Strawberry Banana Ice Cream

8 ounces strawberries

1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar

1/2 cup heavy cream

2 large egg yolks

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups milk

1 medium banana, sliced

pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

squeeze of lemon juice

 

 

Begin by ensuring the bowl to your ice cream machine is frozen solid. In the summer time, I store my bowl in the freezer so I’m not waiting on it to freeze—it can take 24-48 hours.

 

First, hull and slice the strawberries into quarters. Add them to a small saucepan with 1 tablespoon of the sugar. Turn the heat to medium and let the strawberries cook until they are broken down and a red syrup bubbles around the berries (about 5 minutes). Mash the berries with a fork to form a chunky puree. Set this mixture to the side in a small bowl and wipe out the saucepan you used.

Next, heat the cream in the same saucepan until warm but not boiling.

 

Meanwhile, beat together in a medium bowl the egg yolks, vanilla and ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons of sugar. At first this mixture will clump together, but keep beating air into it and it will turn into a pale yellow creamy sauce. When the cream is warm, pour it very slowly into the beaten egg yolks while whisking constantly. Once all the cream is incorporated, whisk in the milk very well.

 

Pour this entire mixture back into the saucepan, adding the sliced banana and nutmeg. Cook over medium low heat, stirring occasionally, until a thick custard forms that coats the back of a metal spoon. You will also know when it’s done if you drag your finger through the custard on the spoon and the line does not break. For me, this takes a good 5 minutes.

 

Once thickened, place a strainer over a large glass bowl and pour the custard through. Discard the banana slices. Stir in the strawberry puree and lemon juice, and then cover the bowl with plastic wrap and thoroughly chill before adding it to your ice cream maker. I recommend at least 6 hours, or overnight.

 

Churn the mixture in your ice cream maker for 15-20 minutes. Scrape it into a bowl you can store in your freezer for 2-3 days.  Makes 1 pint.