Book: Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery
“And we had ice cream. Words fail me to describe that ice cream. Marilla, I assure you it was sublime.”
“Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery 1908, page 191
Oh Anne! There’s a dreamy, passionate girl who loves ice cream and pretty dresses inside me too! (But I’ll pass on the puffed sleeves.) Does every girl feel some kinship with Anne? She’s a wonderful character, independently and for the sheer entertainment of reading how her personality plays on other characters in Montgomery’s books.
Even though I’ve grown into more of a Marilla most days, eating ice cream still ranks as an indescribably sublime experience, especially when it hits that place on my tongue where sweet and sour sing their harmony. (Sing on, strawberry ice cream!)
After poking around a bit at farmer’s market offerings on Prince Edward Island, strawberry ice cream really seemed like the perfect fit for PEI and for our colorful Anne. This recipe pairs strawberry brightness and intensity to a creamy custard-y base while sour cream balances the sweetness, coming together to create a… well… it’s hard to describe. But it’s sublime!
This recipe is adapted from my favorite food blogger, David Lebovitz, and his Strawberry Sour Cream Ice Cream I found in his book, The Perfect Scoop.
Sublime Strawberry Ice Cream
Course: Recipes, DessertCuisine: Canadian, AmericanDifficulty: Beginner6
servings30
minutes15
minutesCreamy, sweet, and full of strawberry flavor, this custard ice cream will be a spring Sunday picnic in your mouth!
Ingredients
1 lb fresh strawberries
150 grams sugar, 3/4 cup
juice of half a lemon, about 2 tablespoons
3/4 cup sour cream (I recommend full fat)
- For the Custard
1 cup cream
3 large egg yolks
50 grams sugar, 1/4 cup
Directions
- Wash, hull, and rough chop the strawberries. Stir in the sugar and lemon juice and let it sit on the counter for an hour to macerate.
- Drain the juice that collects on the bottom of the strawberry bowl and gently boil it for 15 minutes until it’s reduced by half. See Note.
- Pour the strawberries, simmered juice, and sour cream into a blender and blend until mostly smooth. (A few bits of strawberry is just fine.) Refrigerate.
- For the custard
- Heat the cream in a small saucepan on the stove until hot but not boiling, med-low heat. While the cream heats, whisk the egg yolks and sugar together in a medium size bowl.
- Once the cream is hot, pour it slowly into the egg/sugar mix, whisking constantly to temper the eggs so they don’t scramble.
- Using a fine mesh sieve, pour the custard mixture back into the saucepan through the sieve to strain out any cooked egg bits. Continue cooking on medium low until the custard has thickened.
- Pour the custard into a bowl and refrigerate until cold, about 2 hours.
- Make the ice cream
- Combine the custard and strawberry mixture into the ice cream maker and churn following manufacturer’s directions.
Notes
- Although it does add more intensity to the strawberry flavor, you can definitely skip this step and just use the juice with the strawberries in the blender and carry on with the recipe.
adapted from David Lebo