One of Emily Hahn’s favorite things in the world is ice cream. “I eat pints of it at a time without even realizing and still want more,” says the executive chef of Warehouse in Charleston, South Carolina, and Top Chef alum. Here, she shares a seasonal no-churn ice cream—a sweet cream base shot through with a ribbon of blueberries and hints of juniper berries and warm spice.
“This ice cream is a bit more adult in flavor profile,” says Hahn. “Blueberry and juniper make me want a chilled glass of gin with cucumber and crushed ice to wash it down.”
Blueberry and Juniper Ice Cream
Makes 2 quarts
- 10 juniper berries, smashed
- 5 cardamom pods
- 1 cinnamon stick
- Cheesecloth
- 1 cup sugar
- Water
- 1 pint very ripe blueberries, preferably local1 tablespoon cornstarch
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon
- 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
- 2 cups cold heavy
- whipping cream
- Pinch sea salt
1 Bundle smashed juniper berries, cardamom, and cinnamon in cheesecloth with a small tie to make a sachet.
2 In a small, heavy-bottomed pot, add sugar and enough water to make the mixture look like wet sand. Turn heat to medium high and cook sugar until it becomes caramel in color. Add blueberries and spice sachet, and cook for 10 minutes, until blueberries break down. Mix cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water to create a slurry and add to blueberry mixture. Boil until very thick, about three minutes. Stir in lemon zest and juice, and then cool in refrigerator.
3 In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, combine condensed milk, cream, and salt and mix on high until mixture forms stiff peaks. Gently fold in blueberry mixture. Pour into a loaf pan and freeze for 6 hours.
