Name: Blueberry Ice Cream Recipe
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 17 h
Ingredients: Blueberries (fresh or frozen): 300 g (2 cups); Granulated sugar: 60 g (1/4 cup); Lemon juice, fresh: 15 g (1 tbsp); Whole milk: 250 g (1 cup); Heavy cream 35–38%: 500 g (2 cups); Egg yolks: 5 large, ~90 g; Granulated sugar: 120 g (1/2 cup + 2 tbsp); Fine salt: 1 g (1/4 tsp); Vanilla extract: 5 g (1 tsp); Shortbread cookies, lemon curd, fresh blueberries (for serving)

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If you’ve ever thought fruit ice creams taste icy or watered down—this recipe changes everything. My Blueberry Ice Cream is smooth, custard‑like, and full of real berry flavor. The trick? Cooking the berries first into a glossy, jammy purée so their flavor intensifies without excess water. You’ll end up with a deep purple, creamy scoop that holds shape beautifully without needing stabilizers or commercial powders.

Pro tip: Don’t skip chilling both the custard base and the berry purée separately before churning—temperature control is the single biggest factor in getting that luscious, scoopable texture.

Why This Recipe Works

Fruit ice creams often fail because berries contain a lot of water, which crystallizes when frozen. Here’s why this method works:

Berry reduction = concentrated flavor
By simmering the blueberries with sugar and lemon juice, we both intensify the flavor and drive out excess water. The resulting compote blends seamlessly into the custard base.
Egg yolks stabilize fat and water
The custard base (cream + milk + yolks) provides emulsifiers and proteins that prevent big ice crystals. This is why the ice cream feels so creamy instead of icy.
Churned air = lightness
Whether you use an ice cream maker or the freezer‑whip method, incorporating air ensures the ice cream doesn’t become a dense block. The fat from cream encases air bubbles, giving that “soft body” texture.

Ingredients (with weights, cups, and purpose)

For Blueberry Compote

Fresh or frozen blueberries — 300 g (2 cups) — main flavor
Granulated sugar — 60 g (¼ cup) — sweetness + helps thicken compote
Lemon juice — 15 g (1 tbsp) — balances sweetness, locks color

For Custard Base

Whole milk — 250 g (1 cup) — lightens richness, prevents waxy feel
Heavy cream (35–38% fat) — 500 g (2 cups) — provides fat for creaminess
Egg yolks — 5 large yolks, ~90 g — emulsifies, stabilizes fat‑water mix
Granulated sugar — 120 g (½ cup + 2 tbsp) — sweetness + lowers freezing point
Pinch of salt — 1 g (¼ tsp) — enhances flavor balance
Vanilla extract — 5 g (1 tsp) — rounds out berry flavor

Note: If you’re in India, Amul heavy cream (25% fat) works but add 20 g milk powder to boost creaminess.

Equipment

Required

Medium saucepan (heavy‑bottomed)
Whisk
Heatproof bowl
Fine mesh sieve
Ice cream maker (preferred) OR loaf pan + electric hand mixer whisk method
Digital scale + measuring cups
Digital thermometer (helpful for custard stage)

Nice to Have

Rubber spatula
Ice bath setup (big bowl of ice + water, smaller mixing bowl nested inside)
Airtight freezer container with lid
Parchment round for ice‑cream surface (prevents freezer burn)

Step‑by‑Step Instructions (with timing + visual cues)

Step 1 — Make Blueberry Compote (20 min)

Add blueberries, 60 g sugar, and lemon juice to saucepan.
Cook over medium heat, stirring, until berries burst and mixture thickens (10–12 min).
Visual cue: liquid should look glossy and coat back of spoon, not watery.
Blitz with hand blender (or mash) into a smooth purée. Push through sieve for silky finish.
Cool completely in fridge.

Step 2 — Prepare Custard Base (15–20 min cooking, +4 hr chill)

Heat milk, cream, half the sugar, and salt in saucepan until steaming (do not boil).
In bowl, whisk yolks with remaining sugar until pale and thick (ribbons fall off whisk).
Temper: slowly pour hot milk into yolks, whisking constantly. Return to pan.
Cook gently over medium‑low, stirring constantly, until custard coats the back of spoon OR reaches 82–84°C (180–183°F).
Visual cue: when you drag finger over coated spoon, line stays clean.
Immediately strain through sieve into clean bowl. Cool over ice bath to stop cooking.
Chill at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.

