Strawberry Honey Balsamic Ice Cream with Black Pepper

Summer brings long days of sunshine and with it a great excuse to concoct frozen treats. This month’s sweet recipe does just that, with a focus on the ice cream fanatics among us. It comes from Salt & Straw Ice Cream Cookbook by the folks from the eponymously named ice cream shop. Their flavors are amazing, and this recipe for Strawberry Honey Balsamic Ice Cream with Black Pepper blends into wonderful layers of rich sweetness with a touch of acidic tang and peppery spice.

Recipe introduction written by The Splendid Table Managing Producer Sally Swift for our Weekend Kitchen newsletter series. Sign up here to receive our recipe newsletters.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup Strawberry Puree (recipe follows), very cold

• 1/4 cup honey balsamic vinegar, like Honey Ridge Farms or O Olive Oil

• 1/8 teaspoon freshly (and very finely) ground black pepper

• 3 cups Ice Cream Base, very cold (see recipe)

• 3/4 cup your favorite strawberry jam

Salt & Straw Ice Cream Cookbook by Tyler Malek and JJ Goode

Directions

In a bowl, combine the strawberry puree, vinegar, and black pepper with the ice cream base. Whisk as needed to get everything completely incorporated into the base. Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker and turn on the machine. Churn just until it has the texture of soft-serve.

Stir the jam with a fork to loosen it. Quickly alternate spooning layers of the mixture and dollops of the jam in freezer-friendly containers.

Cover with parchment paper, pressing it to the surface of the ice cream so it adheres, then cover with a lid. It’s okay if the parchment hangs over the rim. Store it in the coldest part of your freezer (farthest from the door) until firm, at least 6 hours. It will keep for up to 3 months.

STRAWBERRY PUREE

Makes about 3/4 cup

Ingredients

• 10 ounces (about 1 pint) ripe strawberries, hulled and halved

• 1/4 cup honey

Directions

Heat the oven to 300°F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

Spread the strawberries out evenly on the lined sheet pan and drizzle them with the honey. Bake for 15 minutes. Stir the berries and continue baking until they just barely begin to caramelize and get a little bit of roasted color to them, about 20 minutes more. Remove the sheet pan from the oven and let them sit until they’re cool enough to handle. Transfer the berries to a blender along with the yummy sticky stuff on the parchment paper and puree to make a smooth sauce. Chill in the fridge until cold.

Store the puree in the fridge for up to 2 weeks or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

ICE CREAM BASE

Makes about 3 cups

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar

• 2 tablespoons dry milk powder

• 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum

• 2 tablespoons light corn syrup

• 1 1/3 cups whole milk

• 1 1/3 cups heavy cream

Directions

Combine the sugar, dry milk, and xanthan gum in a small bowl and stir well.

Pour the corn syrup into a medium pot and stir in the whole milk. Add the sugar mixture and immediately whisk vigorously until smooth. Set the pot over medium heat and cook, stirring often and adjusting the heat if necessary to prevent a simmer, until the sugar has fully dissolved, about 3 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat.

Add the cream and whisk until fully combined. Transfer the mixture to an airtight container and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 6 hours, or for even better texture and flavor, 24 hours. Stir the base back together if it separates during the resting time. The base can be further stored in the fridge for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 3 months. (Just be sure to fully thaw the frozen base before using it.)