Imagine a dessert that captures the essence of summer in every luxurious spoonful - a creamy, velvety frozen custard bursting with the vibrant, sweet-tart flavor of ripe plums. This isn't just another ice cream; it's a gourmet experience that transforms simple, fresh ingredients into a decadent treat that will make your taste buds dance with delight. Whether you're looking to impress dinner guests or treat yourself to a sublime homemade dessert, this Fresh Plum Frozen Custard is about to become your new obsession.
Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 30 mins
Total Time: 3 hrs 45 mins
Cuisine: American
Serves: 1 quart
Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh plums, pitted and chopped
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 4 large egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prepare the plums by washing, pitting, and chopping them into small, uniform pieces. Set aside in a bowl.
- In a medium saucepan, combine chopped plums and sugar. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until plums break down and create a syrupy mixture, approximately 10-12 minutes.
- Remove plum mixture from heat and press through a fine-mesh strainer to extract smooth puree, discarding any solids. Let the plum puree cool to room temperature.
- In a separate clean saucepan, combine whole milk and heavy cream. Heat mixture over medium heat until it reaches just below boiling point, with small bubbles forming around the edges.
- Whisk egg yolks in a separate bowl until smooth and pale yellow.
- Slowly temper the egg yolks by gradually adding hot cream mixture while continuously whisking to prevent scrambling.
- Return the tempered mixture to the saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the custard thickens and coats the back of a spoon, about 5-7 minutes.
- Remove custard from heat and stir in vanilla extract and cooled plum puree until well combined.
- Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve to ensure smoothness.
- Cover the custard with plastic wrap directly touching the surface to prevent skin formation. Refrigerate for at least 2-3 hours until completely chilled.
- Pour the chilled custard into an ice cream maker and churn according to manufacturer's instructions, typically 20-25 minutes.
- Transfer the churned custard to a freezer-safe container, cover, and freeze for an additional 1-2 hours to firm up before serving.
- Allow the frozen custard to sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes before scooping to ensure easy serving.
Tips
- Choose ripe, fragrant plums for the most intense flavor. Look for fruits that yield slightly when gently pressed.
- Use a fine-mesh strainer when making the plum puree to ensure a silky-smooth texture without any fibrous bits.
- When tempering egg yolks, pour the hot cream very slowly and whisk constantly to prevent scrambling.
- Make sure your custard base is completely chilled before churning to ensure the smoothest, creamiest texture.
- If you don't have an ice cream maker, you can still make this recipe by freezing the mixture and stirring vigorously every 30 minutes to break up ice crystals.
- For an extra luxurious touch, garnish with fresh plum slices or a sprinkle of toasted almond slivers before serving.
Nutrition Facts
Calories: 528kcal
Carbohydrates: g
Protein: g
Fat: g
Saturated Fat: g
Cholesterol: 351mg
