Strawberry Ice Cream

My strawberry patch -- sigh!!!  Lush plants bejeweled with pink-red strawberries bring a smile to this farmgirl's face.  The sore back and the sunburn are soon forgotten with the first mouthful of homemade strawberry ice cream melting dreamily over my taste buds.  Even the thought makes me salivate!  Country songs should be written to the love of strawberry ice cream...."That kinda thing makes a girl go "mmm  mmm"...

This year I'm starting my ice cream with a custard base (it's because of the super-productivity of my hens -->EGGS)!!  

I use the Cuisinart Frozen Yogurt-Ice Cream & Sorbet Maker (mine is the red one.....do you know how I feel about red?...swoon)   This is the one appliance that has single-handedly caused me tremendous weight gain....

Red!!  Are you swooning, too?

Make sure the freezer bowl is completely frozen before you start.  (Note to self:  buy another freezer bowl so one is always frozen)

Let's make ice cream!!!!

Vanilla Custard base:

1-1/2 cups whole milk

1-1/2 cups heavy cream

2        teaspoons pure vanilla extract

2        large eggs

3        large egg yolks

3/4     cup sugar

pinch  salt

Strawberry part:

2        cups thinly sliced, hulled fresh strawberries

1/3     cup sugar

Mix these and let macerate for 2 hours.   

Combine eggs, egg yolks, sugar and salt in the bowl of the stand mixer and mix on medium speed till the mixture is thick, smooth and pale yellow in color.  Add the milk, cream and vanilla.  Mix until well combined. 

Pour mixture into a medium saucepan and cook, stirring constantly, over medium-low heat until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.  

Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap placed directly on the top of the custard (to prevent a skin from forming) and chill completely.

Drain the strawberry mixture and stir the accumulated juices into the chilled custard base.  Reserve the strawberries.

It's chill time:   Assemble the parts of the Cuisinart (Base, freezer bowl, mixing arm, lid)....Turn the Cuisinart ON, pour the chilled custard base into the freezer bowl through the spout in the lid.  Let the custard mix for 25 to 30 minutes till thickened)  add the reserved strawberries during the last 5 minutes of chill time.

Spoon chilled ice cream into container for the freezer and freeze (ripen) for 2 hours.

Fill a giant bowl with as many scoops as will fit and ENJOY!!