When I decided to write this blog, I figured I should read a few other food related blogs to get an idea what I was doing. When I ran across this recipe for Strawberry Basil Ice Cream on the Accidental Hedonist blog, I knew that this blogging thing was going to work out pretty well. And, I knew what I was doing next with the basil in my garden! Here's the recipe (I didn't change much, just had to downsize it to fit my ice cream maker). Full photo album from making it is here.
1 cup whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
2/3 cup sugar
4 egg yolks, beaten
4-6 basil leaves
2 cups strawberries, halved
In a bowl, combine the milk and the heavy cream. Pour 1/2 of the milk mixture into a medium saucepan. Add sugar, egg yolks and basil. Crush the basil against the side of the pan using a spoon.
Place the pan over medium heat and allow to cook until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a metal spoon (I found this a bit tricky, I mostly went by when it started to almost bubble at the edges). Remove from heat and slowly stir in the rest of the milk. Place lid on saucepan and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
In a food processor or blender, puree the strawberries until very smooth. Remove the basil from the milk mixture, and stir in the strawberries. Place back in the refirgerator and allow to cool for 2-3 hours (or overnight).
Freeze the ice cream as per your ice cream maker's instructions.