Strawberry-Rose Petal Ice Cream Recipe via Westport Farmers' Market

'Tis the season we wait for all year...Strawberry season. Those sweet red beauties are ready to pick in CT and can be enjoyed at these local farms. If you can't pick-your-own, just head to your local farmers' market. One of our favorite markets, The Westport Farmers' Market, has shared this recipe for Strawberry-Rose Petal Ice Cream. Get shopping...

Strawberry-Rose Petal Ice Cream

(adapted from Lindsey Shere’s Chez Panisse Desserts)

The perfect ice cream when strawberries are in season, plus my addition of rose petals for a fragrant note.

Yield:  one generous quart

Market Shopping List

• 3 pastured eggs
• 1 ½ pint baskets strawberries

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups heavy cream
• ¾ cup sugar
• 3 pastured egg yolks
• 1 ½ pint baskets strawberries
• 3 small fragrant garden roses, unsprayed, petals removed and reserved (or a few drops of vanilla extract)

Directions

1.  Make the custard a day ahead so it can be thoroughly chilled.  Heat the cream with 

½ cup of the sugar in a non-corroding saucepan until the sugar dissolves.  

2.  Whisk the egg yolks just enough to mix, and stir in some of the hot cream mixture to warm them.  Return to the pan and cook, stirring constantly, until the custard coats the spoon.  Strain and chill.

3.  About an hour before you want to freeze the ice cream, rinse, dry, and hull the strawberries.  Crush them fine with a potato masher (do not puree) and stir in the remaining ¼ cup sugar.  You should have about 1 ½ cups of crushed berries.  

4.  Let the berries stand for an hour or so, stirring occasionally to let the sugar dissolve, then mix with the custard and chill thoroughly.  Stir in rose petals (or a few drops vanilla) and freeze according to the directions with your ice cream maker.