There is a specific kind of joy that comes from making ice cream completely from scratch and this homemade strawberry ice cream is the recipe that makes that joy feel completely worth every single step. A rich vanilla custard base infused with fresh strawberry puree for that naturally pink color and real berry flavor, swirled with a thick homemade strawberry sauce that ribbons through every scoop in the most beautiful way. This is the summer ice cream that tastes like strawberries at their absolute peak and there is nothing from a carton that comes close to it.
The double strawberry approach is what makes this recipe so much more flavorful than a standard strawberry ice cream. First the custard base gets infused with blended fresh strawberries which gives the whole ice cream that gorgeous pink hue and a subtle tartness woven through every bite. Then separately you cook down more strawberries into a thick jammy sauce and swirl it through right before freezing so you get concentrated ribbons of pure strawberry flavor throughout. One application of strawberry gives you flavor. Two applications gives you something that tastes like a real strawberry in ice cream form. The difference is significant and completely worth doing both steps.
The custard base is the technique that separates a really good homemade ice cream from anything you can buy at a store. Egg yolks tempered carefully into warm cream and milk, cooked until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, then strained smooth and chilled overnight before it goes into the ice cream maker. The tempering step is the one people are most nervous about and it is genuinely not as scary as it sounds. Pour the warm cream slowly into the eggs while whisking constantly and the eggs cannot scramble. Go slowly, keep whisking, and you will have a perfectly silky custard every single time.
This recipe works in a traditional ice cream maker or the Ninja Creami, both linked in the recipe card below. It is a time commitment between the custard making, the chilling, and the freezing but every single minute of it is worth it when you sit down with a bowl of the most beautiful scoopable homemade strawberry ice cream you have ever had. Make it this weekend when strawberries are at their very best and it will be the summer recipe you talk about all season long.
Here is a link to the ice cream machine I use: I LOVE IT! https://shorturl.at/g2FKU
Here is a link to my Creami: https://amzn.to/408wzRf
Why You’ll Love This Recipe:
- The double strawberry approach of infusing the custard base with pureed strawberries AND swirling a thick jammy strawberry sauce through before freezing creates a flavor so genuinely like biting into a real strawberry that nothing from a carton will ever satisfy the same craving again
- A properly tempered egg yolk custard base creates a richness and creaminess that store bought ice cream cannot replicate regardless of the brand and once you make it from scratch you will understand exactly why
- This works in a traditional ice cream machine or the Ninja Creami so it is accessible regardless of which equipment you have in your kitchen
- Peak summer strawberries blended and cooked down into their most concentrated and flavorful form make this the recipe worth making specifically when strawberries are at their very best
Key Ingredients:
- Fresh strawberries used two ways:ย Three cups total cooked down into a sauce that gets split in half. Half gets blended into a smooth puree that gets stirred into the custard base so strawberry flavor and color runs through the entire ice cream. The other half stays as a thick jammy sauce that gets swirled in before freezing for concentrated ribbons of pure berry in every scoop
- Four egg yolks:ย The foundation of a proper custard base that creates the richness, density, and silky texture that separates a really great homemade ice cream from everything else. Tempering them carefully into the warm cream is the technique that makes the whole base work and it is not as intimidating as it sounds
- Heavy cream separated in half:ย One cup goes into the custard to be heated with the milk. The second cup stays cold and is whisked into the strained custard after cooking to immediately cool the base and create that creamy full-fat richness in every scoop
- Lemon juice in the strawberry sauce:ย Half a lemon squeezed into the strawberries as they cook keeps the berry flavor bright and vibrant rather than flat and jammy. The lemon is a small addition that makes the finished ice cream taste fresh and alive rather than cooked and heavy
- Vanilla extract added off the heat:ย A full tablespoon stirred into the strained custard after it comes off the heat so the vanilla flavor blooms into the warm base without cooking off. This is what gives the custard base that warm, rounded flavor that makes strawberry ice cream taste so specifically like the best version of itself
- An ice cream machine or Ninja Creami:ย The equipment that turns the chilled custard into actual scoopable ice cream. Both work beautifully with this recipe and links to both machines are in the recipe card
Tips for Success:
- Pour the warm cream into the eggs very slowly and while whisking constantly. This is the tempering step and going slowly is the entire technique. A steady thin stream while whisking means the eggs gradually warm up rather than scrambling from the sudden heat
- Cook the custard after tempering until it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon and you can draw a clean line through it with your finger. That consistency is the signal that the eggs have cooked enough to be safe and the base is ready to strain and chill
- Chill the custard overnight rather than just the four hour minimum if you can. An overnight chill produces a noticeably smoother, more flavorful ice cream that churns better and scoops more cleanly than a base that only chilled for a few hours
- Alternate the churned custard and the reserved strawberry sauce in the storage container in layers and swirl gently with a spoon rather than stirring completely so you get distinct visible ribbons of strawberry sauce in every scoop
Storage:
Store homemade strawberry custard ice cream in an airtight container in the freezer for up to two weeks. Press a sheet of parchment directly onto the surface of the ice cream before sealing to prevent ice crystals from forming on top. Let it sit at room temperature for five to eight minutes before scooping for the cleanest most beautiful scoops. The strawberry sauce swirl may darken slightly in color over the storage window which is completely normal and does not affect the flavor.
FAQ:
What if my custard scrambles during tempering?
