Blueberry ice cream is a delightful treat that combines the rich creaminess of custard with the sweet, fruity flavor of blueberries. This homemade recipe is not only simpler than you might think, but it also delivers a refreshing dessert perfect for any occasion.
This blueberry ice cream uses a custard base, which involves cooking eggs and cream on the stovetop. While this method requires a bit more effort compared to some of my simpler, non-custard ice cream recipes, the incredible flavor it produces is well worth the extra time and attention.
Preparing the Blueberries
You can choose fresh or frozen blueberries in this recipe, but I prefer frozen ones. They chop more easily in a food processor and assist in cooling the ice cream after preparing the custard. Finely chopping the blueberries creates a lovely blue-lavender hue in the ice cream.
Setting Up an Ice Bath for Blueberry Ice Cream
To begin, fill a large mixing bowl halfway with ice and water.
Next, pour the whipping cream into a medium-sized mixing bowl. Carefully nestle this bowl into the ice water bath of the larger bowl to keep it cold. Add ice to ensure the whipping cream bowl remains stable if needed.
Finally, place a fine-mesh strainer over the bowl with the cream, as shown in the image below.
To set up the ice bath, place a large bowl filled with ice and water on the countertop; then nestle a smaller bowl containing the cream on top of the ice. A fine-mesh strainer should be positioned over the cream bowl to strain the cooked custard.
Heating the Half and Half
Once the ice water bath is prepared, pour the half-and-half, salt, and sugar into a medium-sized saucepan.
Heat the mixture over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves.
Warm it until small bubbles appear around the pan’s edges, which should take about 4 minutes.
Then, remove the saucepan from the heat.
Heat the half and half until small bubbles form around the perimeter of the pan. Do not boil!
Tempering the Eggs for Blueberry Ice Cream
The next step involves tempering the eggs by gradually whisking in half of the warm cream. This technique ensures the eggs don’t scramble and ruin the custard.
Start by placing the egg yolks in a small electric chopper and blending them for a few seconds.
Then, while whisking continuously, slowly pour in half of the heated half-and-half into the bowl containing the egg yolks.
Keep whisking until the mixture is thoroughly blended and smooth.
Whisk the warm cream into the eggs gradually, adding it in a small stream while whisking continuously. This technique will help prevent the eggs from cooking into small pieces, ensuring a smooth custard.
Cooking the Custard
Pour the egg and half-and-half mixture into the saucepan containing the remaining half-and-half, whisking continuously as you do so.
Next, insert a food thermometer and heat the mixture over low heat, stirring constantly until it thickens and reaches a temperature of 175-180°F. This process should take approximately 4-6 minutes.
Make sure to stir continuously and scrape the bottom of the pan while you mix. Avoid boiling the mixture. I recommend switching from a whisk to a heat-safe spatula during the custard cooking process, as this will make it easier to thoroughly scrape the bottom and sides of the pan as the custard thickens.
Once the custard has reached the appropriate temperature, remove it from the heat and pass it through the strainer into the cold cream resting in the ice bath.
Pass the custard through the strainer, discarding any solid pieces left behind. Stir the mixture thoroughly, then gently fold in the chopped blueberries.
Blueberry ice cream mix that has been cooled over ice water.
The chopped blueberries will give the mixture a delightful lavender hue! Insert the thermometer and allow the custard to cool to 70°F; it will chill rapidly in the ice water.
Next, transfer the ice cream mixture to the freezer for 2 hours or the refrigerator for 4 hours. This chilling process ensures the mixture is cold enough for freezing in an ice cream maker.
Once sufficiently chilled, pour the mixture into the ice cream maker and follow the manufacturer’s instructions to churn the ice cream.
After the ice cream maker has finished its cycle or turned off, spoon the ice cream into a lidded container and freeze it for at least 4 hours. Enjoy your delicious homemade treat!
Place the blueberries in a food processor (or another chopper) and chop until fine. Pour into a bowl and stir in 1/4 cup of sugar. Set aside.
Custard
Fill a large mixing bowl halfway with ice and water. Nestle a medium-sized bowl into the ice bath, adding more ice if needed to keep it stable. Pour one cup of whipping cream into the medium bowl, then place a fine-mesh strainer on top.
Add the half-and-half, salt, and sugar to a medium saucepan. Over low to medium heat, gently warm the half and half, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves. Heat it just until small bubbles begin to form around the edges of the pan, approximately 4 minutes. Then, remove the saucepan from the heat.
Place the egg yolks in a medium-sized bowl and whisk until smooth. Slowly, and while whisking, pour 1/2 of the warm half and half into the egg yolks. Whisk constantly until well blended.
Pour the egg mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining half-and-half, whisking as you pour. Insert a food thermometer and heat the mixture on low heat until it thickens and reaches 175-180°F. This will take about 4-6 minutes. Be sure to stir constantly and scrape the bottom of the pan as you stir. Do not boil. When the custard reaches temperature, remove it from the heat and pour it into the cold cream through the strainer.
Stir the mixture and add the chopped blueberries. Stir again. Insert the thermometer and let the custard cool to 70°F. Then, chill the ice cream mixture in a freezer for 2 hours or a refrigerator for 4 hours.
Then, add the cold mixture to an ice cream freezer and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions.
When the ice cream finishes freezing, place it in a container with a lid and into a freezer for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Notes
Yield
Makes about eight 1/2 cup servings.
Half and Half
Half-and-half is half cream and half whole milk. You can buy it ready-made or make your own by mixing whipping cream and whole milk. This recipe calls for 2 cups of half and half, which equals 1 cup of whipping cream and 1 cup of whole milk.
Measuring Blueberries
Measure the blueberries after chopping them.
Variations
After the ice cream thickens in the ice cream maker, but before it is done, you can add in small sugar cookie pieces or pound cake. Then, continue churning the ice cream until it is frozen.
