Blue Moon Ice Cream (Print version)
A vibrant blue frozen treat bursting with a fruity, mysterious swirl of raspberry, lemon, and almond extracts.
# What goes in:
→ Ice Cream Base
01 - 2 cups whole milk
02 - 1 cup heavy cream
03 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
04 - 1/8 tsp kosher salt
→ Flavor & Color
05 - 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
06 - 1/2 tsp raspberry extract
07 - 1/2 tsp lemon extract
08 - 1/2 tsp almond extract
09 - 3–5 drops blue food coloring
→ Other
10 - 4 large egg yolks
# Cooking steps:
01 - In a medium saucepan, combine the whole milk, heavy cream, granulated sugar, and salt. Set over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture is steaming and the sugar has fully dissolved. Do not allow it to boil.
02 - Place the egg yolks in a separate mixing bowl and whisk briefly. Slowly pour 1/2 cup of the hot dairy mixture into the yolks while whisking vigorously to temper them and prevent scrambling.
03 - Gradually pour the tempered yolk mixture back into the saucepan, whisking constantly. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring continuously, until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, approximately 5 to 7 minutes.
04 - Remove the saucepan from the heat. Stir in the vanilla extract, raspberry extract, lemon extract, and almond extract until well combined. Add the blue food coloring, starting with 3 drops and adding more as needed, mixing until the color is uniform and vibrant.
05 - Pour the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove any cooked egg bits. Allow it to cool to room temperature, then cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or until completely chilled throughout.
06 - Pour the chilled custard into an ice cream maker and churn following the manufacturer's instructions until it reaches a soft-serve consistency. Transfer the churned ice cream to a freezer-safe container, cover, and freeze for 1 to 2 hours until firm.
# Tips from flavorandfeast:
01 -
- That mystery flavor everyone argues about is surprisingly easy to recreate with a blend of four extracts you probably already own.
- The custard base yields a scoopability that puts most store bought pints to shame.
02 -
- Rushing the chilling step will give you icy, grainy results every single time no matter how perfect your custard was.
- Straining through a sieve catches any tiny cooked egg bits and makes the final texture flawlessly smooth.
03 -
- If you do not own an ice cream maker, pour the chilled custard into a shallow dish, freeze for 45 minutes, stir vigorously with a fork, and repeat three more times for a surprisingly decent result.
- The flavor tastes even better on day two because the extracts have time to meld and mellow in the freezer overnight.