Ingredients
Vanilla Ice Cream Base
- 625 g heavy cream
- 250 g whole milk
- 130 g sugar
- 2 vanilla beans (Tahitian)
- 2 tsp corn starch
- 1/4 tsp salt
Roasted Strawberries
- 500 g strawberries (cleaned, left whole)
- 45 g sugar
- 7 g vanilla paste
- 2 tsp balsamic vinegar (good quality)
Sweet Lime Basil Emulsion
- 35 g basil leaves
- 1½ limes, juice only
- 2 tbsp Demerara sugar
- 1 tbsp olive oil (extra virgin)
Instructions
- Roast the Strawberries: Place the whole cleaned strawberries on a baking tray. Add sugar, vanilla paste, and balsamic vinegar, mixing gently until evenly coated. Bake at 200ºC (392ºF) for about 1 hour or until the strawberries have evaporated most of their water, becoming creamy and jam-like in consistency. Let cool completely.
- Process the Roasted Strawberries: Once cooled, lightly process the roasted strawberries using a small food processor or a handheld mixer to achieve a slightly chunky jam-like texture.
- Prepare the Corn Starch Mixture: Take 50 g of whole milk and mix with the corn starch until smooth and lump-free. Set aside.
- Make the Vanilla Ice Cream Base: In a cooking pot, combine heavy cream, whole milk (except the 50 g reserved), sugar, vanilla beans (split and seeds scraped), and salt. Bring to a simmer while whisking continuously. Add the corn starch-milk mixture to the pot, whisking constantly, and cook at simmer for 1 minute. Remove from heat and let sit at room temperature for at least 1 hour.
- Strain and Chill the Ice Cream Base: Strain the mixture into a clean glass bowl. Cover with cling film directly on the surface to prevent a milk skin from forming. Cool completely in the refrigerator.
- Prepare the Ice Cream Machine: Place the empty ice cream container in the freezer to chill ahead of churning.
- Churn the Ice Cream: Once the base is completely cooled, churn it according to your ice cream machine’s instructions until it reaches a soft-serve consistency.
- Make the Sweet Lime Basil Emulsion: Roughly chop basil leaves and place them in a mortar and pestle. Add Demerara sugar and the juice of half a lime. Pound until the mixture forms a creamy paste. Add the remaining lime juice and extra virgin olive oil and continue mixing until creamy and emulsified.
- Assemble the Ice Cream: Remove the ice cream container from the freezer. Layer the ingredients in the container starting with the vanilla ice cream base, then a layer of the sweet lime basil emulsion, followed by a layer of roasted strawberries. Repeat layering evenly, finishing with a layer of vanilla ice cream on top.
- Marble the Layers: Using a thin, long knife, insert it into the ice cream and make several zigzag motions along the container to create a marbled effect with the layers.
- Freeze to Set: Cover the container and place it in the freezer until fully frozen and firm, approximately 1–2 hours.
Notes
- Note 1: Cooling the roasted strawberries completely is essential for proper consistency and to integrate smoothly into the ice cream layers.
- Note 2: Letting the ice cream base sit at room temperature before chilling allows flavors to meld and improves texture.
- Note 3: The lime basil emulsion adds a unique fresh herbal citrus flavor that complements the sweetness of the strawberries and vanilla.
- Note 4: Extra virgin olive oil enhances the creaminess and richness of the emulsion without overpowering the other flavors.
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
