Jason Roberts Blackberry Ice Cream

Jason Roberts was wholesome and clean. And I don't only mean virtue-wise. I mean he was literally clean. I remember when I came home from a date with him and my roommate asked me about him I said, "He smells like soap." My roommate looked at me curiously and said tentatively, "And isn't that a good thing?" In theory, yes. But apparently I like my men a bit more musky because my last name isn't Roberts. But I do like my ice cream wholesome, clean and all things good. And this ice cream is so unadulterated it only has 6 ingredients. Only 6 ingredients... I think that makes it pretty close to being a health food.

2 pints blackberries

juice of half a lemon

1 c. sugar plus 1/4c. sugar

5 egg yolks

1 1/2 c. half and half

1 1/2 c. heavy cream

Put blackberries in a saucepan with lemon juice and 1/4c. sugar. Cook over low heat, covered, for 20-25 minutes until the blackberries have released all their juice. Drain using a fine mesh strainer, pressing on the berries to extract all the tasty juice/puree. Set aside.

Heat half and half and 1c. sugar in a separate saucepan over low heat. Turn off heat when mixture is totally heated.

Add heavy cream to a separate bowl. I recommend a metal bowl because it will help the mixture cool faster.

Beat egg yolks until they are pale yellow and slightly thick. Temper the eggs with the warmed half and half mixture. You do this by putting a 1/2c. of the warm liquid in with the eggs and stir it around. Do this twice. Then you can add the egg mixture into the half and half mixture without the eggs cooking. Cook this mixture over low heat, stirring constantly until it becomes slightly thick like a custard. Then strain the mixture into the bowl with the cream. Now add the blackberry juice and stir to combine. Let this mixture cool completely. I put it in the fridge to help it along. Then put in your ice cream maker and let it stir/freeze until thick. You can serve it now soft-serve style or you can harden it in the freezer for another two hours.

I know this sounds kind of complicated, but once you do it once or twice you will find it really isn't hard at all. And then you will want to make homemade ice cream every weekend with all the fun fruits of the summer.