Blueberry Ice Cream Recipe

I had always been a little leery of making fruit-based ice cream, as I have some trust issues with my ice-cream making capabilities. But also, bearing in mind the prices of berries from where I'm from, a nagging voice in my head keeps reminding me that berries are a little too pricey an ingredient to mess around. I'm a struggling newly grad, y'all. But now that I am currently on a break and visiting my sister in California, I'm making full use out of her ample fridge space, her ovens (plural), her full array of kitchen gizmo, and of course, all the agricultural produce blessed by the California sun. It's smack-dab in the berry season in September, where every grocery chain that we'd been to couldn't offload their boxes of strawberries, blueberries, blackberries and raspberries fast enough. And all these fresh dairy products supplied from within state lines? Simply gorgeous. Which, naturally, we took full advantage of. 

When everything was set and done, we found ourselves with two quarts of a brilliantly-coloured ice cream bursting with blueberry flavour. We managed to cook off excess water content during the process, resulting in an ice cream that was smooth and creamy.  

Best of all, I lucked out with the FT I'd been holding onto forever (which I'd snagged from my flight, and had been meaning to read), and its warm hue makes a perfect backdrop. Who says hoarding wouldn't pay off? 

Blueberry Ice Cream Recipe
Adapted from Food
Makes 1 quart
The original recipe makes 2 quarts (almost 2L), which my sister's ice cream machine could accommodate. I had scaled the recipe down to a more manageable single quart, which fits my ice cream machine back home. I hadn't tried Kirsch for myself, but I'd heard it can be paired with fruit-based ice cream instead of vodka. If using kirsch, keep the amount less than 1 tablespoon per litre of ice cream. 

INGREDIENTS
250g (2 cups) fresh blueberries
150g (3/4 cups) sugar
1 tablespoon water
1/2 tsp vanilla 
1/2 tsp cinnamon
360ml (1 1/2 cups) cream
120ml (1/2 cup) milk 
3 tbsp vodka

STEPS
1. In a large saucepan set over medium heat, combine blueberries, sugar and water. Let it come to a boil, and then turn the heat down to a slow simmer. (If using frozen berries, start off with low heat.) Let the mixture simmer for about 5-10 minutes, stirring constantly and squashing the blueberries as you do.  

2. Remove from heat and add vanilla and cinnamon. Stir well. Transfer to a table-top blender (or use a handheld blender). Blend the blueberry mixture well. 

4. Stir in cream, milk and vodka. Cover and refrigerate until well-chilled. 

5. Operate the ice cream machine according to the manufacture's directions.