No-Churn Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream
This no-churn strawberry shortcake ice cream is creamy, scoopable, and made with macerated strawberries and toasted shortbread. Twenty minutes of work, six hours in the freezer, and you have a pint that tastes like summer.
Equipment
- Stand mixer or hand mixer
- Loaf Pan (9x5 inch)
- Baking Sheet
- Fine-Mesh Sieve
- Silicone spatula
Ingredients
- 1 lb fresh strawberries, hulled and quartered
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup shortbread cookies, crumbled into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 lemon zest (optional)
Instructions
- Macerate the berries: In a medium bowl, combine the quartered strawberries, sugar, balsamic vinegar, and a tiny pinch of salt. Stir gently, then let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Stir once halfway through.
- Toast the shortbread: While the berries macerate, preheat your oven to 350°F. Spread the crumbled shortbread pieces on a baking sheet in a single layer. Toast for 5-7 minutes, until they are just barely golden at the edges. Let them cool completely on the sheet.
- Strain the berries (optional but smart): Pour the macerated strawberries into a fine mesh sieve set over a medium bowl. Press gently with a spatula to release most of the syrup. Set the syrup aside. You will use the syrup in the ice cream base and the solids as a layer.
- Whip the cream: In the bowl of a stand mixer (or using a hand mixer), beat the heavy cream on medium-high speed until soft peaks form. This takes about 3-4 minutes. Stop when it looks like soft, billowy clouds.
- Make the base: In a large separate bowl, whisk together the sweetened condensed milk, vanilla extract, lemon zest (if using), and the reserved strawberry syrup. Whisk until smooth and evenly pink.
- Fold: Add about a third of the whipped cream to the condensed milk mixture and fold gently with a spatula until mostly combined. Add the remaining whipped cream and fold until no white streaks remain. The mixture should look like a uniform, pale pink mousse.
- Layer it up: Spoon about a third of the ice cream base into your loaf pan. Scatter half of the reserved macerated strawberry solids and half of the toasted shortbread pieces over the top. Drizzle with a bit of extra syrup if you have it. Repeat with another third of the base, the remaining strawberries and shortbread, then finish with the final third of the base.
- Swirl (optional but pretty): Take a butter knife and gently swirl it through the layers once or twice. You want ribbons of berry and pockets of shortbread, not a uniform mix.
- Freeze: Cover the loaf pan with plastic wrap pressed directly onto the surface of the ice cream, then seal with foil or a lid. Freeze for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight. The wait is worth it.
Notes
Things I Learned the Hard Way So You Don't Have To:
- Soft peaks mean soft ice cream. Don't overwhip the cream. Stop when it looks like soft, floppy clouds.
- Maceration is not optional. If you skip the sugar and resting time, your strawberries will freeze into hard, icy chunks.
- Toast the shortbread even if you're short on time. It takes five minutes and keeps the shortbread from turning into a paste.
- Press plastic wrap onto the surface. Air exposure causes ice crystals. Press wrap directly onto the ice cream before freezing.