Ben Vear's strawberry ice cream

Ingredients

• 1 large organic egg
• 150g Fairtrade caster sugar
• 300g strawberries
• Dash of lemon juice
• 150ml organic full-fat milk
• 100ml organic double cream

For this recipe I’ve used cream from a local organic farm, Woefuldane, which is based on ancient grassland in the heart of the Cotswolds. Their herd of 100 shorthorn cows are lovingly cared for in beautiful surroundings. My strawberries, picked from the local pick-your-own at Primrose Vale fruit farm, near Cheltenham, help to create this great summer-flavoured ice cream – perfect for the Wimbledon season!

Method

1. In a heatproof mixing bowl, beat the egg and sugar together using a hand whisk until they form a pale, smooth paste.

2. In a blender, whizz up the strawberries with a dash of lemon juice until the mixture is completely liquid. Set aside to allow the flavours to infuse.

3. Pour the milk and cream into a saucepan, put it over a low heat and bring it to a simmer, stirring constantly to avoid burning.

4. Pour the hot milk and cream over the egg mixture, then stir in the strawberry purée. Scrape the bottom of the pan to ensure the mixture has combined before setting it aside to chill in the fridge.

5. Once the mixture has chilled for at least half an hour, pour it into your ice-cream maker. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions and leave to churn. (Alternatively, pour the mixture into a freezer-proof container, seal it firmly with a lid and place in the freezer. Whisk after 1 hour to prevent ice crystals from forming; repeat 3 times before leaving it to set.) When it has finished churning, it will probably be too soft to eat, so spoon it into a freezer-safe container and put in the freezer to firm up.

6. Remove from the freezer 15 minutes before serving to soften slightly.

Recipe taken from Make Your Own Organic Ice Cream Using Home Grown and Local Produce by Ben Vear. ISBN 978-1-905862-75-7. Available at all good bookstores priced at £14.99. Orders: 01476 541080/www.howtobooks.co.uk.