Blackberry Ice Cream - Everyday Annie

Is it just me, or do blackberries seem to get the short end of the summer berry stick? Sometimes I wonder if their less brilliant dark color makes them subconsciously less appealing than their brighter counterparts. Whatever the case may be, don’t overlook blackberries this summer. They can be lovely in many sweet treats…and as I type that, several savory ideas just popped into my mind as well…hmmm. Anyway, of all the blackberry desserts I have tried, this ice cream is without a doubt my new favorite. That dark purple color transforms into a luscious purple-pink hue when these babies are folded into a creamy custard ice cream base. The blackberry flavor is a slightly subtle, and the berries-and-cream combo is a perfect summer treat.

On a related note, I am absolutely loving the recipes I have tried from Sweet Cream and Sugar Cones thus far. The ice cream recipes in particular have had a perfectly creamy and easily scoopable texture, even after days of freezing. Okay, twist my arm to try a few more… ;)

Yield about 1 quart

Ingredients

For the blackberry puree:

12 oz. fresh blackberries, preferably organic
¼ cup sugar (or ½ cup if the berries aren’t quite ripe)

For the ice cream base:

5 large egg yolks
½ cup sugar, divided
1¾ cups heavy cream
¾ cup 1% or 2% milk
¼ tsp. kosher salt

Directions

01
To make the blackberry puree, combine the berries and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the berries have released most of their juices and the juice has reduced a bit, about 10 minutes. Scoop half of the mixture into a bowl. Set a fine mesh sieve over the bowl and add the remaining berry mixture to the sieve. Press the mixture through the sieve to extract as much pulp and juice as possible while removing the seeds. Stir the blackberry mixture together, cover, and chill.
02
To make the ice cream base, combine the egg yolks and ¼ cup of the sugar in a medium bowl and whisk briefly. Combine the heavy cream, milk, salt and remaining ¼ cup sugar in a medium saucepan set over medium heat. Bring just to a simmer. Slowly pour the warm milk mixture into the bowl with the egg yolks, whisking constantly. Return the entire mixture to the saucepan and place over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom of the pan, until the mixture thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon (about 170˚-175˚ F). Pour the custard through the mesh strainer into a clean bowl or storage container. Let cool slightly, then cover and refrigerate until completely chilled.
03
When you are ready to churn the ice cream, whisk the blackberry puree mixture into the ice cream base. Add the mixture to an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Source

slightly adapted from Sweet Cream and Sugar Cones from Bi-Rite Creamery