Roasted Balsamic Strawberry Ginger Ice Cream
Hi dear friends, do you ever have a moment – doesn’t have to be related to food – when you have this genius idea, but then realize it’s not quite so genius because even though it’s a great idea, it’s been done before?? Well, that happened to me. Hehe. It’s rather silly, too, because how the heck did I think it hadn’t been done before? Roasting strawberries and putting it in ice cream? Still a genius idea, but definitely not the first time it’s been done. David Lebovitz has a seriously amazing version incorporating MISO. MISO!!!!! And he goes into why roasting strawberries is good for ice cream, so you should go read it.
My version has a slight twist. I made the base ginger ice cream. Given my love for infusing things like for this ice cream, and this panna cotta, I infused the heavy cream and milk mixture with huge chunks of fresh ginger and steeped it for 30 minutes. You should be able to taste the ginger flavor after it is done seeping.
I used to hate ginger. Whenever I’d get even a sign of the sniffles (this included the start of allergy season), my mom immediately brewed up a cup of scalding hot ginger tea with some rock sugar dissolved in. It was so strong I could taste the ginger even before taking the first sip. At the first gulp, I felt like there was a line of fire left in its wake, stretching from the base of my tongue all the way to the deep inners of my abdomen. It was effective in the most agonizing way possible. My sinuses immediately cleared, I started sweating, and I was left with the unwelcome aftertaste of ginger. For the young me, it was the worst. I would hide my sniffles around my mom so she didn’t know, which never worked, of course. Now that I’m all grown-up, I love ginger tea and all its variations. A sick day means inconvenience, breaking appointments with lovely people, and walking around doing work with a headache and a box of tissues. A strongly brewed ginger tea works. It’s not the cure but it definitely keeps me warm and my sinuses clear. I now also appreciate the taste of ginger, especially in the right amounts. I used to wonder why my parents always put ginger in dishes with fish or pork, but now I know. I’m telling you, it’s a grown-up thing!
I served this ice cream to my dear friends who came over. One of them told me (I’m blushing here) that it’s better than the Haagen-daz strawberry ice cream sh e grew up with. Ok, now, I’m not sure that’s true, but I certainly do love this ice cream!! Plus, since the strawberries are roasted, the chunks that remain if you roughly puree the strawberries do not freeze. YAY.
I use the base that I always use – see it here. For this, though, I infused it with fresh ginger. I also have used this technique of incorporating a puree – with this cranberry orange zest ice cream. It works like a dream for both coloring and flavor. I also ran out of granulated sugar so I used half brown sugar – and wow, I LOVE it. I think it perfectly complements the deep flavor from roasting strawberries with balsamic vinegar.
RECIPE: Roasted Balsamic Strawberry Ginger Ice Cream
Ginger Ice Cream
2 cups whole milk
2 cups heavy cream
3 large slices fresh ginger
1 tsp freshly grated ginger
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp vanilla extract
5 egg yolksRoasted strawberries:
2 cups fresh strawberries, halved
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tsp brown sugar
1| Prepare the night before: Stick freezer bowl in the back of the freezer the night before you plan to make ice cream.
2| Toss strawberries with sugar, balsamic vinegar and roast at 350F for 25 minutes. Cool slightly. Puree roughly when cool enough to touch. Set aside.
3| Heat milk and heavy cream until it begins to simmer – do not let it boil. Remove from heat and add in ginger. Cover. Let it steep for 30 minutes. You should be able to taste the ginger in the milk/cream mixture. If it’s too ginger-y, don’t worry. When you churn it and freeze it, the ginger’s flavor will be more subtle.
4| In the meantime, whisk yolks and sugar until thick. When milk mixture is done steeping, remove ginger and stir in freshly grated ginger, gently stream into yolk/sugar mixture, whisking constantly after each addition. This is called tempering – the point is to prevent cooking of egg yolks. Have patience, and do this slowly.
5| Pour mixture back into a saucepan and heat until custard is thick. I like to use the spoon test – dip a wooden spoon into the mixture, and remove it. Run a finger in a line down the back of the wooden spoon. If the line remains visible, then the custard is thick enough.
6| Stir in puree. Stir in extract.
7| Cover with plastic wrap and immediately chill in fridge for at least 2 hours.
8| Pour into ice cream maker and churn according to instructions.
9| Pour churned ice cream into an airtight container and freezer for another few hours.
Gosh, Betty, this is all so gorgeous! Even though roasted strawberry’s been done before, I love your incorporation of ginger. Can’t wait for it to get warm – this is the first thing I’m making when it does!
<3. It was 70 degrees yesterday and I frolicked around in a tank top and skirt 🙂
This looks incredible. I’ve had the strawberry balsamic, but never with the bite of ginger. I love your photography!
