Strawberry buttermilk ice cream
Plus a little ice cream FAQ!
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I’ve been chasing my ultimate strawberry ice cream ever since I started churning my own about 4 years ago. Simple flavors are always the trickiest to nail, you know? Finally — this is it. Bright yet creamy, with no jarring chunks of tasteless strawberry ice.
But before we get to the recipe, I wanted to answer a few FAQ’s that come up every time I post an ice cream photo or recipe. If you have other ice cream q’s, please leave them in the comments!
What ice cream maker do you use?
I have only ever used the Cuisinart Ice-20 (the predecessor to the popular Cuisinart Ice-21) and I love it. It’s simple and affordable (under $100!) and has never broken down in the 4+ years I’ve owned it (and I wasn’t the original owner!). Many of the ice cream books I own specifically state that their recipes are tested using this machine because it is so popular.
The drawback to this machine (and most entry-level home ice cream makers) is that you must freeze the bowl for 24 hours before churning your ice cream base. If you have the space, I highly recommend buying an extra freezer bowl and keeping one in the freezer all the time — that way you can make ice cream more on-demand.
If I were to ever upgrade my ice cream machine, I would consider something with a built-in self-refrigerating compressor such as the Cuisinart Ice-100 or the Breville Smart Scoop. (Or the Lello 4080, my dream machine.) This would eliminate the need for pre-freezing bowls and allow me churn multiple batches back-to-back. However, these machines are considerably more expensive than the Ice-21 and probably not worth the investment if you’re just a casual ice cream maker.
Why do you use corn syrup / milk powder / xanthan gum?
Short answer: Texture and shelf life.
Longer answer: All these ingredients help bind water, which ultimately leads to a smoother, less icy scoop. When making ice cream at home, most of us don’t have the advantage of equipment that churns and freezes the ice cream before large ice crystals start forming (this is what leads to that perception of iciness — large ice crystals).
You can omit these ingredients (or replace the corn syrup with an equal weight of more granulated sugar) if you wish, but I’ve found that just a small amount of these ingredients — which are easy to find in my local grocery store — greatly improve the texture and shelf life of homemade ice cream. If you opt not to use them, your ice cream should still taste good though perhaps a little icier; and I would recommend eating it within a few days of churning.
Also, if you have concerns about using corn syrup, please note that it is NOT the same thing as high fructose corn syrup. I encourage you to read this article about invert sugars in ice cream and sorbet by Max Falkowitz and this FAQ on corn syrup by David Lebovitz, then decide for yourself if you want to use it.
How do I start creating my own ice cream flavors?
I first recommend finding some base recipes you love, then start building off those. Mix-ins are the easiest place to start — try layering jams and some kind of crunchy element into a plain base (see Rhubarb and Toasted Oat Ice Cream / Toast and Jam Ice Cream). Just consider how the texture of your mix-in changes when frozen or suspended in liquid: if they’ll turn to ice (i.e. fresh fruit) or go soggy (i.e. feuilletine), you’ll either need to find a way to transform them so they’re freezer-friendly or use them as sundae toppers.
Infusions are another fun way to create new flavors — think coffee / tea / herbs / spices (see Toasted Milk Ice Cream or Chocolate-freckled Coffee and Rye Whisky Ice Cream). Time and temperature are your variables here: some ingredients benefit from a slow, cold infusion while others are best short and hot. See this Food52 article from Alice Medrich for some excellent infusion guidance!
You can also experiment with swapping in different dairy (or non-dairy) products or fruit purees. To avoid needing to tinker too much with other ingredients, try keeping your swaps similar in fat / sugar content. For example, try subbing in creme fraiche or coconut milk for heavy cream; or try a roasted peach or raspberry puree instead of strawberries in the recipe I’m sharing today.
What if I don’t have an ice cream maker?
You can try this popular method for making ice cream without a machine, though the final product will likely be icier.
Before I had a machine, I would make things like semifreddo and parfait, which don’t rely on churning — relying on whipped eggs for air, they have a lighter texture than churned ice cream, and are delicious in their own right. (Think of them as frozen mousses.) Personally, I prefer their textures to classic “no churn” style ice creams made using condensed milk + whipped cream.
More resources
If you’re really interested in digging deeper into ice cream science and understanding, I highly recommend the cookbook Hello, My Name is Ice Cream by Dana Cree. It’s full of both creative recipes and in-depth (but approachable) explanations. It’s by far the ice cream cookbook I open most often.
Other ice cream books that I enjoy include:
Strawberry Buttermilk Ice Cream
Makes about 1 liter/quart
Ingredients:
For the strawberry purée:
350g strawberries, fresh or frozen (if fresh, weigh after cleaned and hulled)
For the strawberry buttermilk ice cream base:
250g strawberry purée
150g buttermilk
1/4 tsp malic or citric acid (don’t skip this; it really brightens the flavor)1
120g granulated sugar
1/4 tsp xanthan gum
20g nonfat milk powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt
40g corn syrup
380g heavy cream (35%)
Method:
Make the strawberry puree: (If starting with frozen berries, skip to the next step.) If starting with fresh strawberries, place cleaned and hulled berries in a single layer on a sheet tray. Freeze until solid, about 4 hours. I know it’s counterintuitive, but freezing and thawing breaks down the cell walls of the berries and helps them release even more intense flavor (a tip I learned from Dana Cree).
Place the frozen berries in a blender or food processor and defrost for about 45 minutes, or until 75% defrosted. Blend until smooth and liquified. Pass the berry puree through a sieve and discard the seeds. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Make the ice cream base: In a medium container or glass measuring cup, combine 250g strawberry puree, buttermilk, and malic/citric acid. Whisk to combine. Refrigerate while you prepare the rest of the base.
Set a strainer over a shallow metal or glass bowl. Prepare an ice bath by filling a large bowl two-thirds full with ice and very cold water.
In a medium saucepan, whisk together the sugar, xanthan gum, milk powder, and salt until well combined. Whisk in the corn syrup and heavy cream. Heat over medium-low heat, whisking occasionally, until the mixture is steaming and the sugar is dissolved.
Strain the mixture into the prepared bowl. Place over the ice bath and chill until cool to the touch, stirring occasionally.
Once the cream base is cool, remove from the ice bath and whisk in the strawberry-buttermilk mixture. The base will thicken due to the acid. Transfer the base to a clean container. Cover and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, at least 4 hours.
Before churning, place the container for your finished ice cream in the freezer (I like to use a 9x5 loaf pan). Churn the base according to the instructions for your machine, until the mixture has the texture of soft serve (about 20-25 minutes for my machine). Immediately transfer to the cold container. Press a piece of parchment paper against the surface of the ice cream so it adheres. Freeze until firm, about 4 hours. Ice cream will keep for up to 3 months.
For this particular ice cream, I like to use malic acid as it’s naturally extracted from berries. Oftentimes you can find small quantities of malic acid at home brewing shops!
Is it possible to use lemon juice instead of the acids?