By seven o’clock, the two tables were groaning under dishes and dishes of Mrs. Weasley’s excellent cooking, and the nine Weasleys, Harry and Hermione were settling themselves down to eat beneath a clear, deep-blue sky. Mr. Weasley conjured up candles to light the darkening garden before they had their homemade strawberry ice cream, and by the time they had finished, moths were fluttering low over the table and the warm air was perfumed with the smells of grass and honeysuckle. - Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Strawberry Buttermilk Ice Cream is pink summer magic fit for Harry Potter fans and friends alike
It wasn't uncommon for Harry to end up at the Weasley family's home, The Burrow, by each summer's end -- usually arriving somewhat undernourished after several weeks with the Dursleys. Thankfully, Weasley family matriarch and mom to Harry's best friend Ron, Molly Weasley is a superb cook; so Harry's time at The Burrow is generally one laden with excellent meals. On one such summer evening before traveling to the Quiddich World Cup, Molly cooks a feast for all 9 Weasley's, Harry, and Hermoine, which is enjoyed out in the garden -- culminating with a homemade strawberry ice cream. My take on Molly Weasley's homemade Strawberry Ice Cream includes a simple base of fresh summer strawberries that marry themselves with a vanilla buttermilk base. It's creamy pink summer magic fit for Harry Potter fans and friends alike.
Can I use frozen strawberries?
Yes. Because the strawberries are cooked down before being added to the ice cream base, you may use frozen strawberries in place of fresh. However, I enjoy this recipe most when it's made at the peak of strawberry season in the summer, so fresh is best when possible.
Is the buttermilk necessary?
Though the book never mentions the specifics of Molly's strawberry ice cream recipe, I like to imagine that her culinary prowess led her to add a measure of buttermilk to the custard base of the ice cream. Buttermilk adds a rich tanginess that compliments the flavor of strawberries and makes them extra magic, so I highly recommend you don't skip it. However, if you are set against buttermilk, or ran out you can feel free to swap the buttermilk for an equal measure of heavy cream.
How long will this recipe keep?
If stored properly in the freezer, this Strawberry Buttermilk Ice Cream should last several weeks. However, each time ice cream is removed from the freezer, you're essentially placing it into a state of temporary thawing while you scoop, leading to potential melting edges, crystallization, and a harder to scoop ice cream when refrozen. Therefore, I find that homemade ice cream is generally best when eaten in the first week after making.
What tools do I need to make this recipe?
- A cutting board
- A chefs knife
- A citrus juicer (unless using pre-juiced lemon)
- Measuring cups and measuring spoons
- A medium saucepan and a large pot or saucepan
- An immersion blender or a traditional heatproof blender
- A thermometer
- A spatula or wooden spoon
- A whisk
- A fine mesh strainer
- A medium mixing/storage bowl and a large mixing/storage bowl (I like these because they are great for mixing and have lids for storage)
- An ice cream maker
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Molly Weasley's Strawberry Buttermilk Ice Cream
- Prep Time: 5 min
- Cook Time: 30 min
- Total Time: 6 hours
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Stovetop / Freezer
- Cuisine: British
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Molly Weasley's Strawberry Buttermilk Ice Cream is summer magic fit for Harry Potter fans and friends alike.
Ingredients
- 1lb fresh strawberries, topped and roughly chopped
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 cup granulated sugar, divided
- 3 cups heavy cream
- 7 large egg yolks, room temperature
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 tsp vanilla
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the strawberries, lemon juice, and ½ cup of the divided sugar. Allow to come to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Cook the strawberries down until they begin to release their juice and are soft and syrupy. Remove from heat.
- Using an immersion blender, pulse the strawberry mixture until it reaches your desired consistency. I prefer to pulse until the mixture is mostly pureed with a few small chunks of strawberry to ripple through the ice cream. If you prefer you can pulse until the mixture is completely pureed, or leave yours quite chunky; just remember that the larger pieces of strawberry will harden substantially when frozen. Alternatively, you may pulse this strawberry mixture in a heat-proof traditional blender if you do not have an immersion blender. Transfer the strawberry mixture to a heatproof storage bowl and set to the side to cool.
- In a large pot or saucepan over medium-low heat, add the heavy cream and salt. Allow the mixture to heat, stirring occasionally, until it just starts to simmer (you should see bubbles beginning to form around the outside ring of the mixture). Then remove from heat.
- While the heavy cream cooks, prepare your eggs. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the egg yolks until they are pale yellow and slightly frothy. Add the sugar and continue whisking until fully combined.
- Temper your eggs with your warm cream mixture by gradually adding very small amounts of cream to the eggs, while continuously whisking. I like to use a small ladle or a spouted heat-safe measuring cup to slowly stream the warm cream mixture into the eggs while whisking. It's important that you take this step slowly and continue to whisk as the heat from the cream mixture can scramble the eggs if added too quickly. Continue tempering until atleast ⅓ or more of the cream mixture has been combined with the egg mixture.
- Add the tempered egg mixture to the pot along with the remaining cream mixture and stir to combine. Return the pot to heat over low. Continue to cook, stirring frequently until the mixture reaches 170 degrees F (77 C) and coats the back of a spoon. To test this, dip a spoon into the mixture and then run your finger across the back of the spoon. If a clear path is made through the middle and the rest of the spoon remains coated, your mixture is ready to be removed from the heat.
- Pour the mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a large, heat-proof bowl. The strainer will catch any unwanted bits of egg that might not have tempered properly to ensure your ice cream is smooth.
- Allow the mixture to cool for about 30 minutes then add the buttermilk and vanilla and stir to combine.
- If the bowls of the strawberry mixture and ice cream base are both cool to the touch at this point, cover and refrigerate both overnight or until they have reached 40 degrees F (4 C) or below. If making ice cream the same day, this will likely take a minimum of 4 hours, but may take 6 hours or more, depending on the size and shape of your bowl and the temperature of your refrigerator.
- Once the two mixtures have reached the appropriate cooled temperature, combine the strawberry mixture with the buttermilk ice cream base then pour into an ice cream maker and process according to the manufacturer's directions. This should take approximately 20-30 minutes, depending on your ice cream maker. Serve immediately for soft-serve consistency or transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze for 4 hours to allow the ice cream to harden.
Notes
Nutritional information on Whip & Wander is provided as a courtesy and is approximate only. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 313
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 103 mg
- Fat: 23 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Cholesterol: 203 mg
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