Ice Cream Recipe

Warm milk and cream

In a medium saucepan, combine 2 cups whole milk and 1 cup heavy cream with 3 tablespoons sugar and a pinch of salt. Warm over medium heat until steam rises and the mixture is hot but not boiling (about 175°F / 80°C), stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar.

Temper egg yolks

In a bowl, whisk 4 egg yolks until smooth. Slowly pour about 1 cup of the hot milk mixture into the yolks in a thin stream while whisking constantly to temper. This prevents curdling.

Cook custard

Return the tempered yolk mixture to the saucepan with the remaining milk. Cook over low–medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or spatula and scraping the bottom, until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of the spoon (170–175°F / 77–80°C). Do not boil.

Finish and chill

Remove from heat. If using 1 tsp vanilla extract for a vanilla base, stir it in now. Pour the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove any solids. Cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, at least 4 hours or overnight.

If using a vanilla bean: split bean lengthwise and scrape seeds into the milk/cream at the start of warming. Add the scraped pod to the pan as well and remove it before tempering the yolks. If using extra extract, stir 1 additional teaspoon of vanilla into the finished chilled custard before churning.

After straining the cooked custard but while it is still warm, add the 4 oz finely chopped bittersweet chocolate and 1 tablespoon cocoa powder (if using). Stir until fully melted and smooth. Allow to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until thoroughly chilled before churning.

Macerate the berries: toss 1 cup chopped strawberries with 1 tablespoon sugar and 1 teaspoon lemon juice in a bowl. Let sit for 20–30 minutes until juicy. For a smooth strawberry ice cream, puree the macerated berries in a blender and strain if desired. Fold the cooled/chilled puree into the finished base custard before churning, reserving 2 tablespoons of chopped berries for swirl if you like.

Churn

Pour the fully chilled and flavored custard into an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer's instructions until it reaches a soft-serve consistency (usually 20–30 minutes).

Add mix-ins

If desired, add 1–2 tablespoons of mix-ins (toasted nuts, chocolate chips, or reserved chopped strawberries) in the last 2–3 minutes of churning to distribute evenly.

Harden

Transfer the churned ice cream to an airtight container. Smooth the top, press a piece of parchment directly on the surface to prevent ice crystals, and freeze for at least 4 hours (preferably overnight) to firm up.

Serve

Allow the ice cream to sit at room temperature 5–10 minutes before scooping for easier serving. For layered presentation (if making multiple flavors), scoop or spread alternating layers of vanilla, chocolate and strawberry into a loaf pan, smoothing between layers, then freeze until firm.