Peanut butter and jelly. Cookies and milk. Bacon and eggs. In food, some things are made better by pairing them with complimentary flavors. So is the case with strawberries and balsamic vinegar.
By Stephanie Russell

Strawberries and balsamic vinegar make for a cool, unexpected twist on ice cream.

Peanut butter and jelly. Cookies and milk. Bacon and eggs. In food, some things are made better by pairing them with complimentary flavors. So is the case with strawberries and balsamic vinegar.

At first glance you might think the two would clash against one another but after an initial sampling of the combined taste you would recognize the natural affinity they indeed have together. Where one’s sweet and tart the other’s heady and tangy and after moments of mingling amongst each other they develop a richer sweetness and body that is neither cloying or bracing.

Strawberry-balsamic ice cream is a nice departure from the everyday vanilla, strawberry, or chocolate varieties you are accustomed to. Drizzle with a sweet, molasses-y balsamic syrup to finish and you have a fine treat to cool yourself off on those lazy hot summer days.

Strawberry-Balsamic Ice Cream with Sweet Balsamic Syrup

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4 from 1 review

Author: Stephanie Russell
Total Time: 24 hours 40 minutes
Yield: 1 quart 1x

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Description

Strawberries and balsamic vinegar make for a cool, unexpected twist on ice cream.

Ingredients

Scale

2 cups half-and-half
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup brown sugar
1 vanilla bean; halved and seeds scraped
1 pint strawberries; washed, hulled, chopped into small pieces
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons gooseberry preserves*

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Instructions

In a medium-sized sauce pan set over medium-low heat, combine the half-and-half, heavy cream, brown sugar, and vanilla bean with seeds and bring it up to a slight simmer before taking it off the heat.
Let cool slightly before removing the vanilla bean and place the mixture into a lidded container in the fridge to sit overnight.
Meanwhile, place the chopped strawberries into a small bowl and combine with the balsamic vinegar and brown sugar. Mix together, cover, and place in the fridge to marinate overnight.
The next day, separate the macerated strawberries from the extra balsamic sauce at the bottom of the bowl. Place the balsamic sauce in a small saucepan set over medium-low heat and allow to reduce until thick and syrupy, about 15-20 minutes. Take off the heat and allow to cool.
Place the ice cream mixture into an ice cream machine. Add the 2 tablespoons of gooseberry preserve and the macerated strawberries. Turn on the machine and let churn until thick, about 30-40 minutes depending on your ice cream model.
Ice cream is ready to eat as soon as machine is finished churning it, but I usually let it harden even more in the freezer a couple hours. When you’re ready to serve, scoop ice cream into bowls and drizzle over sweet balsamic syrup.

Notes

*You can take the liberty of adding whatever kind you have laying around. A strawberry, raspberry, or peach may be good in here, too. It adds a different fruity element to the ice cream.

Special equipment needed: Ice cream maker – Make sure the ice cream vessel is frozen prior to use. I usually just leave mine in the freezer all the time so it’s always ready for me.

Prep Time: 24 hours
Cook Time: 40 mins