Food-Processor Strawberry-Balsamic Ice Cream

By Elizabeth MindreauJuly 22, 2024

Makes
Makes about 1½ quarts
Cook Time
10¾ hours
Active time plus cooling
20 minutes active

Fresh strawberries are the star ingredient in this no-cook, no-churn ice cream. Instead of adding bits of fruit, which turn icy and hard when frozen, we stir berry puree into the base for a uniformly creamy texture and fresh flavor throughout. Long ago, Italians discovered that dark, sweet-tart balsamic vinegar perfectly complements the rosy notes of strawberries. No need to use a spendy traditional balsamic here; we had success with decent imported supermarket brands such as Lucini and Cento. Bittersweet chocolate is an excellent mix-in for this ice cream. Stir in about 4 ounces, finely chopped, after transferring the mixture from the food processor or stand mixer to the chilled bowl, just before the final freeze.

Tip

Don’t forget to chill the evaporated milk. If room-temperature or barely chilled, it will not whip properly. Also, don’t whip the evaporated milk until it holds stiff peaks. If overbeaten, it will cause the ice cream base to deflate during the initial freezing. Lastly, make sure the base is fully frozen before processing. If it is only partially frozen, it may separate as it freezes.

Ingredients

1
1-pound container strawberries, hulled
1
tablespoon white sugar
1
14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
½
cup plain whole-milk Greek yogurt
1
tablespoon balsamic vinegar (see headnote)
Kosher salt
1
12-ounce can evaporated milk, well chilled

Step 1

Place a large bowl in the refrigerator and chill for at least 15 minutes. In a food processor, purée the strawberries and sugar until smooth, about 1 minute, scraping the bowl as needed. Set a fine-mesh strainer over a large bowl, then pour the puree into the strainer. Using a silicone spatula, work the puree through the mesh; discard the solids. To the strained puree, add the condensed milk, yogurt, vinegar and ⅛ teaspoon salt; stir until homogeneous.

Step 2

Pour the cold evaporated milk into the chilled bowl. Using a hand mixer or a whisk, whip until it resembles softly whipped cream, has doubled in volume and forms mounds when the beaters or whisk are lifted; do not whip to stiff peaks. Whisk about one-third of the whipped milk into the condensed milk mixture to lighten it. Now, using the whisk, fold in the remaining whipped milk until the mixture is well combined; it will resemble frothy yogurt.

Step 3

Transfer to a 2-quart container and cover tightly. Freeze until the center is fully frozen, usually at least 6 hours; the timing will vary based on the shape of the container and the temperature of the freezer. To check if the center is frozen, dig into it with a spoon; it should be solid, without any liquid.

Step 4

Remove the base from the freezer and let stand at room temperature for 5 minutes to allow it to soften slightly. Using a sturdy spoon or ice cream scoop, transfer to a food processor; return the now-empty container to the freezer to keep it cold. Process until the mixture resembles a milk shake, 1 to 3 minutes, scraping the bowl as needed.

Step 5