I recently tried this premium recipe for Strawberry Ice Cream from The Ciao Bella Book of Gelato and Sorbetto: Bold, Fresh Flavors to Make at Home. It’s a lot more complicated than the simple Strawberry Ice Cream recipe I previously posted but it’s so much richer and yields a lot more. Here is my version of the recipe:

Ingredients:
2 cups raw organic whole milk
1 cup raw organic heavy cream
4 large egg yolks
3/4 cup organic sugar, separated
1 quart strawberries, hulled and thinly sliced
juice of 1 lemon

Combine milk and cream in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally so a skin doesn’t form until tiny bubbles form around the edge and the mixture reaches 170 degrees Fahrenheit.

In the meantime, whisk egg yolks until smooth. Slowly whisk in 1/2 cup sugar until well incorporated into a thick pale yellow paste. Slowly pour in the hot milk mixture while whisking continuously. This is important: The milk should not be poured into the egg mixture quickly or you will get scrambled eggs.

Return the egg and milk custard to the saucepan and cook over low heat. Stir frequently with a wooden spoon until the custard is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon. Temperature of the custard should reach 185 degrees Fahrenheit. Do not allow the custard to boil.

Pour the custard through a fine mesh strainer into a clean bowl and let it cool to room temperature. Stir the custard every five minutes until cooled completely. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

While the custard is cooling, prepare the strawberries: hull and slice thinly. Combine strawberry slices, lemon juice and remaining 1/4 cup of sugar in a medium saucepan. Toss until sugar dissolves and strawberries are well coated. Let it sit for 15 minutes.

Cook the strawberry mixture over medium low heat until strawberries are soft and syrup thickens, about 10 minutes. Transfer the strawberry mixture into a clean bowl and let cool completely. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Blend 3/4 of the strawberry mixture with half of the custard. Pour back and whisk into the remainder of the custard.

Prepare ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions. Churn until thickened into a soft serve consistency. Add the remaining strawberry mixture just before churning ends. Transfer to an airtight container and freeze until firm.

Enjoy this luxurious treat!