Step 3 — Combine and Churn (30 min active, 4–6 hr freeze)

Stir chilled blueberry compote into chilled custard until fully blended.
Pour into ice cream maker; churn 20–25 min until soft‑serve consistency.
Alternative (no machine): Freeze mixture in loaf pan, then whisk/beat every 30–40 min, 4–5 times, until smooth.
Transfer to freezer‑safe container, press parchment round on top, and freeze until firm (4–6 hr).
Visual cue: ice cream should scoop cleanly, not crumble or weep liquid.

Troubleshooting (Common Failures + Fixes)

Grainy custard → Likely scrambled eggs. Fix: strain immediately; next time, keep below 85°C.
Icy texture → Base not chilled enough before churning, or fruit not reduced enough. Always reduce compote and chill thoroughly.
Too sweet → Blueberries vary. Taste compote before mixing into custard; adjust sugar down by 10–15 g if berries are sweet.
Pale color → Didn’t cook compote long enough or used underripe berries. Extend simmer until juices are syrupy.
Dense, hard ice cream → Not enough air. Churn longer, or whip frozen edges more frequently using no‑machine method.

Substitutions and Variations

Egg‑free: Replace yolks with 20 g cornstarch whisked into 30 g milk. Cook custard to 85–86°C until slightly thick.
Dairy‑free: Replace milk + cream with 400 g coconut milk (full‑fat) + 200 g coconut cream. Add 10 g cornstarch for body.
Gluten‑free: Already gluten‑free as written.
Flavor swaps:

Swap blueberries with raspberries, blackberries, or mango pulp (reduce sugar slightly).
Add lavender buds (infused in milk, strain after 10 min steep).
For cheesecake swirl, fold in 100 g cream cheese + 30 g sifted icing sugar after churning.

Scaling:

For half batch: cut everything by 50% (1 L yield → ~500 ml).
For double batch: use large saucepan (keep custard depth below 8 cm for even cooking).

Storage, Make‑Ahead, and Freezing

Fridge (custard base before churning): Up to 48 hr, tightly covered.
Freezer (finished ice cream): Best texture within 2 weeks, airtight container; lasts 1 month with parchment pressed on top.
Thawing: Place container at room temp 10 min before scooping; don’t microwave or the texture will split.
Do not refreeze after thawing/melting—it forms large crystals.

Serving Suggestions and Pairings

Best with buttery shortbread cookies for crunch.
Drizzle with lemon curd for tangy contrast.
Sandwich between soft vanilla sponge squares for a playful ice cream cake.
Pair with white wine‑poached pears for an elegant plated dessert.

FAQs

Q: Can I use frozen blueberries?
Yes, no need to thaw. Just weigh directly and cook longer (extra 2–3 min) to evaporate water.

Q: How do I prevent scrambled eggs?
Always whisk while tempering, use medium‑low heat, and pull custard at 82–84°C. Don’t rush.

Q: Can I halve/double the recipe?
Yes—see scaling section. But don’t crowd pan for double batch; over‑depth leads to uneven cooking.

Q: What type of sugar works best?
White granulated produces clean flavor. Cane sugar works but adds mild molasses. Avoid jaggery—it can overpower blueberry notes.

Q: Can I make this in an OTG or air fryer?
No baking involved here. But an OTG’s convection setting works well for drying garnishes (like meringue kisses to pair).

Notes from My Kitchen (Testing Log)

Batch 1: Used fresh berries, skipped reduction → icy, bland flavor. Learned fruit must be reduced.
Batch 2: Cooked compote down fully but didn’t chill base properly → churned poorly, grainy ice.
Batch 3: Tried Amul 25% cream without milk powder → ice cream tasted thin. Adjustment: add milk powder to mimic full‑fat cream.
Batch 4 (Final): Used reduced compote + long chill + extra milk powder. Perfect creamy scoop, bold blueberry flavor, smooth melt.

Nutrition and Disclaimer

Approx per 100 g serving:

Calories: ~230 kcal
Carbohydrates: 22 g
Fat: 14 g
Protein: 3 g
Fiber: 1 g