Homemade Blackberry Ice Cream with Chocolate Chips

With KitchenAid recently announcing their Colour Of The Year to be Blue Salt, it only makes sense to create a sweet dessert in a complementary hue. Introducing their recipe for homemade blackberry ice cream with chocolate chips. Equal parts fruity fresh and silky sweet, it makes the most of in season blackberries. Although frozen varieties work just as well!

Makes 2 quarts/ 8 cups 

Total time:  8 hours, 50 minutes, includes chill, churn and freeze times
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Chill time: 4 hours
Churn time: 20 minutes
Freeze time: 4 hours

TOOLS

• KitchenAid Stand Mixer
• KitchenAid Ice Cream Maker attachment
• Medium saucepan
• Measuring cups/spoons
• Potato masher or wooden spoon
• Fine mesh sieve
• Small, medium and large bowls
• Ladle
• Whisk
• Rubber spatula
• 8.5-inch x 4.5-inch-wide metal loaf pan

INGREDIENTS

• 3 cups (432g) blackberries, plus more for garnish
• 1 cup (202g) granulated sugar, divided
• 2 cups (488g) whole milk
• 1 cup (244g) heavy cream
• ½ vanilla bean, split lengthwise and scraped
• 6 large (102g) egg yolks
• ½ cup (112g) bittersweet chocolate chips, 60% cacao, rough chopped
• ½ tsp. (3g) flaky sea salt

PREPARATION

Prep the Ice Cream Maker Attachment

1. Freeze the freezer bowl for 24 hours before using it, and leave it in the freezer until you are ready to add your chilled ice cream base.

Make the Blackberry Puree

2. Using a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the blackberries with ¼ cup sugar and 2 Tbsp. of water. Using a potato masher or a wooden spoon, mash the berries slightly. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer, stirring occasionally, until berries begin to break down, about 5–10 minutes. Remove the berries from the heat and transfer the berries to a fine mesh sieve placed over a small bowl. Using a ladle, push the berries against the sieve, allowing the juices to run into the bowl. Discard the solids and return the juice to the saucepan over medium heat and reduce for about 5 minutes, leaving about ¾ cup blackberry juice. Set aside to cool. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate.

Make The Ice Cream Base

3. Using a clean medium saucepan over low heat, combine the milk, 1 cup cream, ½ cup sugar and vanilla pod and seeds. Bring the milk to a simmer and heat until sugar dissolves, stirring occasionally.

4. Prepare an ice bath. Set aside. Using a medium bowl, whisk egg yolks and remaining ¼ cup sugar. Gradually whisk 1 cup hot milk mixture into yolks, whisking constantly to prevent curdling. Whisk yolk mixture into remaining milk mixture in saucepan, whisking until combined. Cook over low heat, stirring continuously with a rubber spatula, until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of the spatula, about 7–9 minutes. Transfer custard to a medium bowl and place in the prepared ice bath to cool. Stir occasionally until cool. Remove vanilla bean pod from custard. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.

Churn the Ice Cream

5. Combine the blackberry puree and ice cream base. Place the frozen Ice Cream Maker Attachment onto the KitchenAid Stand Mixer. Place the dasher inside the bowl. Connect the drive adaptor to the stand mixer motor head. Lower the tilt-head or raise the bowl, depending on your model, until the drive adaptor engages the dasher.

6. Turn the stand mixer on to speed 1 before adding the blackberry ice cream mixture. Pour the ice cream base into the freeze bowl with the dasher churning. After 15 minutes, add the chopped chocolate. Continue churning for 5–15 minutes until soft serve consistency is reached. Remove the dasher and scrape the ice cream off with a rubber spatula.
   
7. Place the blackberry chocolate chip ice cream in an 8.5-inch x 4.5-inch-wide metal loaf pan and smooth the top. Sprinkle with the flaky sea salt. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for several hours until firm, or overnight. Finally, scoop ice cream into bowls and garnish with fresh berries.

For best results, freeze your homemade blackberry ice cream the loaf pan for several hours before using for scoopable texture.