(Mostly) Blackberry Frozen Custard

So we bought a bunch of fresh blackberries with the intention of making ice cream, only to come home and realize that we had no less than 4 partially full bags of frozen berries in the freezer. Apparently we never remember if we have any or not when we go to buy ingredients for making ice cream. So the recipe kind of turned into mostly blackberries, plus some raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries.

I was poking around the web and found a great recipe. I changed it just a bit, and it turned out pretty great, even in our inexpensive ice cream maker. (NOTE: Yes, mom, I remembered to put the blade in the ice cream maker this time).


Blackberry Frozen Custard

4 cups whole blackberries (or other berries; fresh or frozen)
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups half and half
4 large egg yolks
1 tablespoon lemon juice

First off, make sure you chill/freeze the ice cream container for at least 1-2 hours. If I think far enough ahead (read: never), I like to leave it in the freezer overnight).

Mix blackberries and 1/2 cup sugar in small saucepan. Bring to low boil, simmer 5 minutes to dissolve sugar and break up berries. Cool slightly. Puree in blender. Press puree through fine sieve to remove seeds. Discard seeds. Set puree aside. (NOTE: The original recipe called for 1 cup of sugar here, but I like the tartness of the berries, so I only used 1/2 cup. Also, I didn't remove the seeds because I like the texture, but there are LOT of seeds in blackberries, so I would recommend at least a cursory sifting of the puree).


In a medium size saucepan heat the half and half and 1 cup sugar until the sugar granules have disappeared. Pour the cream into a large bowl and set a mesh strainer over the top of it. In another bowl whisk together the egg yolks. Pour some of the warm half and half mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly. Add in the rest of the half and half mixture and whisk to combine. Pour this back into the saucepan and stir constantly over medium heat until the mixture coats the back of the spoon. Pour the mixture through the strainer into the cream and mix to combine. Add in the blackberry puree and the lemon juice and stir until cool over an ice bath. Chill in the fridge for 2-4 hours and then churn as directed by your ice cream machine.


A delicious dessert (even in February)! Admittedly, it WAS a lot more ice creamy than custardy (it was softer than a good frozen custard should be), so we'll play with that. Still, I highly recommend it.