Red Currant Ice Cream


Have you made any ice cream yet this year?  GET ON IT.

This is my first year dabbling in the frozen arts.  Popsicles last week, now this.

There have...been a few batches since this, too.

I may have a problem, actually.  I-don't-want-to-talk-about-it.


Aren't currants beautiful?  I think they are the most beautiful fruit.  They look like little pearls, little blood-red pearls. 

Although they come in shades of black and champagne, as well.

Their bitey tartness makes them a little rough for eating raw, but if you combine them with sugar and cream they are exquisite.

Incidentally, red currant was one of the first novel flavors I tried when I visited France, oh so long ago.  Over there they call it cassis.  Cassis and pistache (can you guess what that is?) are very popular flavors.


I want to name my children Cassis and Pistache.

Are you on board with that?  Honey?

Honey?

Red Currant Ice Cream

1 1/2 cups fresh red currants (or black, or champagne), de-stemmed
3/4 cup whole milk
2/3 cup white sugar
pinch salt
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

Put the red currants in the bowl of a food processor/blender/mortar and pestle and grind, grind, grind.  I like mine roughly chopped, but you can keep on it if you like it finer.  Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together milk, sugar and salt until sugar is dissolved.  Stir in the heavy cream and vanilla.  Stir in the red currants and all their residual juices.  Cover and refrigerate 1 - 2 hours, or overnight.

When mixture is completely chilled, churn and freeze according to ice cream maker instructions (sorry, folks without ice cream makers.  It's a club, I just joined it, you gotta get in on this). 

5 comments:

Ana Regalado said...

That is one GORGEOUS looking ice cream !!!! Congrats ! lol That currants are beautiful indeed ! Cassis and Pistache ?! Poor kids ! What about calling one currant ?! :D :D :D Throw a scoop or three over here ! ;D I've already emailed you my peanut butter ice cream ! lol

Evelyn said...

My aunt JUST gave me a currant bush on Saturday...and I was wondering what the heck I would make with currants. Thanks to you, my friend, in two years I will harvest my first batch of currants, and I will have something delicious to make!

amlamonte said...

anne did you really email me? i didn't get it! it's okay though i've already bookmarked your post :)

good luck with the bush evelyn! they are beautiful plants.

Maureen | Orgasmic Chef said...

How wonderful is this ice cream? I can't wait to try it once red currants arrive in Queensland. :) It looks beautiful.

dervla @ The Curator said...

woooh, this has got to to be the most beautiful color I've ever seen.