Thank you dear <3.
Betty, you are the flavour MASTER. Everything you make, I am always awed by the flavour combinations – pure genius. I have always shied away from buying an ice cream maker.. I don’t generally like to buy appliances that only have one purpose, but this ice cream recipe is quickly bringing me to the other side.
Thank you Kelsi!!! You are so so sweet <3. Yes an ice cream maker is wonderful but also a curse because I eat it all 🙁
It looks gorgeous and I love that the roasted strawberries don’t freeze! I always want strawberry ice cream to taste super fresh but hate biting into a rock solid chunk of strawberry. And I used to feel the same way about ginger but my whole ordeal was that I looooooved bamboo shoots and so at Chinese restaurants I would try to pick all the bamboo out for me….but inevitably would end up fishing out a big chunk of ginger too and when I bit down on it…eek. Now I love ginger, and in fact love eating chunks of crystallized ginger just because 🙂
The feeling of biting into a frozen piece of strawberry is the worst!!! And omg your bamboo shoot / ginger story – too real, girl.
Love this post Betty! I totally trust your friends review – I have no doubt it is better than Haagen Daz one! Also, I am using your moms “get rid of the sniffles” tea next time I feel them coming on. I love ginger (but I always have, I was a weird child) so I think I will make both the tea and the ice cream to go with it! xx
Thank you Meg <3. You liked ginger as a kid? O_O You are weird…. JK :). You were probably a super robust and healthy child!! And way ahead of your age – you've got adult tastes, girl!
Okay, now I need to go roast some strawbs 😉 such a gorgeous recipe – with all the grown up flavors we’ve come to love! High fives lady.
Aww Jessie thank you! High five indeed to grown up flavors. <3
Sooooo lovely Betty! <3
Thank you Alanna <3 That means so much coming from you!
Great post!
Thank you!
THESE PHOTOS THO. I kind of want prints of them in my kitchen. Kind of like definitely. I’m also a total infusing fiend. Especially when it comes to ice cream (and, as you probably already know, my infusing generally happens with flowers, big surprise). There’s something so magical about the infusing process, its subtlety, and the beauty of transforming one substance into another, laden with new fragrance and taste. I’ll take a ginger infused roasted strawberry ice cream any day!
Aww Lily thank you!!!! If you ever want a print, I’ll send one right over ;). I feel like I’m infusing EVERYTHING. This past weekend I infused pistachio in heavy cream to make pistachio whipped cream. And I literally licked the bowl clean after frosting my cupcakes. Omg. It was SO GOOD. It just adds that extra flavor to whatever you are infusing, right?!
WUT?!?! this is so goddam gorgeous!!!! you have an amazing eye for shots, betty! and it sounds absolutely delicious too!!!
Thank you Renee!!!!!
Home run, girl. Home run with this recipe and photo styling. ;)))
I actually can’t staaaaaand strawberry ice cream and i don’t foresee a day when I’ll ever end up liking it. but I know THIS is difFERENT! Fortunately I have always loved ginger in every form, thanks to the amazing ways ginger is incorporated in Korean cuisine. And I have definitely had those moments when I thought I was clever and end up realizing someone else–usually someone much more ‘worthy’ than I–has done what I just did. Then I feel so bad I have to be like, I promise I didn’t know….!!!~ Hehe ;)) Awesome post, mah friend!
Ellie!!!!! Thank you <3 Always good to hear from you 🙂
Roasted? Strawberries?? aannnd ginger??? I think you have just made the ice cream of my dreams!!!!!!!! And the photos make me swooonn! You’re so talented…
Hi dear! Thank you for the kind words – I could say the same about yours 🙂
Hahaha – This is so funny because when I was planning my strawberry chocolate chip ice cream, I originally planned to roast the strawberries in chocolate balsamic! When I started writing out the recipe, it all sounded a bit too much with the chocolate chunks, so I put the roasted strawberry ice cream on the back burner for a later recipe. BUT NOW – you’ve gone and one-upped that genius idea by welcoming GINGER to the party. I’d take this over haagen dazs any day!
WHOA. Roasted chocolate balsamic strawberries? That sounds amazing. Please make it!!!!!
That is so funny because I also developed an aversion to ginger as a kid!! Now ginger (in moderation) I love! This ice cream recipe is so creative and unique. Karl’s mom would go crazy for it because she loves strawberries and balsamic – a combo I never would have thought of. As always, beautiful photos! <3<3
:). Yes, in moderation. Like when it’s infused in ice cream!!!!
LOVE this recipe, lady!! <3 <3
<3
I’ve got this chilling in the fridge now!! Can’t wait to try it!!!! It smells amazing!
Oh yay!!! Thank you for trying it out 🙂