Local Ice Creams By Lewis Of London Recipe

Warm dairy

In a medium saucepan, combine whole milk, heavy cream, and the 3 tbs granulated sugar. Warm over medium heat until the mixture is steaming and small bubbles form around the edge (do not boil). Remove from heat.

Temper yolks

While dairy warms, whisk the egg yolks and 1 tbs caster sugar together in a heatproof bowl until smooth and slightly pale. Slowly pour about 1/3 cup of the hot milk mixture into the yolks in a thin stream while whisking constantly to temper them. Repeat with another 1/3 cup.

Cook custard

Pour the tempered yolk mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining warm milk. Return to low-medium heat and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula, until the mixture coats the back of the spoon and reaches about 175–180°F (80–82°C) or 170°F if you don't have a thermometer but watch for slight thickening. Do not boil or allow to scramble.

Finish and cool

Remove from heat. Stir in the fine sea salt and pure vanilla extract. Pour the custard through a fine mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove any cooked bits. Place the bowl in an ice bath (or the refrigerator) and cool quickly to room temperature, stirring occasionally, then chill thoroughly in the fridge for at least 3–4 hours or overnight. Chilling improves texture and flavor.

Make fruit compote

Place the local berries (or chopped stone fruit) in a small saucepan with the local honey and lemon juice. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the fruit breaks down and releases juices (5–8 minutes for berries, 6–10 for soft stone fruit).

Optional thicken

If you prefer a thicker swirl, mix the cornstarch with 1 tsp cold water to make a slurry and whisk into the compote. Simmer 1–2 more minutes until slightly thickened.

Cool and purée

Remove from heat. For a smooth swirl, blitz the compote with a hand blender or in a small blender until smooth, then pass through a sieve to remove seeds if desired. Cool to room temperature, then chill in the fridge until fully cold.

Churn ice cream

Once the custard base is thoroughly chilled, pour it into your prepared ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer's instructions until it reaches soft-serve consistency (typically 20–30 minutes).

Layer with swirl & add-ins

Spoon one-third of the churned ice cream into an airtight container, then dollop and gently spread about one-quarter of the chilled fruit compote over that layer. Sprinkle a portion of chosen add-ins (crushed shortbread, chopped toasted nuts, or chocolate shards) across the layer. Repeat with another third of ice cream, more compote and add-ins, finishing with the remaining ice cream on top. Use a knife or spatula to create gentle swirls — avoid overmixing or the fruit will completely blend into the base.

Freeze to firm

Press a piece of baking parchment directly onto the surface (optional) and seal container. Freeze for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight, until firm.

Serve

Remove ice cream from the freezer about 5–10 minutes before scooping to allow slight softening for easy scoops. Use a hot, dipped ice cream scoop for clean balls.

Finish

If desired, sprinkle a few flakes of sea salt over chocolate or nut variations, or additional crushed biscuit for texture. For bright presentation, top with a few fresh local berries or a drizzle of local honey.

Ensure your ice cream maker's bowl is fully frozen if it uses a freeze bowl (typically 24 hours in the freezer). Clean and dry all utensils and have containers chilled so the churned ice cream goes into a cold environment to firm quickly and minimize ice crystals.