Blueberry ice cream is made out of the blueberry fruit. It can be found in some supermarkets or can be made at home with fresh or frozen blueberries. The ice cream has a gorgeous, purplish-blue color and may have a topping made of mixed fresh berries or blueberry sauce. It's an excellent treat for a special occasion, a summer gathering, or an after-dinner dessert. This ice cream also goes well when served with lemon pound cake or angel food cake.
It is a delight to make because of its creaminess, richness, and taste. Blueberries have many nutritive benefits, and making ice cream out of it is a popular way to consume this antioxidant-packed fruit. Credited with improving memory, slowing down cognitive decline associated with aging, and inhibiting cancer, blueberries also alleviate symptoms of depression and reduce blood sugar.
To make the ice cream at home, cooks use frozen or fresh blueberries, sugar, and lemon. Egg yolks, cream, and whole milk are some of the other major ingredients. Frozen blueberries are believed to have the same nutritional content as fresh blueberries, so they can be used to make the ice cream without any nutritive loss. Ice cream makers start out with cooking a mixture of lemon juice, sugar, and blueberries over low heat. They gently mash the berries as they stir the mixture.
When it is done, cooks drain the mixture with a strainer and press down to extract as much juice as they can. They then add cream to the milk and heat it on medium heat until it simmers. It is important to not allow the milk to boil. Cooks whisk together egg yolks and some of the simmering liquid from the saucepan. They pour the whisked mixture back into the saucepan and stir it until it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon and steam rises from the surface of the custard.
Cooks then fold the blueberry mixture into the custard mixture. They prepare an ice bath ahead of time and allow the strained mixture to chill in the bath or in the refrigerator. After placing the bowl in an ice bath, they stir it occasionally while taking care to see that water doesn't get into the mixture. The blueberry ice cream needs to be chilled until it gets cold. Alternatively, cooks freeze it in an ice cream maker for the specified amount of time.
To give the ice cream an unusual flavor, cooks add ingredients like a split vanilla pod, cinnamon, or star anise to the milk after it has been removed from the heat. It is also possible to combine it with other fruits or ingredients to make different types of blueberry ice cream. Some popular combinations are peach blueberry, chocolate blueberry, and even lavender blueberry ice cream. Blueberry yogurt ice cream is also a favorite with many cooks. When serving the ice cream, cooks may garnish it with a sprig of mint.
