Today I am 41 weeks plus two days, and trying to be as patient as possible as I wait for signs that our baby is going to show up. Staying busy and taking long walks has been the best way to keep my mind busy, especially knowing that it can help things progress. It feels like some things are changing a little, so I am taking that as a good sign.
We decided to head to the Farmer's Market. There we found freshly harvested blackberries, and with the humidity returning, I decided to make today's ice cream recipe study Blackberry Basil Ice Cream. It turned out to be a nice combination, not to mention a delicious way to cool the palate. Who knows, maybe we'll discover that basil and blackberries can help induce labor...
BLACKBERRY BASIL ICE CREAM
This recipe makes about 1 quart
INGREDIENTS
Blackberry Sauce
- 2 cups fresh blackberries, washed
- 1 cup sugar
Ice Cream
- A small handful of fresh basil, roughly torn into small pieces
- 2 cups whole milk
- 2 tbsp light corn syrup
- 1-1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 tbsp plus 1 tsp cornstarch
- 3 tbsp cream cheese, softened
- 1/8 tsp fine sea salt
- 2/3 cup sugar
Blackberry Sauce Directions
In a saucepan, combine blackberries and sugar. Stirring occasionally, bring to a boil over medium-high for 5-8 minutes. Blend in a food processor if you prefer a thinner sauce. Using a sieve, strain out the seeds. Refrigerate until cold before using.
Ice Cream Directions
- Mix 2 tbsp of the milk with the cornstarch in a small bowl to make a smooth slurry.
- Soften the cream cheese and whisk until smooth. Fill a large bowl with ice and water.
- Combine the remaining milk, cream, sugar, salt and corn syrup in a 4-qt saucepan, bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat and boil for 4 minutes. Remove from heat and gradually whisk in the cornstarch slurry.
- Return mixture to a boil over medium-high heat and cook, stirring until the mixture is slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat.
- Gradually whisk the hot milk mixture into the cream cheese until smooth. Add the basil. Pour the mixture into a 1-gallon Ziploc freezer bag and submerge the sealed bag into the ice bath. Let stand, adding more ice as necessary until cold, about 30 minutes.
- Strain out the basil. Pour blackberry sauce and ice cream base into the frozen canister and spin until thick and creamy.
- Press a sheet of parchment directly against the surface and seal with an airtight lid. Freeze in the coldest part of your freezer until firm, at least 4 hours.