Ice Cream & Sorbets Recipe

Warm dairy

In a medium saucepan, combine whole milk, heavy cream, granulated sugar, and invert sugar (if using). Warm over medium heat until the mixture is steaming and sugar is dissolved, about 5–7 minutes. Do not boil.

Temper eggs

In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks until smooth. Slowly pour about 1/2 cup of the warm milk mixture into the yolks while whisking constantly to temper. Then slowly whisk the tempered yolk mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk mixture.

Cook custard

Cook the mixture over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom, until it thickens slightly and coats the spatula (nappe), about 5–8 minutes. The custard should reach about 170–175°F (77–80°C). Do not boil or scramble the eggs.

Strain & cool

Remove from heat and strain the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove any cooked bits. Stir in vanilla extract and sea salt. Cool to room temperature, then cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight. Chilling improves texture.

Churn

Once chilled, churn the custard in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions until it reaches soft-serve consistency (typically 20–30 minutes depending on machine). If adding mix-ins (chopped chocolate or nuts), add them in the last 2–3 minutes of churning so they distribute evenly.

Harden

Transfer churned ice cream to a shallow, airtight container. Smooth the top, press a sheet of parchment onto the surface to minimize ice crystals, and freeze for at least 4 hours (preferably overnight) to harden.

Make simple syrup

Combine water and granulated sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer and stir until sugar dissolves completely. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.

Purée fruit

In a blender or food processor, purée the raspberries until smooth. Pass the purée through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing with a spatula to remove seeds. You should have about 3 to 3 1/2 cups of seedless purée.

Combine & balance

Stir the cooled simple syrup, lemon juice, corn syrup (if using), and sea salt into the seedless raspberry purée. Taste and adjust sweetness or acidity: add more sugar if too tart, or more lemon juice for brightness. Chill the mixture thoroughly (at least 2 hours) before churning.

Churn

Churn the chilled sorbet base in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions until it is thick and slushy (usually 20–30 minutes).

Freeze firm

Spoon the sorbet into a shallow, airtight container, smooth the top, press parchment onto the surface, and freeze for at least 2–4 hours to firm up before scooping.

Scooping: For best single-scoop presentation, chill serving bowls or cones briefly. Dip your scoop in hot water and dry between scoops for clean balls. For a 'Single 6/Double 9' offering (menu indexing indicating single-scoop or double-scoop portions), portion accordingly: single = about 1/2 cup (approx. 115 g) scoop; double = two scoops (~1 cup).

Storage: Keep ice cream in the coldest part of the freezer. Press plastic wrap or parchment onto the surface before sealing to reduce ice crystals. Sorbets are best consumed within 2–3 weeks for fresh fruit flavor.

Optional finishes: Sprinkle chopped chocolate or toasted nuts over vanilla before serving, or garnish sorbet with a mint leaf and a few fresh berries.