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Strawberry Ice Cream scooped into bowls

Strawberry Sour Cream Ice Cream

There are some secrets to great ice cream. It doesn't have to be complicated or difficult, but having the right ingredients, technique and equipment can go a long way toward success. Here are 5 tips for creamy ice cream every time and a recipe for my family's favorite strawberry sour cream ice cream. This recipe comes from The Perfect Scoop: Ice Creams, Sorbets, Granitas, and Sweet Accompaniments.
Course: ice cream
Author: David Lebovitz

Ingredients

  • 1 lb (450g) strawberries, fresh or frozen (cleaned and hulled if fresh)
  • 3/4 cup (150g) sugar
  • 2 tbsp vodka or kirsch
  • 1 cup (240g) sour cream
  • 1 cup (250ml) heavy cream
  • 1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract Homemade Vanilla Recipe

Instructions

  • If you are using frozen berries, place them in a bowl and cover with the sugar and vodka. Let them sit until the sugar mostly dissolves, you'll want to toss them a few times as they sit. By the time they thaw and the sugar dissolves the fruit will have released much of its juices.
  • For fresh berries, slice them before you toss them with the sugar and vodka.
  • David says to cook the berries and sugar, but I skipped this step because I used frozen berries. If you are using fresh strawberries it is a good idea to break them down a bit by cooking them for a few minutes. if you do, you'll need to let it cool before proceeding.
  • Place the strawberries in a blender or food processor with the sour cream. Pulse until they are combined and the strawberries are broken up, but not pureed, you want some small chunks left in the mix.
  • Remove from the food processor and whisk in the cream, lemon juice and vanilla. Refrigerate the ice cream mixture for an hour before freezing.
  • Follow your machine's instructions for freezing the ice cream.
  • It will be frozen, but still soft and not at all grainy, just beyond soft serve.

Notes

Storing the ice cream: I put an empty Pullman Loaf Pan in the freezer, so it would be cold when I put the ice cream in it. Freeze until ready to serve. The pullman pan comes with a lid, so it is a great way to store the ice cream. I always place parchment or plastic directly on the ice cream so it won't get freezer burn. As if it would last long enough to get freezer burn.
Serving the ice cream: This seems like a silly tip, but how you serve the ice cream will make a big difference. If you can serve it within an hour of churning it, that is ideal. But, that isn't always possible. If you remove the ice cream from the freezer and it is very hard, you'll want to let it sit for up to 10 minutes or longer for super dense ice cream. This will "temper" the ice cream and put it at a nice consistency for scooping and eating. If it is too cold it won't scoop nicely and you won't taste the subtle flavors.