Strawberry ice cream without eggs
Παγωτό φράουλα χωρίς αβγά
Published originally on my blog on 10 May 2012
I'm pretty sure you're sick of me complaining about the weather all the time. I'm sick of me too. But I can't help it. In Greece, I used to complain that it was always too hot during spring, now that I'm living in Holland, I'm complaining about the opposite.
The thing is, though, that the weather plays a huge part in what I want to eat, what I'm in the mood for to cook, what I'm able to enjoy, or what I can't be paid enough money for to put anywhere near my mouth. Not to mention what an impact it has on my mood. The lack of sunshine is seriously getting to me. I'm so cranky.
I guess it wouldn't surprise you then if I told you that the weather is still bad here, right? Bleak skies, rain, terrible humidity. Still, I am in the mood for ice cream. It's the only thing that can get me out of my funk. Food always does that for me.
The one ice cream I always start ice cream season with, is strawberry. I have been making this one for years and years and it never fails to impress, not only S who is a strict judge of ice creams, but also anyone and everyone who has ever tasted it.
What I want from anything that promises to be a fruit dessert, is that concentrated flavor. That punch in the face and that intensified fruit taste which sometimes is elusive in desserts and especially ice creams. I want that pure, unadulterated strawberry kick and that's exactly what I get every time I eat this ice cream.
The addition of lemon juice, or lime juice if you prefer it, gives the ice cream a little tartness to counterbalance the sweetness of the strawberries and icing sugar, and the absence of eggs makes it particularly light. It is smooth and creamy but without that sticky feel that eggs give to the top of your mouth, making every spoonful even more irresistible.
Ice cream season, here I come!
Strawberry Ice Cream
I used to make this ice cream by hand, i.e. place it in the freezer and whisk it every half hour until completely frozen, but ever since I got my ice cream machine two years ago, I never looked back. Not that you can't make it by hand (I give instructions below on how to do it) but as you can understand, the result will be creamier and smoother.
I have also served this as popsicles (like these cherry sorbet ones), where I just poured the ice cream mixture into the molds or shot glasses and placed them in the freezer to set.
It goes without saying that the more flavorful and aromatic the strawberries you use are, the more flavorful and aromatic the ice cream will be. There is no cream or eggs in this ice cream so the flavor is solely dependent on the quality of the fruit. Bad strawberries will have nowhere to hide here, so take care to choose some good ones for this.
You can intensify the flavor of the ice cream further by adding some tiny, fresh strawberry pieces to the churned ice cream, or you can go a different way and add chocolate chips/chunks. Strawberry and chocolate, the perfect combination. Speaking of which, I'll be back with a special accompaniment for this ice cream in a few days, so stay tuned.