If you see small bits of cooked egg in your custard do not panic. Strain the custard immediately through a fine mesh strainer before continuing and the strained result will be completely smooth and usable. The straining step is specifically there to catch any mistakes that happened during tempering and a properly strained custard tastes and performs identically to one where tempering went perfectly.
Can I use frozen strawberries instead of fresh?
Yes. Thaw completely and drain any excess liquid before cooking into the sauce. Frozen strawberries work well for both the puree and the swirl sauce and make this recipe accessible year round rather than just during peak strawberry season. Peak summer fresh strawberries will give you the most vibrant flavor and color but frozen produces a genuinely delicious result.
Can I make this without an ice cream machine using a Ninja Creami?
Yes. After the custard is fully chilled pour it into Creami pints filling to the max fill line and freeze for twenty four hours. Process on the Ice Cream setting and if the texture is crumbly after the first spin add a small splash of cream and re-spin. The swirl sauce can be added as a mix-in after the first spin using the mix-in setting for beautiful strawberry pockets throughout.
Homemade Strawberry Custard Ice Cream
Ingredients
For the Vanilla Custard Base:
- 2 cups heavy cream separated in half
- 1 cup whole milk
- 4 egg yolks
- ยพ cup granulated sugar
- 1 Tbs vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
For the Strawberry Swirl Sauce:
- 3 cups strawberries chopped
- ยฝ cup sugar
- juice of 1/2 a lemon
Instructions
For the Strawberry Sauce:
- In a medium sauce pan or pot on medium heat combine strawberries, sugar and lemon juice and stir every so often until a thick sauce forms and reduced by about half.
- Pour half of the mixture into a bowl and set aside to cool (this will be the sauce we will mix into the ice cream) Place in the fridge to use later.
- Using an immersion blender, blend the strawberries into a puree (can also be done in a blender)
- If you want to take an extra step, strain your strawberry sauce through a fine mesh strainer to remove the seeds but this is optional!
For the Vanilla Custard Base:
- In a medium sauce pan combine 1 cup heavy cream and 1 cup milk until it starts to bubble around the edges โ do not let it boil!
- Meanwhile, in another bowl whisk together egg yolks and sugar until pale and fluffy.
- Remove milk and cream from the heat.
- While whisking, pour 1/2 cup of the cream liquid into the egg yolk/sugar mixture. Repeat with one more 1/2 cup of liquid. Whisk continuously so the eggs donโt cook!
- Dump that mixture back into the pan with the remaining cream and milk and heat for a few more minutes until you can draw a line on the back of the spoon when coated with the mixture.
- Remove from heat and strain into a bowl.
- Add vanilla and a pinch of salt and stir to combine.
- Add strawberry puree and stir to combine.
- Place bowl inside a larger bowl and fill the sides with ice and let the mixture come to room temperature, stirring every so often (for about 1 hour)
- Cover with a lid or plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight for best results! (at this point you could also distribute this into creami pints if youโre using that as your ice cream machine!)
Making the Ice Cream:
- Set your ice cream maker to 40 minutes and slowly pour strawberry custard mixture into ice cream machine. Let it process until very thick.
- Transfer ice cream into an airtight container alternating between custard base and strawberry sauce and swirl together with a spoon.
- Freeze for 4 hours or overnight before serving if you want hard scooped ice cream.
- ENJOY!!
Strawberry Ice Cream
Ingredients:
For the Vanilla Custard Base:
- 2 cups heavy cream (separated in half)
- 1 cup whole milk
- 4 egg yolks
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 Tbs vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
For the Strawberry Sauce:
- 3 cups strawberries, chopped
- 1/2 cup sugar
- juice of 1/2 a lemon
Directions:
For the Strawberry Sauce:
- In a medium sauce pan or pot on medium heat combine strawberries, sugar and lemon juice and stir every so often until a thick sauce forms.
- Pour half of the mixture into a bowl and set aside to cool (this will be the sauce we will mix into the ice cream) Place in the fridge to use later.
- Using an immersion blender, blend the strawberries into a puree (can also be done in a blender)
- If you want to take an extra step, strain your strawberry sauce through a fine mesh strainer to remove the seeds but this is optional!
For the Vanilla Custard Base:
- In a medium sauce pan combine 1 cup heavy cream and 1 cup milk until it starts to bubble around the edges – do not let it boil!
- Meanwhile, in another bowl whisk together egg yolks and sugar until pale and fluffy.
- Remove milk and cream from the heat.
- While whisking, pour 1/2 cup of the cream liquid into the egg yolk/sugar mixture. Repeat with one more 1/2 cup of liquid. Whisk continuously so the eggs don’t cook!
- Dump that mixture back into the pan with the remaining cream and milk and heat for a few more minutes until you can draw a line on the back of the spoon when coated with the mixture.
- Remove from heat and strain into a bowl.
- Add vanilla and a pinch of salt and stir to combine.
- Add strawberry puree and stir to combine.
- Place bowl inside a larger bowl and fill the sides with ice and let the mixture come to room temperature, stirring every so often (for about 1 hour)
- Cover with a lid or plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight for best results! (at this point you could also distribute this into creami pints if you’re using that as your ice cream machine!)
Making the Ice Cream
- Set your ice cream maker to 40 minutes and slowly pour strawberry custard mixture into ice cream machine. Let it process until very thick.
- Transfer ice cream into an airtight container alternating between custard base and strawberry sauce and swirl together with a spoon.
- Freeze for 4 hours or overnight before serving if you want hard scooped ice cream.
- ENJOY!!
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