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Thursday, June 7, 2012

Roasted Strawberry Buttermilk Ice Cream

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I love what buttermilk does to muffins, breads, even cookies (!), so I was very intrigued when I was flipping through the pages of my Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams at Home book and saw that this ice cream included buttermilk. I had already made strawberry cheesecake ice cream, as part of my peanut butter and jelly ice cream cheesecakes, but this was a completely different version, and with strawberries begging to be purchased every time I visit the grocery store, I couldn't resist!

My friend Mike declared this ice cream "legit", commenting that it was worthy of being sold in an ice cream shop! He's right on, given that Jeni does indeed sell this ice cream at her shops in locations across Ohio and Nashville. For those of us who aren't lucky enough to pop into Jeni's whenever we please, this is a mighty fine replacement! The ice cream is smooth and creamy, as all of Jeni's recipes have been, with a fresh strawberry flavor and a subtle tang from the buttermilk. Fruity ice creams aren't usually my first choice, but this one seems to have changed my mind!

One Year Ago: Parmesan Asparagus with Poached Eggs
Two Years Ago: Prosciutto Wrapped Pears with Blue Cheese

Roasted Strawberry Buttermilk Ice Cream
from jeni's splendid ice creams at home

Ingredients:
for the roasted strawberries-
-1 pint strawberries, hulled and sliced 1/2-inch thick
-1/3 cup sugar
-3 tbsp fresh lemon juice

for the ice cream base-
-1 1/2 cups whole milk (I used half and half)
-2 tbsp cornstarch
-2 oz (4 tbsp) cream cheese, softened
-1/8 tsp fine sea salt
-1 1/4 cups heavy cream
-2/3 cup sugar
-2 tbsp light corn syrup
-1/4 cup buttermilk

Directions:
1. To roast the strawberries, preheat the oven to 375F. Mix the strawberries with the sugar and place in an 8-inch square glass or ceramic baking dish, stirring to combine. Roast for 8 minutes, just until soft. Allow to cool slightly.
2. In a food processor or a blender, puree the strawberries with the lemon juice. Measure 1/2 cup of the pureed mixture and refrigerate the rest for another use (I threw it in a smoothie).
3. To make the ice cream base, mix 2 tbsp of the milk with the cornstarch in a small bowl, mixing to make a smooth slurry. In a separate large bowl, whisk together the cream cheese and salt. Set aside.
4. Fill a large bowl with ice and water and set aside.
5. In a 4-quart saucepan, combine the remaining milk, the cream, sugar, and corn syrup, heating to a rolling boil over medium-high heat. Boil for 4 minutes. Remove from heat and gradually whisk in the cornstarch slurry. Return the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring with a heatproof spatula, cooking until slightly thickened (about 1 minute). Remove from heat.
6. Gradually whisk the hot milk mixture into the cream cheese, whisking until smooth. Stir in the 1/2 cup strawberry puree and buttermilk, mixing well. Pour the mixture into a gallon Ziploc freezer bag and submerge the sealed bag into the ice water. Allow to stand for about 30 minutes, until chilled.
7. Churn ice cream according to ice cream maker instructions. Pack the ice cream into an airtight storage container and freeze until firm, at least 4 hours.