Today I have a visually beautiful treat to share with you. It tastes as good as it looks and so I present my Blueberry Bloom Ice Cream. This dessert definitely has a grown up feel about it. Smooth blueberry flavour, layered with subtle, floral flavours that come from the addition of Bloom Gin. Also, as with most of the ice cream recipes on this blog, this dessert is gluten free. Resulting in more people, with restricted diets, being able to enjoy thisdelightful dessert.
Gently cooking the blueberries with a little sugar results in them keeping both their distinct flavour and colour. And a dash a of Bloom Gin adds floral notes to the delightful, fruity ice cream flavour, while also complimenting the sweetness of the blueberries. Creating an elegant and delightful dessert.
When freezing food the flavour naturally becomes duller. So foods to be eaten while very cold usually need to have a stronger flavour base. Yet here, the vivid purple Blueberry Bloom Ice Cream comes alive on the palette. Because the cooked blueberries are left whole, the ice cream has a texture, not dissimilar to rum and raisin, which I absolutely adore. Resulting in the blueberries providing interest against the smooth, silky ice cream.
Since using an ice cream maker results in a much creamier ice cream than other methods, it is my preferred choice. Because the churning action stops a large volume of fruit from creating large ice crystals. Similar to champagne, where the smaller the bubbles, the creamier the champagne tastes, in ice cream making, the smaller the ice crystals the smoother the finished ice cream.
Recipe: Makes 1L Blueberry Bloom Ice Cream
300ml/ 1/2pt Double Cream
300ml/ 1/2pt Milk – Whole or Semi Skimmed
1/2tsp Vanilla Extract – I use Nielsen-Massey
4 Large Free Range Egg – freeze the whites for up to 1 month
1tsp Corn Flour – I use Doves Farm
as they are certified gluten free
5tbsp Caster Sugar
300g Fresh Blueberries
1tbsp Caster Sugar
1tbsp Tap Water
2tbsp Bloom Gin – optional. Alternatively leave the gin out and you still have a delicious blueberry ice cream.
Method: Ensure the freezing compartment/bowl of your ice cream maker has been in the freezer overnight, or according to manufacturer’s instructions.
Note: For step by step instructions with photographs, on how to make the ice cream base please see Very Vanilla Ice Cream.
Preparing The Blueberries
- First of all, place the blueberries in a small saucepan. Add 1 tablespoon of both sugar and water. Place over a medium heat and cook until the blueberries just start to burst, giving up their precious juice. Remove the pan from the heat and transfer the contents to a bowl. Allow to cool and then add 2 tablespoons of Bloom Gin if using and set to one side.
Making The Ice Cream Base
- Into a large heavy bottomed saucepan add both the milk and cream. Place over a medium heat and cook until scalding point is reached – this is the point before the liquid boils. Small bubbles will appear around the edge of the cream mixture, once scalding point is reached remove the pan from the heat.
- In a large, heatproof bowl, add the eggs, sugar, vanilla extract and corn flour.
- Whisk the eggs until they are pale and creamy.
- With the whisk still running on slow gently pour the hot cream mixture into the whipped eggs. Whisk until well combined.
- Tip the ice cream base back into the saucepan and cook over a medium heat, stirring until the custard has thickened and coats the back of a wooden spoon. Remove the saucepan from the heat.
- Pour the hot custard through a sieve into a heatproof bowl – I usually quickly wash up and dry the original bowl I’ve used.
- Most importantly, place the cling film directly on top of the custard as this will stop a skin from forming.
- Allow the custard to cool a little on the worktop and then transfer both it and the prepared blueberries to the fridge to chill.
- When both are chilled assemble your ice cream maker, as per the manufacturer’s instructions.
Churning The Blueberry Bloom Gin Ice Cream
- Pour the blueberry mixture into the cold custard ice cream base and stir.
- Tranfer the Blueberry Bloom Ice Cream mixture to a large jug.
- With the ice cream maker switched on (in my case) pour the ice cream mixture into the churning ice cream maker.
- Churn until the ice cream is softly frozen – about 20 minutes.
- Switch of the machine, remove the paddle and scoop the softly frozen ice cream into a freezer proof tub.
- Clip on a tight fitting lid and place in the freezer to firm up. Ideally it should be left for 6 hours or overnight, depending on the ambient temperature.
To serve, remove the Blueberry Bloom Ice Cream from the freezer 15 minutes prior to scooping. Doing so allows the ice cream to soften slightly making it easier to scoop. Although there is a small addition of alcohol it is not enough to affect the freezing of this ice cream.
This stunning looking ice cream looks elegant scooped into martini glasses.
Why not serve with a glass of Bloom Gin, tonic water and lightly crushed blueberries, over ice?
Unusual, unique and utterly delicious, this delightful ice cream needs to be tasted to be truly appreciated.
If you have enjoyed this recipe for Blueberry Bloom Ice Cream you may also like these:
There are lots of other iced recipes here on my blog, including my Refreshing Tropical Fruit Sorbet . When you put your mind to it there are endless flavour combinations availed to you if you own an ice cream maker. I prefer not to be limited by what’s available in store. It is important to remember that each make of gin has their own unique mix of botanicals. So for the fragrant floral notes unique to this recipe I highly recommend using Bloom gin.
Whatever you are making, baking and creating in your kitchens, have fun preparing and sharing your feast.
Sammie xx
I was gifted a bottle of Bloom Gin for the purposes of a review. All opinions, views, content and photography are my own. No part of this post may be reproduced or duplicated without the written permission of the owner. Please see my Disclosure Policy.
