Few things capture the taste of summer better than a scoop of homemade strawberry ice cream. Bursting with the natural sweetness of ripe, juicy strawberries and balanced by a luxuriously creamy base, this recipe is a celebration of the season’s best fruit. With no artificial flavors or colors—just simple ingredients you can find at your farmers market—it’s the perfect way to cool down on a hot afternoon or to serve as a cheerful dessert at any gathering.
INGREDIENTS:
2 cups chopped strawberries
3/4 cup sugar (divided)
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
7 oz. sweetened condensed milk (half can)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 dash salt
Garnish: Strawberries, halved
METHOD:
Place the ice cream bowl of your ice cream maker in the freezer overnight so it’s fully chilled before use.
In a medium bowl, toss the chopped strawberries with 1/2 cup of the sugar. Let stand for about 15 minutes until the strawberries release their juices.
Blend or pulse the strawberries in a blender or food processor until mostly smooth, leaving a few small chunks if you like texture in your ice cream.
In a large pitcher or mixing bowl, whisk together the strawberry purée, heavy cream, whole milk, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla, salt, and the remaining 1/4 cup sugar until well combined.
Cover and refrigerate the mixture for at least 1 hour, or until thoroughly chilled.
Pour the cold strawberry mixture into the prepared ice cream maker bowl. Churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions, usually 25–30 minutes, until it reaches soft-serve consistency.
For soft-serve ice cream, serve immediately. For firmer ice cream, transfer the mixture to a loaf pan, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and freeze for 6 hours or overnight.
Scoop and serve with extra halved strawberries on top, if desired.
