Homemade Blackberry Ice Cream

   In honor of the beginning of summer, I thought today would be a great day for some fruity, refreshing ice cream. While there are several quick methods that don't require an ice cream maker, it's a million times better if you have one. We just got one at my house, and already I've thought of at least twenty different flavors I want to try. Today, I'll start with blackberry, my favorite of the berry family.

INGREDIENTS:
2 boxes of fresh blackberries (12oz total)
1 cup sugar, divided
2 egg yolks (I use pasteurized eggs for this since they don't get fully cooked.)
3/4 cup whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
the tiniest pinch of cinnamon

DIRECTIONS:
1. In a small saucepan, heat the berries with 1/2 cup of sugar until it just starts to boil, about 5 minutes.

       

2. Puree the berries, either in a food processor or a blender.

3. Strain them through a sieve to remove the seeds. Be patient, you may need to help it through with a spoon for a few minutes.

   

4. In a medium pot, mix the egg yolks with 1/2 cup of sugar and 3/4 cup of milk. Cook this over low heat for 5 minutes or until it just starts to boil. Stir it constantly so you don't end up with scrambled eggs.

5. No matter how careful you are, you will still end up with some small pieces of cooked egg. Run the mixture through a strainer to remove these.

6. Put this strained custard back into the pot and add the cream, vanilla, berry puree, and TINY pinch of cinnamon.

 Heat on low for just a couple minutes to warm the new ingredients and stir until you get a consistent color.

7. Cool this in the fridge for 2 hours. Then run it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.

8. Put the finished ice cream into a sealed container and freeze for at least 4 hours before serving.

     I sometimes find it very amusing to walt through department stores and look at all the unnecessary kitchen appliances that have been invented, but even I'll admit that everyone should have an ice cream maker. Making your own ice cream is a half-day project, but that doesn't mean it's difficult. It's absolutely worth your time, and once you learn this basic method, the flavor possibilities are endless!