Strawberry Ice Cream

This strawberry ice cream was made using the following recipe.

Is Strawberry Your Favorite?

If it is, you're gonna love this recipe. The fresh strawberries really give the ice cream a more natural taste. So far, this is my best homemade ice cream recipe.

It reminds me of when I was a kid, living in Germany. My dad was in the U.S. Air Force stationed at Ramstein. Like kids in the states, we would wait to hear the chime of the ice cream truck.

And upon hearing it...

we would immediately start salivating. We were so programmed!

I believe the ice cream was actually Italian ice cream. Very smooth and the flavors intense. Strawberry was my favorite.

To me, there was nothing artificial about the taste.

It was just how strawberry ice cream should taste...

like fresh strawberries.

Well, I can't relive my childhood, but I can revisit a little of the experience every time I eat some ice cream.

1 lb. fresh strawberries divided (1/2 lb. for puree, 1/2 lb. chopped to mix in ice cream)

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar (1/4 cup for puree, 1 cup for ice cream mixture)

2 3/4 cups whipping cream

1 cup whole milk

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Puree:

In a blender or food processor, puree 1/2 lb. of strawberries with 1/4 cup of sugar. Chill in refrigerator.

Ice Cream Mixture:

Combine whipping cream, milk, sugar, and vanilla in a bowl. Mix and dissolve sugar. Place in refrigerator to keep cool while strawberry puree is being chilled.

When the puree is cold, add it to the ice cream mixture. Mix well, then freeze according to your ice cream maker instructions. (Should take about 25 minutes.)

During the last 5 minutes of freezing time, add the chopped strawberries to the ice cream. (If you like, you can mash them a little first. This will help them to not be as hard when frozen.)

When the ice cream is done, serve immediately for a soft ice cream , or transfer to smaller containers and freeze to harden. I prefer to freeze until firm (at least 2 hrs) and then scoop into a dish.