This ice cream screams summer and is a knockout with fresh raspberries. I love raw honey because it’s truly nature’s sugar, but you can certainly use granulated sugar or even coconut sugar. Raspberry jam makes for a quicker, easier process, look for a spread with just the necessary ingredients of raspberries, sugar (or not), pectin (or similar), and citric acid.
The Ingredients
2 cups or 16 ounces heavy whipping cream, whole milk, half & half, or a combination
5 egg yolks
¼ cup of honey or ½ cup of sugar
pinch of salt, optional (but always add a bit of salt to sweet foods!)
½ to ¾ cup of crushed raspberries and/or raspberry jam
The Method
Dissolve the honey in the cream. Combine the milk, cream, and (about) half of the honey or sugar in a pot and bring it just to a boil.
Combine the egg yolks and honey. In a heatproof bowl while the cream heats up, stir together the egg yolks and the remaining half of the honey or sugar until smooth.
Temper the hot cream into the egg yolks. Once the cream just barely boils, slowly drizzle half of it into the egg yolks while stirring constantly. Holding the pot several inches over the bowl will allow the liquid to cool as it streams down. I like to set the bowl on a damp towel to keep it from wiggling. Pour the tempered egg yolk mixture back into the pot with the other half of the cream.
Cook for just a few minutes on low. Stirring constantly, cook the sauce over medium-low heat just until it begins to thicken, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pot constantly. Cook until it thickens slightly and thinly coats the back of your spoon, or reaches around 175° F. Do not let the custard simmer or boil.
Chill until cold. Strain the sauce into a heatproof bowl to remove any cooked egg bits (if there’s a chance you cooked it too long or hot), and chill the sauce until it's very cold, at least four hours, or overnight.
Serving. Ice cream with a lower sugar content will freeze harder. Let the ice cream container sit out at least 15 to 20 minutes before you plan to scoop and serve. Or plan on muscling through it.
Chef’s Tips
On the tempering technique. The act of pouring scalding hot liquid into a cold mixture may evoke apprehension for first-timers. Here is a recipe for vanilla sauce where I explain it in more depth and include step-by-step photos if you find those helpful.
Heat your ice cream scoop. Fill a metal cup or small bowl with the hottest water your tap will give, and set your ice cream scoop in it for a few minutes. A warm scoop will cut through the ice cream a little easier, and dipping it in the water between scoops will keep your portions pretty.
Use any combination of berries or fruit spread. You can use any in-season fruit purée or jam, and the fresher and sweeter the fruit the better.
Don’t toss the egg whites. You can use them for the easy almond cookies, or if you dare, French macarons.
Add booze to make it extra smooth. Since liquor and liqueurs don’t freeze, they lower the freezing point of ice cream which lends a smoother texture less prone to forming crystals. A few tablespoons to a third of a cup is a nice range, depending on your taste.