Best Strawberry Ice Cream

Ingredients

For the recipe

• 600 g ripe strawberries, weighed after removing the green tops, then chopped
• 30 g granulated white sugar
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (15 ml)
• 397 g full-fat sweetened condensed milk, chilled
• 500 g cold heavy cream or whipping cream with approximately 35-36% fat
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (5 ml)
• 1 small pinch fine salt (approximately 0.5 g)

Instructions

1. Make room in the freezer for a wide, lidded 2-litre freezer-safe container or two smaller containers. Aim for a filled depth of approximately 5 cm so the ice cream freezes evenly. Keep the cream refrigerated and put the condensed milk in the refrigerator while you prepare the fruit.
2. Wash the strawberries under cold running water and drain well. Remove the green tops, weigh out 600 g prepared fruit and cut it into small pieces. Large pieces of fruit can become hard when frozen, so keep the pieces small.
3. Put the strawberries, sugar and lemon juice in a wide, heavy-based saucepan. Heat over medium heat for approximately 4-5 minutes, stirring, until the berries release juice and the mixture begins bubbling gently.
4. Reduce the heat slightly and simmer uncovered for approximately 20-25 minutes, stirring regularly. Mash the softened strawberries with a potato masher or the back of a spoon so no large pieces remain. Stir more frequently toward the end to prevent the thickening fruit from catching.
5. Reduce the mixture to approximately 300 g of thick strawberry puree. It should resemble a loose jam, with a spatula drawn through it leaving a brief trail. If checking the weight, transfer it to a heatproof bowl rather than placing the hot saucepan directly on the scale. If much more than 300 g remains, return it to the pan and simmer a little longer.
6. Transfer the reduction to a shallow heatproof bowl and set the bowl in cold or iced water, keeping water out of the fruit. Stir occasionally for approximately 15-20 minutes, then refrigerate for another 40-45 minutes or until completely cold. The fruit must be cold before it is folded into the cream.
7. During the last 10 minutes of cooling, chill a large mixing bowl and the whisk or beaters. Check that the cream is thoroughly cold and that the strawberry reduction is no longer warm anywhere in the bowl.
8. In a separate large bowl, stir the chilled condensed milk with the cold strawberry reduction, vanilla and salt until evenly combined. Scrape in all the reduction so the measured fruit flavor is retained.
9. Pour the cold cream into the chilled mixing bowl. Whip on medium speed until it thickens, then continue until firm peaks form, usually 2-4 minutes depending on the mixer. Stop when the peaks hold their shape and the cream still looks smooth; it should not look grainy.
10. Stir approximately one-third of the whipped cream into the strawberry mixture to lighten it. Add the remaining whipped cream in two portions, folding with a broad spatula from the bottom of the bowl upward and turning the bowl as you work.
11. Stop folding as soon as the mixture is evenly pink with no obvious white streaks. Scrape the bottom of the bowl carefully to incorporate any heavier strawberry mixture while preserving as much air as possible.
12. Spoon the mixture into the prepared container or divide it between the smaller containers. Smooth the surface gently, leaving some headroom. Lay a piece of food-safe baking parchment directly against the surface, then close the lid tightly.
13. Freeze on a level shelf at -18°C / 0°F or below for at least 8 hours, preferably overnight, until firm throughout. The mixture does not need stirring during freezing. A deeper container or a warmer freezer may require longer.
14. To serve, let the container stand for approximately 5-10 minutes, just until the ice cream is easy to scoop. Divide the complete batch into 12 equal portions; each is approximately 100 g when the fruit reduction weighs 300 g. Return the remaining ice cream promptly to the freezer.