Once you're familiar with the techniques involved in making ice cream, you can pretty much apply that to any flavor, giving you unlimited opportunities for creativity.

Try it with peaches here.


Blackberries often don't get enough credit. Their flavor is perhaps more subtle than other berries, but in the ice cream I've let it shine.


The basic ice cream method (for non-churn ice creams like this) is a) create your flavor, in this case a fruit puree, b) whisk eggs and sugar over a double boiler, c) whip cream to soft peaks, d) fold the mixtures together, e) freeze.


For the eggs you will need a double boiler. You can easily make one with a pot and a bowl, like this (above). And when done, this is what you want the whisked egg mixture to look like (below).


Grab some cones, a scoop, a few friends, and dig in! Store-bought ice cream pales in comparison.


Ingredients:

  • 1¼ lbs. frozen blackberries (approximately 5 cups)
  • 1½ cups sugar (divided)
  • 1 lemon, juiced
  • 2 eggs
  • 1⅓ cups heavy whipping cream
  • 2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt

Directions:

  1. Place the frozen blackberries, kosher salt, lemon juice, and 1 cup sugar in a pot. Bring to heat and simmer for about 20 minutes. Transfer mixture to a blender or food processor. Puree until smooth. Pass the puree through a fine-mesh strainer and discard the seeds. Place the puree in the fridge to cool.
  2. Create a double boiler, using a bowl and a small pot. Fill the pot with an inch or so of water. Use a bowl large enough to sit over the pot without touching the water. Place the bowl over the pot, and the pot on the stove.
  3. Crack the eggs into the bowl, and whisk to break the yolks. Add ½ cup sugar. Bring the water in the pot to a simmer, and whisk the egg mixture until it thickens, increases in volume, and turns pale yellow (approximately 10–15 minutes). You can use an electric hand mixer to speed up this process. When the mixture is ready, remove bowl from pot and refrigerate 10–20 minutes, until cooled.
  4. Pour the heavy cream into a cold metal bowl. Whip the heavy cream to stiff peaks. Mix in the vanilla extract.
  5. Retrieve egg mixture from the fridge. If it has separated, you may need to whisk it to bring it back together.
  6. Set aside about ¼ cup of blackberry puree. Using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, gently fold the remaining puree into the egg mixture, a couple of tablespoons at a time. Then, in small increments, fold in the whipped cream.
  7. Pour the mixture into a container. Take the reserved blackberry puree and swirl it into the ice cream to create streaks of tart blackberry.
  8. Freeze 8–12 hours, until firm.