As its name suggests, raspberry ice cream is ice cream which contains raspberries. It can be made at home using an ice cream maker and a few basic ingredients or can be purchased in many supermarkets and dessert shops. The appearance and texture of raspberry ice cream can vary depending on the technique used to incorporate the berries, as well as the additional ingredients a particular recipe includes. Raspberry ice cream should not be confused with raspberry sorbet, another frozen dessert which is normally dairy-free.
Those who have an ice cream maker can make this type of ice cream at home using just a few common ingredients. Exact recipes can vary, but it generally consists of fresh or frozen raspberries, egg yolks, cream, sugar, salt, and vanilla. Normally, the cream and sugar are warmed and then combined with the egg yolks. The raspberries are pureed, strained, and blended, along with the salt and vanilla, into the cream mixture. This mixture is then processed in an ice cream maker and frozen.
For those who do not have an ice cream maker or who simply do not want to prepare their own dessert, it is generally possible to purchase raspberry ice cream at many supermarkets and ice cream shops. Some dessert manufacturers may offer this type of ice cream on a seasonal basis. Therefore, it may be slightly more difficult to find in the winter than during the warm months, when raspberries are in season.
Both the appearance and the texture of raspberry ice cream can vary depending on the way the berries are mixed into the liquid ingredients during preparation, and on which additional ingredients are called for by a particular recipe. If the raspberries are fully pureed and strained before they are added to an ice cream mixture, the resulting ice cream will likely be pink in color and have a smooth texture. Recipes that call for the use of whole raspberries, on the other hand, may be predominantly white or cream colored with visible chunks of red frozen raspberries. Formulations that feature an additional flavoring element, such as chocolate chips, can taste and look different from typical raspberry ice cream.
Raspberry ice cream should not be mistaken for raspberry sorbet. This latter frozen dessert is usually dairy-free and thus lacks the richness of ice cream. It tends to be low in fat and is often more popular than raspberry ice cream among dieters and health food enthusiasts.
