Recipe: Easy Strawberry Ice Cream

I know I'm rushing the season with this recipe, but the weather has been so glorious that homemade ice cream seemed the perfect use for the frozen strawberries left over from last year's harvest.

My mom found this family favorite years ago in an Old Farmer's Almanac, and the beauty of it is that there is no need for an ice cream maker; a hand mixer or blender is ideal, but beating vigorously by hand will also do the trick.

Easy Strawberry Ice Cream
Makes about 2 quarts


Ingredients:
2 Cups mashed strawberries
1 Cup sugar
1/8 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 Cups heavy whipping cream or half & half
Directions:


1. If using frozen strawberries, defrost slightly until they are easy to mash.


2. Mash berries


3. Place berries in a large bowl and stir in sugar and salt until dissolved. If using fresh berries, chill mixture for an hour or so. If you are using defrosted berries, you don't have to chill the mixture, since it will already be cold.


4. Stir in vanilla extract and cream, and place in freezer.


5. After about 3-4 hours the mixture will be firm on the sides but still soft in the middle. Remove it from the freezer and beat for a couple of minutes. For a lighter texture you can use a blender on top speed, but it will have to be done in batches.


6. Return to freezer until solid. Enjoy!

NOTE: Peaches can be substituted for strawberries if desired.

For a printable recipe, click here.