Blue Moon Ice Cream (Printable Version)

Creamy, vibrant blue ice cream with a fruity-citrus twist—a Midwestern classic made from scratch.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dairy Base

01 - 2 cups heavy cream
02 - 1 cup whole milk
03 - ¾ cup granulated sugar
04 - Pinch of salt

→ Egg Mixture

05 - 4 large egg yolks

→ Flavoring & Color

06 - 1½ teaspoons raspberry extract
07 - ¾ teaspoon lemon extract
08 - ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
09 - 1–2 drops blue food coloring, adjust for desired shade

# Directions:

01 - In a medium saucepan, combine the heavy cream, whole milk, granulated sugar, and salt. Heat over medium heat, stirring until the sugar fully dissolves and the mixture begins to steam. Do not allow it to boil.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks vigorously. Slowly pour about ½ cup of the hot cream mixture into the yolks while whisking constantly to temper them. Gradually whisk the warmed yolk mixture back into the saucepan.
03 - Cook the mixture over low heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, approximately 5 to 7 minutes. Do not let the custard boil.
04 - Remove the saucepan from heat. Stir in the raspberry extract, lemon extract, vanilla extract, and blue food coloring until fully blended and the desired color is achieved.
05 - Pour the custard through a fine mesh sieve into a clean bowl. Allow it to cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight for best results.
06 - Churn the chilled base in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions until it reaches a thick and creamy consistency.
07 - Transfer the churned ice cream to a lidded freezer-safe container. Freeze for at least 2 hours before serving to achieve a firmer texture.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • The flavor is almost impossible to pin down, which makes every scoop a conversation starter at parties.
  • Making ice cream from scratch gives you a silkier texture than anything you can buy in a tub.
02 -
  • Custard that boils will curdle and leave you with scrambled egg ice cream, which is exactly as bad as it sounds.
  • The flavor deepens after a full overnight rest in the fridge, so resist the urge to churn immediately if you can help it.
03 -
  • If your ice cream maker bowl is not frozen solid overnight, your ice cream will churn forever and never reach the right consistency.
  • A quarter teaspoon of orange extract added alongside the others creates a brighter, more complex flavor that surprises even blue moon purists.

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