Summer, One Scoop at a Time

This summer I've been experimenting with eggless ice cream.

Traditional custard ice cream, also known as French Ice Cream is a bit high maintenance.  Believe me, I know high maintenance...

You must warm the cream and flavors, temper the eggs, lest you want scrambled egg ice cream, reheat the custard to the right temperature so it will set, and cool the whole thing down.  Then you can finally churn away.

No eggs, or Philadelphia style, only requires mixing the flavors together (maybe heat, depends on the intensity of the flavors), chill then churn.

Much easier.

Without the creamy custard you need to use exceptional flavors to make it worthwhile eating.  Well, there's no shortage of flavor in the Okanagan Valley in the summer.

Raspberry Ice Cream

1 1/4 cups raspberries (or blueberries, strawberries, blackberries , or any combination thereof)

2 cups heavy cream

1/3 cup sugar, or less

1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

2 tablespoons OKS raspberry liqueur, or vodka.

1. In a bowl, mash berries with a fork or potato masher until just slightly chunky.

2. In a saucepan over medium-low heat, bring cream to a simmer with the sugar and salt. Taste berries and if they are very tart, add 2 tablespoons sugar to saucepan. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until sugar dissolves. Transfer to a bowl, stir in liqueur and place in refrigerator or in an ice bath to chill.

3. When cold, pour mixture into ice cream machine. Add berries and churn according to manufacturer’s directions.

Immediately out of the ice cream maker it tastes exactly like the best raspberry milkshake you'll ever have.  If you can wait, transfer to a container and freeze until solid, at least 2 hours. Let sit at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes before serving, or better yet, in refrigerator for 15 to 30.

Yield: About a quart.

~adapted from the New York Times