Ingredients

500g fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
250g crème fraîche
250g heavy cream
150g fine sugar
Handful basil leaves, coarsely chopped

Method

In a bowl toss the sliced strawberries with the sugar. Gently mix until the sugar dissolves. Set aside for about an an hours, stirring regularly.

Place the strawberries and all of the accumulated liquid in a blender, along with all the other ingredients, except for the chopped basil, and pulse. Do not purée too long because you want the mixture to be chunky and have strawberry pieces in your ice-cream.

Pour into a bowl and refrigerate overnight, then prepare the ice-cream in your ice-cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions. Add the chopped basil into the ice-cream once the mixture begins to thicken.

Finally transfer into clean plastic boxes and freeze for 15-20 minutes.

Serve with fresh strawberries.

Notes:

• If you do not have an ice-cream maker, then after the mixture has been in the refrigerator overnight, pour into a deep plastic vessel and place in the freezer. After 30 - 45 minutes take out and whisk with an electric hand mixer. Place back into the freezer. Repeat this process several times - 3 to 4 - then allow to freeze until firm.
  
• You can use other herbs with this ice-cream. Substitute the basil with mint for example or try some rosemary.
• Other berries work with this too. Raspberries or blackberries make a wonderful tangy ice-cream and also pair very well with the crème fraîche.
• If this ice-cream is only for adults macerate the berries with vodka with the sugar for an hour.