Strawberry Basil Ice Cream

Strawberry basil ice cream makes a great low carb treat and is the smell of summer in a bowl.

I was sorely tempted to make up a pitcher of strawberry basil mojitos with the strawberries and basil that I had in the fridge but I stayed strong and made ice cream instead. Quite the dilemma for an afternoon. Ice cream or rum cocktail? I have the hardest decisions at times. Can you hear my laughter as I typed that?

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I have been making low carb strawberry ice cream and have found that the key to a great flavour is the best quality strawberries that you can use. Strawberries should give off a delicious scent as soon as you walk into the store and taste as good as they smell. However, the strawberries that are available in Aruba are flown in and not the best of flavours. They are mass produced and lack that heady strawberry taste.

Strawberry with basil may not seem the first choice but they work together making a taste of sweet and herby rather than sweet and savoury. The basil does not overpower the strawberries but saves the lacklustre ones from the shame of not being full flavoured.

Strawberry Basil Ice Cream

For this strawberry basil ice cream recipe, I used coconut milk with the cream for the custard. Almond milk could be substituted if you don’t like coconut. The vodka is optional but it does help with the ice crystallization. However, I made a batch of this strawberry basil ice cream without it and the texture was smooth and delicious.

Although this was made in an ice cream maker, you could try this as a no churn ice cream with a bit of stirring. It will take longer than an ice cream maker, but the result should be much the same. My ice cream maker is taking a pounding now and I need to get back to my roulade obsession to give it a rest. However, I have another flavour combination in mind so it can’t hide in the back of the cupboard just yet.

Try the strawberry basil combination and let me know what you think. I shall be mixing up a jug of mojitos later purely under the guise of experimentation.

Strawberry Basil Ice Cream

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Course: Dessert

Author: Angela Coleby

Ingredients

2 cups (240g) cream - whipping/heavy
1 cup (226g) coconut milk
3 yolks
1/2 cup erythritol or sugar substitute
1lb 16oz 454g Fresh strawberries
1 cup Fresh basil
1/2 lemon - juice only
1 shot vodka optional

Instructions

Pour the cream and coconut milk in a saucepan on a medium heat. Do not let it boil but heat it for about 3-5 minutes.
As the cream is heating, whisk the eggs and erythritol together.
Remove the cream from the heat and gently pour into the egg mixture. Whisk until combined.
Using a blender (hand or upright) blitz the strawberries, lemon juice and basil together until smooth (the odd chunk won’t hurt).
Add the strawberry mixture to the cream and stir thoroughly.
Pour this mixture back into the saucepan on a medium heat and whisk for 5 to 10 minutes until the mixture starts to thicken slightly.
Remove from the heat.
Add the vodka and stir (optional).
Allow to cool or place in the fridge for faster cooling.
Pour into the canister of an ice-cream maker and churn according to manufacturer’s directions. If you don’t have an ice cream maker, place in the freezer. Remove every 30 minutes to stir to distribute the ice crystals until frozen consistency is obtained. Can take about 4-5 hours.