Strawberry Ice Cream

from Savoring Time in the Kitchen

Be prepared to spend 15 minutes standing over your stove constantly stirring the custard.  Have a book or magazine handy!

Serves 6-8

1-1/2 cups whole milk

2 eggs

2 egg yolks

¾ cup plus 1/3 cup superfine sugar

1-1/4 cups heavy cream

1 lb or more fresh strawberries, hulled and thinly sliced

1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

1/8 teaspoon salt

Juice of ½ lemon

1 teaspoon Grand Marnier Liqueur

1 tablespoon vodka

Combine the strawberries, 1/3 cup sugar, salt, balsamic vinegar and lemon juice in a mixing bowl.  Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Place milk in the top of a double boiler and bring just to a simmer over gently boiling water over medium heat being very careful not to scald the milk.  This is why a double boiler works best.

Meanwhile, whisk together the eggs, egg yolks and ¾ cup sugar in a mixing bowl.  Lightly whisk ¼ cup of the hot milk into the egg mixture while whisking constantly.  Then, pour the egg mixture into the hot milk in the double boiler in a stream, whisking constantly.  Cook the mixture while continuing to stir constantly with a wooden spoon, until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.  This will take about 15 minutes.

Transfer the egg/milk mixture to a mixing bowl, stir in the heavy cream and refrigerate until cold. 

Mash the strawberries gently with a potato masher or use a pastry cutter. Reserve about ½ cup.  Add the strawberries to the cream base.  Add one tablespoon of vodka and the teaspoon of Grand Marnier Liqueur.

Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker and process according to manufacturer’s directions.  If your ice cream maker bowl is sufficiently frozen, this should take about 20-25 minutes. 

Remove the now-frozen mixture and transfer to a plastic container.  Layer the ½ cup reserved mashed strawberries in the center. 

Freeze for at least 2 hours and serve. 

The ice cream will last in the freezer for one week.