Easy No Churn Blackberry Ice Cream
blackberries, lilacs, ice cream
This simple to make creamy and delicious no churn ice cream takes less than 15 minutes to prepare with swirls of berry throughout it. The ice cream base is made with 3 basic ingredients. Then the blackberries are macerated and mashed with honey and swirled through the base. It requires no custard and no ice cream machine or fancy equipment. A simple creamy ice cream is so simple to make at home and there are so many delicious ways to customize the flavours and add ins.
I recently made some lilac honey which I used with my buttermilk honey scones. It was delicious and I wanted to use the extra on more than just toast so I decided I would make some ice cream with it. I decided to pair it with blackberries - normally a late summer fruit here locally but available all year round. I normally forage loads of them from my parents blackberry bush that is almost annoyingly too big for my dad to handle but I convinced him to let it be and allow it to take over it’s own big section of his garden. I can’t wait to get my fill of them later this summer. I have a thing for lilac and blackberries together as I even have a cake with the combo - Lilac Lemon Blackberry Pound Cake With a Lilac Glaze. It’s just a lovely combo together both in flavour and aesthetic.
How to make no churn ice cream
No-churn ice cream means there’s no need for an ice cream machine. So you can make ice cream that’s creamy, and ready to scoop out and lick in no time. Most homemade ice creams start with an egg custard base that is cooked and then placed in an ice cream maker. This no-churn ice cream recipe requires a hand mixer, a couple of bowls and takes just 3 ingredients folded into one another to make the ice cream base. Here is how it’s done:
- Simply whip the cream until stiff peaks form
- Fold the whipped cream into the sweetened condensed milk and vanilla extract. Do not overmix or the finished result won’t be as light and airy.
- Add flavour mix ins - in this case being the blackberries and honey
- Then place in a container - I prefer a metal loaf pan because the Ice cream freezes better in a metal container. Seal tightly and freeze for 6 hours or until completely set - preferably overnight.
How to make the Easy Blackberry honey Sauce
To make the blackberry sauce, mash up the berries with a fork or a masher along with the honey (lilac honey recipe below) and then simply swirl the simple sauce through the ice cream base. If you would like more distinct swirls I suggest blending the berries with the honey and them pushing them through a sieve so that you are left with the sauce alone - no solids. Place sauce in a small sauce pan and whisk with a teaspoon of corn starch to thicken. Bring it to a simmer and cook it until slightly thickened. Leave it to cool down in the refrigerator before swirling it through the ice cream base.
What else can I add to my no churn ice cream base?
The possibilities to change the flavor of this ice cream are endless. Simply sprinkle in a handful of add-ins and freeze as directed. Swap the vanilla for your favorite extract or other flavourings.
- You can substitute the blackberries for any other berry or fruit and you can even roast them first to deepen the flavour.
- Add a swirl of peanut butter, nutella, or cookie butter.
- Broken bits of graham crackers/cookies or chopped nuts, and even marshmallows - thing s’mores ice cream
- Chocolate chips,butterscotch chips or M&Ms or any crushed up candy bar you like
How Long Does Homemade Ice Cream Last?
This homemade no-churn ice cream will last for months in the freezer. Keep the container tightly sealed to ward off any freezer burn. It doesn’t get simpler than this to fill your icy treat cravings at home with very few ingredients and tools. You could use this no churn ice cream base recipe with just about any flavour or add in. Can’t wait to see what you guys come up with! If you liked this recipe you will love these:
Recipe
Ingredients
- 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
- 1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups cold heavy whipping cream
- 6 ounces (170 grams) fresh blackberries, plus more for garnish
- ½ cup honey (I used lavender honey - recipe below)
Directions
For the blackberries
- In a medium bowl add the honey and the blackberries and mash them together with a fork or masher. Set aside.
For the ice cream base
- In a large bowl, whisk together condensed milk and vanilla extract. Set aside.
- Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, whip the heavy cream until stiff, billowy peaks form. Fold 1 cup of the whipping cream into the condensed milk mixture to lighten it up. Then gently fold in the condensed milk mixture into the whipped cream in two additions. Just until combined - don’t over-mix.
Assembly
- Pour half the ice cream base into a 2 quart container or loaf pan. Top with half the smashed blackberries and use a knife or skewer to swirl the blackberries into the ice cream. Pour in the remaining half of the ice cream base and top with remaining smashed blackberries. Swirl the remaining blackberries into the ice cream.
- Cover tightly and freeze until firm, at least 6 hours or preferably overnight.
For the lilac honey (optional)
- lilac petals, whole or separated (avoid any hard stem bits for this recipe)
- pourable raw, honey
Instructions
- Fill a clean sterilized glass jar ¾ of the way full of lilac petals.
- Pour the honey over the lilac petals, filling the jar almost to the top.
- Stir well to incorporate all the petals into the honey.
- Stir once in a while and allow to infuse for several days to a few weeks before using. The Lilac flowers will all eventually float to the top of the honey jar. (The longer than honey sits with the flowers in it the stronger the lilac flavour it will have)
- Strain if desired by heating the honey gently in a double boiler and then straining with a fine mesh strainer) or leave the petals in. They are edible so I don’t ever bother to strain. In fact for this recipe the blooms get macerated with the berries and add even more flavour to the ice cream.
- Storage: Store in an air-tight jar for a few months in your pantry, room temperature.
