Square Life Round World

I hope everyone had a happy and safe July 4.  For my readers in other countries, I hope you had a good day as well!  I certainly did!

Earlier in the week, I promised to bring you my homemade blackberry ice cream made with farmers market blackberries and farm fresh eggs.  When I went to make it, I realized I needed 2 pints of blackberries and only had one.  I had a pint of blueberries, also from the farmers market, so I decided to make blackberry/blueberry ice cream instead.  I used a recipe I found on Ree Drummond’s Pioneer Woman blog, which can be found here as inspiration.  I made a few changes, though.  The first, most obvious change being that I used 1 pint each of blueberries and blackberries instead of 2 pints of blackberries. 

Blueberries and blackberries in the sauce pan

I also pureed the berry sauce using an emersion blender before straining.  I wanted to get as much of the berry juices out of them as I could.  I didn’t want to use a blender or food processor, though, because as powerful as those appliances are, I was afraid it would pulverize the blackberry seeds, making for a gritty ice cream.  Smooth was what I was going for, not gritty.  I also used an extra egg yolk than her recipe calls for.  Finally, instead of putting the whole cup of sugar in the half and half to heat, I put half of it in the egg yolks when I beat them.  I think the friction the sugar granules create help to get the eggs light and frothy sooner.  Oh, and one more thing, I added vanilla flavoring after the mixture was cooked.  Her recipe doesn’t call for vanilla flavoring.

I seriously had a hard time keeping my spoon out of this while it was churning.

After it’s done churning, I like to put my ice cream in a plastic container and freeze until it’s scoopable.

Whenever I make homemade ice cream, I also like to make little pizelle cups to eat it out of. 

Pizelle Cups, like waffle cups, only made with a pizelle iron instead of a waffle cone iron

I don’t have a waffle cone maker, but I have a pizzelle cookie iron.  Pizzelles are little flat Italian wafer cookies made using an iron with a pretty flower design on it.  They are delicate and crisp, and they are very similar in taste and texture to a waffle cone.  So, I used a basic waffle cone batter, and while each cookie was still hot, I shaped it into a cup using a small ramekin.  It was the perfect vessel for holding 2 small scoops of my yummy deliciousness. 

Pizelle Cups with Homemade Black-and-Blue-Berry Ice Cream

So, here are the recipes I used for both the ice cream and the cookie cups.  The ice cream recipe is the one I re-wrote with my adaptations, but if you want Ree’s original recipe, see the link above.  I have no idea where I got the waffle cone batter recipe.  I’ve used it for years, and I just have notes scratched on a piece of paper, so I’m sorry I cannot give original credit.  Hope you enjoy!

Homemade Black-and-Blue-Berry Ice Cream

• 1 pint fresh blackberries
• 1 pint fresh blueberries
•  juice of 1 lemon
• 1 1/4 cup of sugar, divided
• 6 egg yolks
• 1 1/2 cup half and half
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 t vanilla flavoring

Place the berries, the lemon juice and 1/4 cup of sugar in a saucepan and cook over medium low heat for about 25 minutes.  Puree using an emersion blender and strain through a fine mesh strainer, discarding the solids.  Set the berry liquid aside while preparing the custard mixture.

Place the egg yolks and 1/2 cup sugar in a bowl and beat with an electric hand mixer until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.  Heat the half and half, heavy cream, and remaining 1/2 cup sugar in a saucepan over medium low heat until the sugar is melted and the cream is heated.  Be careful not to boil.  Add a half cup of the cream mixture into the egg mixture and beat to temper.  Then add the tempered egg mixture to the rest of the cream mixture and continue cooking gently over medium low heat until the mixture is thick and coats the back of a wooden spoon.  Remove from heat and add the vanilla flavoring and the berry liquid to combine.  Strain through a fine mesh strainer, just to make sure the mixture is as smooth as possible.  Transfer to a plastic airtight container and place in the refrigerator to chill overnight.  Once chilled, freeze according to your ice cream maker’s manufacturer’s directions. 

Homemade Waffle Cone Batter

• 3 T melted butter
• 1 whole egg
• 2 egg whites
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 cup flour
• 1 t vanilla flavoring

Place the egg, egg whites, and sugar in a bowl and beat with a whisk until light and fluffy.  Whisk in the melted butter until combined and add the vanilla flavoring.  With a spoon, mix in the flour until combined.  The mixture will be very thick and pasty.  Cook the batter according to your waffle cone iron or pizelle iron’s manufacturer’s directions.  While hot, shape around the cone form or a cup, whichever you are making.  Be sure to work quickly because it will cool and harden quickly.

I cannot tell you how delicious this ice cream was.  I may go so far as to say it is the best ice cream I’ve ever made/eaten.  I see another batch in my future before berry season is over.  If you make it, please let me know what you think. 

What’s your favorite homemade ice cream?

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