Ingredients
Equipment
Method
Macerate and puree strawberries
- Toss the sliced fresh strawberries with 1/4 cup granulated sugar and the lemon juice, then let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to macerate.
- Mash or blend the macerated strawberries into a chunky puree, then refrigerate.
Make the custard
- Whisk the egg yolks with the remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar until pale and thick.
- Heat the heavy cream and whole milk in a saucepan over medium heat until steaming, then slowly whisk into the egg yolks.
- Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens to coat the back of a spoon (170-175F).
Chill the base
- Strain the custard, then stir in the vanilla extract and the pinch of salt.
- Cool completely, then refrigerate at least 2 hours.
Churn and freeze
- Churn the chilled custard in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Add the strawberry puree in the last 5 minutes of churning.
- Transfer to a container and freeze at least 2 hours until firm.
Notes
Pro tip: keep the custard at a gentle, steady simmer only—once it coats the back of a spoon at 170–175F, stop cooking to avoid scrambled yolks. Refrigerate churned ice cream in a sealed container up to 3 days; freeze up to 2 months for best texture. For a lighter option, use half-and-half plus an extra tablespoon of cornstarch to stabilize, but expect a softer set than full heavy cream.