Description
A delightful and refreshing dessert featuring creamy vanilla ice cream layered with roasted strawberries and a zesty sweet lime basil emulsion. This recipe combines the richness of homemade vanilla ice cream with the tangy sweetness of roasted strawberries and the aromatic brightness of lime and basil, making a perfect treat for warm weather or any special occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Ice Cream Base
- 625 g heavy cream
- 250 g whole milk
- 130 g sugar
- 2 vanilla beans (Tahitian)
- 2 tsp corn starch
- 1/4 tsp salt
Roasted Strawberries
- 500 g strawberries (cleaned, left whole)
- 45 g sugar
- 7 g vanilla paste
- 2 tsp balsamic vinegar (good quality)
Sweet Lime Basil Emulsion
- 35 g basil leaves
- 1½ limes, juice only (divided)
- 2 tbsp Demerara sugar
- 1 tbsp olive oil (extra virgin)
Instructions
- Roast the Strawberries: Place the strawberries, sugar, vanilla paste, and balsamic vinegar on a baking tray. Mix well to evenly coat. Bake at 200ºC (392ºF) for about 1 hour or until the water evaporates and strawberries take on a jam-like creamy consistency. Let cool completely.
- Process the Strawberries: Once cooled, lightly process the roasted strawberries using a small food processor or handheld mixer to slightly break them down while retaining some texture.
- Prepare Cornstarch Mixture: Take 50 g of whole milk and mix with the corn starch in a small bowl until smooth and lump-free. Set aside.
- Make the Vanilla Ice Cream Base: In a cooking pot, combine the remaining milk, heavy cream, sugar, salt, and vanilla beans (seeds scraped). Heat gently to simmer while whisking continuously. Add the cornstarch-milk mixture and whisk for 1 minute until thickened slightly. Turn off the heat and let the mixture rest on the counter for at least one hour.
- Strain and Cool: Strain the custard into a clean glass bowl to remove vanilla bean solids. Cover with cling film directly on the surface to prevent skin formation and let cool completely.
- Freeze Ice Cream Container: Place the empty ice cream container in the freezer ahead of churning to ensure effective freezing.
- Churn the Ice Cream: Once the custard is chilled, churn it according to your ice cream machine’s instructions until creamy and soft-serve consistency is reached.
- Make Sweet Lime Basil Emulsion: Roughly chop basil leaves and place in a mortar and pestle. Add 2 tbsp Demerara sugar and juice of ½ lime, pounding until creamy and well combined. Add the remaining lime juice (1 lime) and olive oil, mixing further until smooth and creamy.
- Assemble the Ice Cream: Remove the ice cream container from the freezer. Layer the ingredients in the following order: vanilla ice cream base, lime basil emulsion, roasted strawberries. Repeat layers, finishing with a top layer of vanilla ice cream.
- Create Swirls: Using a thin long knife, insert into the layers and make several zigzags along the ice cream to swirl the layers together artistically.
- Freeze Until Firm: Cover the container and place it back into the freezer to freeze completely for several hours or overnight before serving.
Notes
- Allow the roasted strawberries to cool completely before processing to avoid melting the ice cream during assembly.
- Resting the custard base for at least an hour enhances the flavor and texture by allowing the ingredients to meld.
- The lime basil emulsion adds a refreshing citrus herbal twist balancing the sweetness and richness of the ice cream and strawberries.
- For best results, use good quality extra virgin olive oil and fresh basil to maximize flavor.
- If unable to find Tahitian vanilla beans, substitute with equivalent amount of high-quality vanilla extract.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Roasting, Churning, Layering
- Cuisine: Contemporary Fusion
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/8 of recipe (approx. 180 ml)
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 28 g
- Sodium: 50 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 13 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg
Keywords: roasted strawberries, sweet lime basil ice cream, homemade vanilla ice cream, fruity ice cream dessert, summer dessert, basil ice cream
