Blackberry Ice Cream

Preparation

Step 1: Make the blackberry coulis

Wash the blackberries and drain them thoroughly. Set aside 50 g of the prettiest berries for the end of churning, then blend the rest with the lemon juice until you get a smooth purée.

Press the purée through a fine sieve, working it well to extract all the juice and remove the seeds. Cover and chill in the fridge until needed.

Step 2: Infuse the milk with vanilla

Split the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape out the seeds with the tip of a knife. Pour the milk into a saucepan, add the pod and seeds, and bring to a simmer.

Remove from the heat, cover and let infuse for 15 minutes so the milk absorbs the vanilla aroma. Remove the pod before moving on.

Step 3: Make the custard base

In a mixing bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the sugar until the mixture turns pale and foamy. Pour the warm vanilla milk in a thin stream while whisking energetically.

Return everything to the saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a spatula, until the custard coats the back of a spoon (about 83 °C). It must never boil. Off the heat, stir in the heavy cream, then gently fold in the blackberry coulis.

Step 4: Chill the base

Let the mixture cool to room temperature, then cover with plastic wrap pressed directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours, ideally overnight.

A well-chilled base is the key to successful churning: the ice cream will be creamier and set faster in the machine.

Step 5: Churn and freeze

Pour the cold base into the ice cream maker and churn for 25 to 30 minutes, until you get a soft, creamy consistency. Add the reserved whole blackberries at the end of churning so they stay in pieces.

Transfer the ice cream to an airtight container and freeze for at least 2 hours before serving. Take it out 5 minutes ahead to make scooping easier.