This Raspberry Ripple Ice Cream recipe is a delightful journey into classic homemade dessert. It’s the perfect way to capture the vibrant taste of fresh raspberries swirled through a creamy, sweet base, offering a refreshing and satisfying treat for any occasion.
Key Ingredients for Raspberry Ripple Ice Cream
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 5 large egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups fresh raspberries
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar (for raspberry sauce)
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (for raspberry sauce)
How to Make Raspberry Ripple Ice Cream
This Raspberry Ripple Ice Cream recipe is a triumph of simplicity and pure flavor, promising a wonderfully creamy texture and that iconic, beautiful ripple. With a preparation time of around 30 minutes plus chilling and churning time, it’s an achievable yet incredibly rewarding homemade dessert.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Prepare the Raspberry Sauce: In a small saucepan, combine the fresh raspberries, 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar, and the lemon juice. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the raspberries have broken down and the sauce has thickened slightly, about 5–7 minutes. Remove from heat and let it cool completely. You can choose to strain this sauce through a fine-mesh sieve for a smoother ripple, or leave it slightly chunky for more texture.
Create the Custard Base: In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and 3/4 cup of granulated sugar until pale yellow and slightly thickened.
Heat the Dairy: In a medium saucepan, combine the heavy cream and whole milk. Heat over medium heat until it just begins to simmer around the edges. Do not boil.
Temper the Egg Yolks: Slowly ladle about 1/2 cup of the hot cream mixture into the egg yolk mixture while whisking constantly. This process, called tempering, gently warms the egg yolks without cooking them into scrambled eggs. Once incorporated, pour the tempered egg yolk mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining cream mixture.
Cook the Custard: Cook the custard over low to medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or spatula, until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. This will typically take about 5–10 minutes. Do not let it boil, as this will curdle the yolks.
Strain and Chill: Remove the custard from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Strain the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove any potential lumps. Cover the surface of the custard with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight, until thoroughly chilled.
Churn the Ice Cream: Once the custard is completely chilled, churn it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Create the Ripple: During the last few minutes of churning, when the ice cream is almost firm, begin to drizzle in the cooled raspberry sauce. Continue to churn until the sauce is incorporated in swirls. Alternatively, once the ice cream is churned, transfer it to an airtight container, layering spoonfuls of ice cream with spoonfuls of raspberry sauce, and swirling gently with a knife or skewer to create the ripple effect.
Freeze to Harden: Transfer the raspberry ripple ice cream to an airtight container. For the best texture, press a piece of parchment paper directly onto the surface of the ice cream before sealing the container. Freeze for at least 2–4 hours, or until firm.
Why You’ll Love This Raspberry Ripple Ice Cream
This Raspberry Ripple Ice Cream is a celebration of simple, wholesome ingredients coming together to create something truly spectacular. The star of the show is undoubtedly the vibrant, slightly tart raspberry sauce, beautifully swirled through an impossibly smooth, rich vanilla cream base. Making this at home means you control the quality of ingredients and can avoid the artificial flavors and preservatives often found in store-bought versions, offering a significant cost-saving without compromising on taste or luxury. It’s a nostalgic flavor combination that, when done right, is simply divine.
Forget those pre-packaged pints; this homemade version is a labor of love that yields an unparalleled creamy texture and an explosion of authentic raspberry flavor. The contrast of the sweet cream and the bright, fruity ripple is utterly captivating, reminiscent of childhood summers and a perfect antidote to a warm day. So, gather your ingredients, embrace a little kitchen magic, and treat yourself to a scoop (or two!) of this delightful Raspberry Ripple Ice Cream.
Storing and Reheating Tips
To keep your delicious Raspberry Ripple Ice Cream fresh, store it in an airtight container in the freezer. For optimal texture and to prevent ice crystals from forming, press a piece of parchment paper or wax paper directly onto the surface of the ice cream before sealing the lid. It will stay fresh for up to 2 weeks. While ice cream is best enjoyed before reheating, if you find it too hard to scoop, let it sit at room temperature for about 5–10 minutes before serving.
Final Thoughts
This Raspberry Ripple Ice Cream is a testament to how simple, quality ingredients can create an utterly irresistible dessert. We encourage you to give this recipe a try; you’ll be rewarded with a truly delightful homemade treat that’s sure to become a family favorite.
Raspberry Ripple Ice Cream
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- In a small saucepan, combine the fresh raspberries, 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar, and the lemon juice. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the raspberries have broken down and the sauce has thickened slightly, about 5–7 minutes. Remove from heat and let it cool completely. You can choose to strain this sauce through a fine-mesh sieve for a smoother ripple, or leave it slightly chunky for more texture.1 1/2 cups fresh raspberries, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and 3/4 cup of granulated sugar until pale yellow and slightly thickened.5 large egg yolks, 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- In a medium saucepan, combine the heavy cream and whole milk. Heat over medium heat until it just begins to simmer around the edges. Do not boil.2 cups heavy cream, 1 cup whole milk
- Slowly ladle about 1/2 cup of the hot cream mixture into the egg yolk mixture while whisking constantly. This process, called tempering, gently warms the egg yolks without cooking them into scrambled eggs. Once incorporated, pour the tempered egg yolk mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining cream mixture.
- Cook the custard over low to medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or spatula, until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. This will typically take about 5–10 minutes. Do not let it boil, as this will curdle the yolks.
- Remove the custard from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Strain the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove any potential lumps. Cover the surface of the custard with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight, until thoroughly chilled.1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Once the custard is completely chilled, churn it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
- During the last few minutes of churning, when the ice cream is almost firm, begin to drizzle in the cooled raspberry sauce. Continue to churn until the sauce is incorporated in swirls. Alternatively, once the ice cream is churned, transfer it to an airtight container, layering spoonfuls of ice cream with spoonfuls of raspberry sauce, and swirling gently with a knife or skewer to create the ripple effect.
- Transfer the raspberry ripple ice cream to an airtight container. For the best texture, press a piece of parchment paper directly onto the surface of the ice cream before sealing the container. Freeze for at least 2–4 hours, or until firm.