
Yield: 12 servings
Adapted from Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams at Home

*Make sure if you have a ice cream maker that uses a frozen canister, it has been in the freezer for at least 24 hours.

Ice Cream
1 lb. strawberries, washed, hulled, and sliced in 1/2-inch slices
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 1/2 cups whole milk
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 ounces (4 tablespoons) cream cheese, softened
Pinch of sea salt
1 1/4 cups heavy whipping cream
2/3 cups sugar
2 tablespoons honey
1/4 cup buttermilk or 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice + 1/4 cup whole milk (if using lemon juice and milk, stir together at least 10 minutes before using)
Crust
13 Oreos
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Strawberries for serving, optional
Whipping cream for serving, optional


For the ice cream:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Stir the strawberries and 1/4 cup sugar in an 8 x 8-inch baking pan and bake for 8-10 minutes or until berries are soft and some juice has accumulated in the pan.

Allow to cool slightly and transfer to the bowl of a food processor with the lemon juice. Process until smooth. Reserve 1/2 cup of puree for the ice cream and refrigerate the remainder in an airtight container for serving and other uses. Try using it to flavor plain yogurt or pour over pancakes.

In a small bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons of milk and the cornstarch until no lumps remain.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the cream cheese and sea salt.

In a large saucepan over medium high heat, bring the remaining milk and whipping cream, sugar, and honey to a rolling boil while stirring frequently. Once it boils, continue stirring for another 4 minutes and remove from the heat.

Gradually add the cornstarch while whisking constantly. Return to the heat and bring back to a boil for about 1 minute while stirring constantly.

Slowly pour the hot milk into the cream cheese bowl and whisk until smooth. Whisk in the 1/2 cup of puree and buttermilk.

Transfer to the refrigerator and allow to cool until chilled through, stirring occasionally to speed up the process.

For the crust:
While the custard is cooling, you can start the crusts.


Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Pulse the Oreos in a food processor until it forms small crumbs. Add in the melted butter and pulse until evenly incorporated and the crumbs begin to stick together in larger chunks. They should be glossy and sticky.

Evenly divide the crumbs between 12-cup muffin pan. Press down with your fingertips, forming a slight depression in the middle.

Bake for 5-7 minutes then transfer to the freezer.

To assemble:
Process your ice cream according to your machine directions.

Top each crust with ice cream until the well is full. Smooth the surface with the back of a spoon. Work quickly and place the pan back in the freezer as soon as possible.

Freeze for at least 2 hours before serving.

To remove from the pan, run hot water over a washcloth and wring out. Rub the bottom and sides of the muffin tin to release the ice cream. You may have to run a knife around the edges as well and work it out with the tip of your knife.

Serve topped with fresh berries, whipping cream whipped to soft peaks, or additional strawberry puree.


Pinit

12 comments:

  1. Tanya-Lemonsforlulu.comApr 29, 2013, 3:58:00 PM

    Wow, Loretta, I love this. I agree, I love eating berries when they are fresh and cheap! How wonderful to use them up in ice cream!

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    Replies
    1. We eat them so fast straight out of the fridge that I almost never get to use them in a recipe!

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  • The description of spring waking up is so beautiful! I am also waiting for the colours to pour in. This is such a calming pleasant treat to welcome Spring!
    Strawberry ice cream is so very do-able and I like the way you have suggested other uses for the puree. This recipe totally inspires me!

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Coconut Craze! It's so hard to beat the freshness that comes with spring...Until summer comes along and I decide that's my favorite season :)

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  • Loretta, you've gotta try the Beet Ice Cream with Mascarpone, Orange Zest and Poppy Seeds from that book. It is amazing!

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    Replies
    1. I adore beets so when I saw that, I knew I'd be making it eventually. But since you recommended it, it's now at the top of my list! Can't wait to try it :)

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