Summer

Blueberry Ice Cream

by:
July  3, 2021
3.7
3 Ratings
Blueberry Ice Cream
  • Prep time 4 hours 15 minutes
  • Cook time 15 minutes
  • Makes about 1 1/2 quarts
Author Notes

My absolute favorite way to savor wild Maine blueberries is in a bowl, with a generous dousing of milk (not cream) and the lightest shower of sugar. Heaven. But even I, the blueberry purist, will admit that there are occasions that call for something a little more creative -- like a blueberry pie, blueberry jam (which I actually make every year), or, say, blueberry ice cream. Recently, I took Tammy's recipe for Foolproof Ice Cream and did just what she recommends: I threw in my own "add-in" in the form of fresh blueberries. I can't take credit for the original recipe, which is truly a winner, but I can tell you that if you manage to get your hands on some wild Maine blueberries, this is a great way to use them. —Merrill Stubbs

What You'll Need
Watch This Recipe
Blueberry Ice Cream
Ingredients
  • 1 1/2 cups whole milk
  • 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
  • 3/4 cups sugar
  • 4 large egg yolks
  • 1 vanilla bean, or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 pint blueberries, washed and picked over
Directions
  1. Heat the milk and cream in a small saucepan with 1/2 cup of the sugar, stirring occasionally, until it reaches 175 degrees. (Use a candy thermometer -- it's worth being exact here.)
  2. Meanwhile, beat the egg yolks with the remaining sugar until pale yellow and thick. Slowly pour a small amount of the heated milk-cream-sugar mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly as you pour. Whisk the thinned egg yolks back into the saucepan. Scrape the insides of the vanilla bean into the saucepan, or add the extract.
  3. Heat the custard to 180 degrees, stirring constantly (do NOT allow it to boil!). Pour the cooked custard through a fine mesh strainer into a covered container. Chill the custard completely in the fridge and then put it and the the blueberries in a blender. Puree until the berries are broken down and the mixture is violet in color, but a few small shreds of blueberry are still visible. Chill again and then churn according to the instructions for your ice cream maker. Put the ice cream in the freezer in an air-tight container for a couple of hours to harden completely. About 15 minutes, before serving, transfer the ice cream from the freezer to the fridge to soften a little.
Tags:

See what other Food52ers are saying.

  • Dee Qin
    Dee Qin
  • DianneD
    DianneD
  • Fran McGinty
    Fran McGinty
  • Merrill Stubbs
    Merrill Stubbs

Popular on Food52

11 Reviews

Elizabeth
Elizabeth July 9, 2019
This was good, but I felt the vanilla flavor overwhelmed the blueberries. I used vanilla extract rather than beans, so will try again with vanilla beans and see if there’s a difference. Also might dial the sugar back slightly, but certainly a nice recipe if not exactly what I was hoping for.
 
Dee Q.
Dee Q. July 11, 2015
Are these temperatures in fahrenheit?
 
Elizabeth
Elizabeth July 9, 2019
Yes.
 
theletterc
theletterc August 2, 2014
The recipe was easy to follow and turned out well after churning. However! After the second chilling (post-addition of blueberries) the custard base was VERY thick and lumpy, and made me worried that the acid in the blueberries reacted poorly. I think it was just the pectin, though, because it turned out perfectly normal in the end. Just a heads up for anyone else attempting this!
 
C.
C. August 14, 2013
Delicious! I used 1/2 C sugar and my sugar-crazed 13 year old still thought it was perfection.
 
Ely
Ely June 14, 2013

The blueberry ice cream is stunning! I recently made lavender ice cream with lots of vanilla bean. It was a dreary tan color and I added a touch of food color to achieve a pale lavender. Sometimes there is a time and place to use a bit of food coloring! But your blueberry ice cream is just intoxicating! My husband adores blueberries, I will have to suprize him with a bowl of your glorious ice cream!
 
Merrill S.
Merrill S. June 14, 2013
So glad you liked it!
 
danny115
danny115 December 5, 2012
I used 2 cups of heavy cream and 1 cup of 1% milk to avoid buying whole milk and having it left over. Also used frozen blueberries from this past summer, probably closer to a pint and a half than a pint. I added to them to the blender still frozen which cut out the first custard chill period. This stuff is delicious with a very pronounced blueberry flavor. I fear I may have over churned it though as it turned out a bit more airy than other ice creams i've made and added up to more like 2 quarts than 1 1/2. It is still an explosion of blueberry flavor. My local blueberries are the bigger less sweet variety. With the small Maine blueberries I'd probably consider reducing the sugar amount.
 
the M.
the M. July 3, 2012
WOW!!! AMAZING!! This captures the essence of the blueberries so well. Thanks for sharing this treat. It will surely become a fourth of July traditional treat at our family barbecue!
 
DianneD
DianneD July 1, 2012
What a great idea for the 4th! Can't wait to try it out.
 
Fran M.
Fran M. July 13, 2011
HOLY COW This was wonderful. I am embarrassed to say I don't have an Ice cream machine so I used 2 tupperware containers one smaller than the other loaded it with salt and crushed Ice and just moved it around until it got cold and thick and stuck the container in the freezer. I mixed it up occasionally and I am sure If I had the proper Ice cream maker it would have been better. BUT it was great. Thanks for that one.