Roasted Strawberry No-Churn Ice-Cream

For the past few weeks, I have been in a state of denial. I have absolutely refused to accept that Summer is here.  I have ignored the mangoes that have made their arrival in the markets. I have ignored my sighs of relief every time I enter an air-conditioned room. I have ignored the fact that white seems to be my overwhelming choice of colour these days. Why, I have even ignored the lizards that have emerged from the woodwork!

 

In short, I have desperately tried to cling on to any remnants of our tropical Winter. But, no more. Summer is here and it looks like a scorcher! Not like I expect my readers in the Western hemisphere, who are still waiting for Spring, to understand me!!

 

Summer is about all things cool and chilled. Summer is also about not seeing strawberries in the market anymore. So, to shore up my defences against Summer, I decided to make an ice-cream with what should be amongst the last strawberries to hit the market.

 

The ice-cream is a no-churn version that does not require an ice-cream maker. Last October, I had made a sitaphal (custard apple) ice-cream, using this method. It is an extremely easy, quick and fuss-free method that results in a creamy, soft-serve ice-cream.

 

To heighten the taste of strawberries, I decided to roast them 'en papillote'. I had tried it last March and I know from experience, that employing this technique intensifies the flavour of the strawberries.

 

When mixed with the cream mixture, the juices from the roasted strawberries will not only infuse their flavour but also colour the entire mixture with a delicate pink hue. Do ensure that you don't mash the strawberries too fine. Keep some of them as chunks. It is a lovely surprise when you encounter these chunks as you make your way through a bowl of this ice-cream. And don't be stingy with the amount of strawberries you are using. They are a delicately flavoured fruit. The more you use, the more robust their flavour will be in the ice-cream.

 

You have had strawberry ice-creams and then there is this one. This is not a strawberry ice-cream because of its colour and artificial fruit essences but a strawberry ice-cream where you will taste the strawberry in all its honesty, complete with all its tiny seeds. I was a never a fan of the commercial strawberry ice-cream but this one has such a natural taste to it, it has me converted.

Make it, grab a bowl and while you savour it, pray that Summer is kind to us this year!!

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Roasted Strawberry No-Churn Ice Cream

serves 8 (the recipe can be easily halved)
 

Ingredients:

• 1 x 400 gms can condensed milk (In India, one can use 'Nestle' or 'Amul Mithai Mate')
• 400 mls double cream (I use Amul cream and it works just fine!!)
• 2 cups (approximately 400-450 gms) roasted strawberries pulp (Follow this recipe to roast the strawberries)

Directions:

• Lightly mash the roasted strawberries with a fork but ensure that you leave some fruit as chunks.
• Place the cream and condensed milk in a bowl. Whisk them together with a hand blender, for approximately two minutes, until the mixture feels lighter and fluffier.
• Then add the fruit and all its juices and with a hand whisk, blend it into the cream mixture.
• Pour this mixture into an air tight container and freeze, preferably overnight.
• Serve straight from the freezer. Leave it for five minutes to soften. Scoop and serve.
• Tip: For visual effect, you can create a marbled effect of strawberry puree on the top. Keep a few strawberries aside and whiz them with some sugar to create a strawberry puree. 30-45 minutes after you have put the ice-cream to freeze, take it out, spoon blobs of the puree on top and then with a skewer or toothpick, create the marbled effect.