Blueberry Vanilla Ice Cream

When I was growing up we would get SO EXCITED when my mom would decide to make homemade vanilla ice cream. At that point in time her homemade vanilla was the ONLY vanilla thing that I liked; a self-professed chocolate freak at that time I thought vanilla was lame-O. But when mom pulled out that old ice cream maker and the rock salt and ice?

 

All bets were off, people, all bets off.

To say I love this ice cream would be an understatement y’all. I mean, I’m an ice cream fanatic to begin with and it’s summertime in Arkansas. Girlfriend can’t get enough. And with our recent obsession with blueberries it’s really no surprise that I’m all up in this mess with a spoon and a smile.

 

The lemon is key to this recipe, so don’t skip it. Just like you don’t want to skip the cream and egg yolks for the texture, the lemon adds such a great underlying flavor component. Y’all enjoy!

BLUEBERRY VANILLA ICE CREAM

• 1 pint fresh or frozen blueberries
• zest of one lemon
• 1 cup sugar, divided
• 1 cup whole milk
• 3 cups heavy cream
• 4 egg yolks
• 3 Tbsp vanilla extract

In a small saucepan combine the blueberries, lemon juice and zest, and 1/4 cup of sugar. Stir to combine and cook for about 10-15 minutes over medium heat until the liquid has reduced. Let cool completely before adding to the ice cream.

 

For the ice cream, whisk together the remaining sugar, milk and cream in a large heavy pot. Heat over medium heat just until the sugar has dissolved, about 5-7 minutes. Remove from the heat and slowly drizzle about a cup of the hot liquid into the egg yolks while whisking constantly to temper the yolks (this means they won’t turn to scrambled eggs). Stream the egg yolk mixture back into the pot of liquid, whisking constantly, and heat again over medium heat for about 5-7 minutes whisking constantly. Remove from the heat and add the vanilla; stir to combine. Pour the hot mixture into a large bowl and gently press plastic wrap directly on top to prevent a skin from forming. Let cool in the refrigerator for about 4-5 hours, or overnight, then churn in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s directions. When there is only one minute left in the churning process, add the blueberry sauce in increments to swirl through the ice cream. Put ice cream in a freezer-safe container and freeze for 2-3 hours before serving.