The best dessert for a hot summer day has to be homemade ice cream, made with seasonal fruits.
Making ice cream from fresh fruit is easy. Just mix pureed fruit with cream and sugar, and pour it into an ice cream machine. Our top choices are fresh fig ice cream and mango ice cream.
Equally enticing to us is classic vanilla ice cream garnished with summer fruit. For such flavors as vanilla, chocolate, coffee or caramel, we prefer to make ice cream the French way, from a cooked custard, the way we learned to prepare it at cooking school in Paris.
In order to obtain smooth ice cream, you need to churn-freeze the mixture; that is, the mixture must be stirred while it is being frozen to prevent ice crystals from forming. That’s what ice cream machines do. The time required to turn the mixture into ice cream varies with the different kinds of ice cream makers. Although the ice cream keeps for several weeks in the freezer, it is the most luscious when it is fresh.
The ice creams here are rich, so you might want to serve small portions. We enjoy eating them with simple accompaniments. Fruit ice cream is perfect garnished with a few slices of the same fruit. With vanilla ice cream we like to serve sweet fresh fruit and sometimes toasted nuts, chocolate chips or cocoa nibs, or a light drizzle of fruit sauce, chocolate sauce or caramel sauce.
Tips:
- Ice cream that has just come out of the machine is irresistible but is soft and melts easily. That’s why it is useful to have a chilled bowl or container ready in the freezer so that you can spoon the finished ice cream into it right away. Freeze it for two hours or until firm, and it will still be at its best. For longer storage, pack the ice cream in a container and cover it tightly.
- If homemade ice cream has become too hard after being stored in the freezer, here’s how you can soften it before serving: Chill a food processor bowl and blade in the refrigerator. Puree the ice cream, about 2 cups at a time, for a few seconds. The softened ice cream can be returned to the freezer and will remain soft for one or two hours.
- To make ice cream without an ice cream machine: (This method is somewhat tedious and not quite as good as using an ice cream maker but it works.) Freeze the ice cream mixture in metal trays or shallow cake pans. Meanwhile, chill a food processor bowl and blade in the refrigerator. When the ice cream mixture is almost completely frozen, puree it (in batches if necessary) until it is smooth. Return the mixture to the metal tray and freeze it until it is firm. Transfer the ice cream to an airtight container, pack it down, and cover it tightly.
Fig Ice Cream, Two Ways
You can use any variety of figs that are sweet and have tender skins. We usually use Black Mission Figs, which have purple skins and red flesh. Be sure the figs are ripe. Follow the Creamy Fig Ice Cream recipe below, or, for a lighter ice cream with a more intense fig flavor and deeper color, follow the Figgier version.
Yield: 2 1/2 to 3 cups
INGREDIENTS
1 pound ripe Mission figs
For Creamy Fig Ice Cream:
2 cups half and half or heavy cream
6 tablespoons sugar, or to taste
or
For Figgier Ice Cream:
1/2 cup heavy cream
4 tablespoons sugar, or to taste
PROCEDURE
1. Cut off the fig stem bits. Halve the figs, or quarter them if they are large.
2. In a food processor, process the figs to a smooth puree. (You will need about 2 cups puree.) Transfer puree to a medium bowl.
3. Gradually stir half and half or cream into the puree, followed by the sugar, until they are completely blended in. Taste, and add more sugar if desired.
4. Pour mixture into an ice cream machine and and churn-freeze it until set. Meanwhile, chill a medium-size glass or stainless steel bowl or container in freezer. Transfer ice cream quickly to chilled bowl, cover tightly, and keep in the freezer until ready to serve. Soften slightly before serving.
Mango Ice Cream
The best mango ice cream is made from flavorful smooth-fleshed mangoes. Our favorite varieties are the large Kent and Keitt and the smaller Ataulfo mangoes.
Yield: Scant 3 cups
INGREDIENTS
1 very large ripe mango (1 1/2 pounds) or enough mangoes to get 2 2/3 cups mango cubes
1/2 cup heavy cream
5 tablespoons sugar, or to taste
PROCEDURE
1. To prepare the mango: With a sharp heavy knife or a serrated knife, cut the mango in two, cutting slightly to one side of the center to avoid hitting the pit. Then cut the pit section away from the second side. Peel the mango with the aid of a vegetable peeler or paring knife. Cut off the flesh adhering to the pit. Cut the flesh in cubes.
2. In a food processor puree the mango cubes. (You will need about 2 cups puree.) Pour the puree into a medium bowl. Stir in the cream, followed by the sugar. Taste, and add more sugar if you like.
3. Pour mixture into an ice cream machine and and churn-freeze it until set. Meanwhile, chill a medium-size glass or stainless steel bowl or container in freezer. Transfer ice cream quickly to chilled bowl, cover tightly, and keep in freezer until ready to serve. Soften slightly before serving.
Vanilla Bean Ice Cream
If you would like smooth and velvety ice cream with a remarkable vanilla aroma, try this recipe. For a more intense vanilla flavor, scrape the seeds from the vanilla beans into the cream mixture.
Yield: About 5 cups
INGREDIENTS
2 to 4 vanilla beans
2 cups milk
2 cups heavy cream
8 large egg yolks
1 cup sugar
PROCEDURE
1. Split vanilla beans lengthwise and scrape out the seeds. Put beans and seeds in a heavy large saucepan and add milk and cream. Bring mixture to a simmer. Remove from heat, cover and let stand 30 minutes. Reheat to a boil. Remove from heat. Leave vanilla beans in mixture.
2. Have ready a strainer and two large bowls for the custard before you start to cook it.
3. Whisk egg yolks lightly in a large bowl. Add sugar and whisk until smooth. Gradually whisk hot cream mixture into yolk mixture. Return mixture to saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring and scraping bottom of pan constantly with a wooden spoon, until mixture thickens slightly and reaches 165 to 170 degrees on an instant-read thermometer; begin checking after 7 minutes. To check without thermometer, remove pan from heat, dip a metal spoon in sauce and draw your finger across back of spoon — your finger should leave a clear trail in mixture that clings to spoon. If necessary, cook another 1/2 minute and check again.
4. Do not overcook mixture or it will curdle. Pour mixture, with the vanilla beans, immediately into the second large bowl and stir about 1/2 minute to cool it. If mixture has slightly curdled (is not completely smooth), strain it into another bowl. If it still looks curdled, gradually pour mixture (without vanilla beans) into a blender or food processor with the motor running. This will save it. Pour mixture into a clean bowl. Return vanilla beans to mixture.
5. Cool mixture completely, stirring occasionally. Remove vanilla beans. To shorten the time required for the ice cream machine to churn-freeze it, refrigerate the mixture until cold.
6. Pour mixture into an ice cream machine and churn-freeze it until set. Meanwhile, chill a medium-large glass or stainless steel bowl or container in freezer. Transfer ice cream quickly to chilled bowl, cover tightly, and keep in freezer until ready to serve. Soften slightly before serving.
Faye Levy is the author of “Fresh from France: Dessert Sensations.”
