Homemade Raspberry Swirl Ice Cream That Doesn't Turn Icy — Finally
This raspberry swirl ice cream starts with a real custard base and a cooked-down raspberry compote folded through in ribbons. Thirty minutes of hands-on work, six hours of waiting, and it scoops clean from the freezer every time.
Equipment
- Ice Cream Maker
- Medium Heavy-Bottomed Saucepan
- Small saucepan
- Fine-mesh strainer
- Large Mixing Bowl
- Loaf Pan
- Butter Knife
Ingredients
Custard Base
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- 4 large egg yolks
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Raspberry Compote
- 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 pinch fine sea salt
Instructions
- Cook the berries: put the raspberries, the 1/4 cup sugar, the lemon juice, and a tiny pinch of salt in a small saucepan. Smash about half the berries with the back of a fork, then set it over medium heat. Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring, until it thickens into loose jam. Pour into a small bowl and cool completely.
- Warm the cream base: combine the heavy cream, whole milk, the 1/2 cup sugar, corn syrup, and the remaining salt in a medium saucepan. Warm over medium heat, stirring now and then, until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is steaming but not boiling.
- Temper the yolks: whisk the four yolks in a separate bowl until they loosen. Ladle some hot cream into the yolks, whisking slowly, then repeat. Pour the yolk mixture back into the saucepan, whisking the whole time. This is the step that prevents scrambled eggs.
- Cook the custard: keep stirring over medium-low heat until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon — about 170°F on a thermometer, or the spoon test: run your finger across the back and if the custard holds the stripe, it is done. Do not let it boil.
- Strain and chill: pour the custard through the strainer into a bowl. Stir in the vanilla. Let it cool for 15 minutes, then cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours — overnight is better. The colder the base, the smoother the churn.
- Churn: pour the fully chilled custard into the frozen canister and churn according to your machine, about 25 to 30 minutes, until it looks like thick soft-serve. Transfer to a chilled loaf pan and smooth the top.
- Swirl: dollop the cold raspberry compote across the top in five or six spoonfuls. Take a butter knife and draw it through the ice cream in three or four big strokes, up and over, like folding. Stop as soon as the ribbons are visible. Over-swirling gives you pink ice cream.
- Freeze: press parchment paper directly against the surface, then cover tightly. Freeze for 2 to 3 hours until scoopable. If it freezes longer, let it sit on the counter for 10 minutes before scooping.
Notes
The three things that keep this scoopable: cook the raspberries into a compote so their water doesn't freeze into crystals, keep the tablespoon of corn syrup in the base, and chill the custard overnight before churning. Press parchment against the surface before freezing. Store finished ice cream in the freezer for up to 2 weeks; it is best within the first week. Let it sit out for 10 minutes before scooping if it has been in the freezer longer than a few hours.
Swaps that work: use frozen raspberries straight from the freezer, or try blackberries or blueberries with the same method. For a dairy-free version, use full-fat coconut milk instead of heavy cream and a good oat milk instead of whole milk. For an adult version, stir a tablespoon of bourbon into the compote after it comes off the heat.