Stardew Valley Recipes: Traditional Strawberry Ice Cream

It’s hard to find someone who doesn’t like this.⁠—Stardew Valley item description for ice cream

A sweet, juicy favorite with an appealing red color.—Stardew Valley item description for a strawberry

This recipe represents a more traditional style of ice cream that requires a machine for proper churning.  The eggs aren’t technically necessary, but I prefer the the richness they give the base; I also favor them for this version because it’s a variation on the ice cream recipe I learned in culinary school.  The main difference is the amount of egg yolks and heavy cream. The egg yolks and heavy cream, along with the sugar, affect the ice cream by keeping the texture scoop-able and the mouthfeel creamy and soft.  Without these elements your ice cream base becomes a solid block of milk ice.

If you’re looking for an even richer ice cream base, consider using 8 egg yolks and ¾ cup of heavy cream.  However many leftover egg whites you have, don’t forget to freeze them to use later!

Strawberry Fields for Flavor

Strawberry is an absolutely classic ice cream flavor, and a perfect reflection of the pink scoop you find on top of the cone you buy in the game.  You could use raspberries, but strawberries are something grown in-game so they seemed a better choice.  Whatever fruit you use, it’s best to use something fresh or in season. Frozen fruit would work but it needs to be thawed so you can press out all that sweet berry juice. Once you sieve the fruit, don’t be afraid to save the pulp for later—strawberry pulp is great in smoothies, yogurt, and on bagels with cream cheese.

This is awesome served on its own in a cup or cone, with optional toppings, or accompanying some other kind of seasonal dessert.  And don’t be afraid to get creative once you feel comfortable making the base, as there are so many ice creams to try!

How would you have your strawberry ice cream?  Leave a comment to let me know and consider joining my Patreon!

Makes roughly 1 quart

Ingredients:

4 egg yolks

⅔ cup sugar

2 cups whole milk

1 cup heavy cream

1 lb strawberries, hulled and chopped

Pinch of salt, to taste

Instructions:

1. Whisk the sugar and egg yolks together in a large bowl.
2. Bring the milk, heavy cream, and salt to a boil in a saucepan.
3. Once the milk starts to boil, remove the saucepan from the heat.  Slowly pour the mixture into the egg yolks and sugar, whisking all the while. This is called tempering and keeps the eggs from scrambling.
4. After the milk and egg mixtures are fully combined, pour them back into the saucepan and place them on the stove over medium heat.  Mix constantly until it reaches the nappe stage, where the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. To test this you can run a finger across the back of the coated spoon to form a line and it shouldn’t drip.  Alternatively, the temperature of the mixture should be 160°-165° Fahrenheit as measured on an instant-read thermometer.
5. Strain the mixture through a sieve into a large clean bowl and put it in an ice bath (a bigger container filled with ice).
6. Mash your fresh strawberries either in a food processor or by hand through a sieve.  Add the juice to your ice cream base, straining out any seeds and pulp. Stir until combined.
7. Continue to stir the mixture occasionally to prevent a skin forming while it cools.  For a more intense flavor profile, leave it in the refrigerator overnight.
8. Add the base to your ice cream maker and churn per manufacturer’s instructions until desired consistency is reached, usually about 20-30 minutes.  Place it in a container and freeze for at least 4-6 hours. Serve once firmed up and frozen.