Strawberries – COCO COOKS

Strawberries are pretty cheap these days due to the Nations Strawberry Glut. A late Florida Season caused by a cold winter is meeting up with California’s traditional spring crops and the US market is flooded.Seeing as how I could purchase two containers of berries for the price of one, I went ahead and then put the ice cream freezer bowl in the freezer. I love to make ice cream , yet don’t do it as often as I would like .I always seem to forget how easy it is and how creative you can get.

While announcing my weekend intention on Twitter/ Face Book, renown and highly respected pastry chef, Shuna Fish Lydon suggested I roast my strawberries with vanilla sugar to coax out more flavor. That’s what I love about social media. Great chefs with a wealth of experience ready to help or just talk and share with no pretense. I took Shuna’s suggestion and ran with it a little more by roasting the berries with both vanilla sugar and Balsamic Vinegar. Oh WOW! I also decided to use Sour Cream , in addition to Half and Half and Milk. Did I mention just a bit of Creme de Noyaux, an pink almond flavored liquor made from apricot kernels? In the end the Creme de Noyaux was very subtle, but I added it to keep the ice cream from freezing hard and to enhance pink color, as homemade ice creams tend to do. My pastry instructor in the workshops at French Pastry School last summer declared Ice Creams will be next big thing in terms of trends in pastry . I do believe he is right.

Roasted Strawberry Balsamic Ice Cream

3 cups Strawberries washed, hulled and halved
2 tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
1/4 cup Vanilla Sugar ( save used vanilla beans and add to containers of sugar)
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar ( reserve 1/4 cup)
1 teaspoon Vanilla Paste ( extract can used as well)
2 tablespoons Creme de Noyaux
1 1/4 cup whole milk
1 1/4 cups Sour Cream
1 cup Half and Half

Prepare Freezer Bowl according to ice Cream makers instructions.
Line a baking sheet with lips with aluminum foil. Spread the halved strawberries. Combine Vanilla Sugar and 1 cup of granulated sugar . Sprinkle over the berries. Drizzle the Balsamic Vinegar over the berries and sugar. Roast at 400 F until the sugar dissolves and the juices start to bubble and caramelize. This will take about 15 minutes or so. Remove from the oven and carefully pour into a bowl. Using a strainer separate the the berries from the juices, while mushing them slightly. Set aside the mashed berries in one small container and allow the hot strawberry sugar balsamic juice to cool in another container. Add vanilla paste or extract and the Creme de Noyaux. Set Aside.
In a bowl or stand mixer mix the whole milk and remaining 1/4 cup sugar for a few minutes on low speed. Add the Sour Cream and half & half. Mix well. While mixing, add the Berry Juices, and mashed berries. Pour the mixture into the freezer bowl and churn for 25 minutes. It will be a soft consistency. Pour and spread into loaf pans and cover . Freeze for several more hours in the freezer until ready to serve.