Seasonal Potluck: Blueberry Tequila Ice Cream

We’re experiencing a heat wave throughout most of the country this week, and Illinois is no exception.  I’m an ice cream lover any time of year, but crave it more in the summertime when the weather is warm.  Using peak of the season fresh berries in an ice cream – it doesn’t get much better than that!  We had some friends over for dinner last weekend and I made a meal mostly consisting of recipes from the Rick Bayless cookbook my husband got me for my birthday, Fiesta at Rick’s.  I had yet to try a recipe from it because they’re mostly geared for entertaining.  The book is sort of part cookbook, part party-planner.  There were actually SO many recipes that I wanted to try, I felt like I actually had to wait for a occasion when there were more than two of us to cook for!  It was worth the wait.  Every recipe turned out very well, and I will not wait as long to make something from this book again!

The tequila in this recipe is pretty subtle.  I almost always add a tablespoon or two of some type of liquor when making homemade ice cream and sorbet because I find it keeps them a little softer.  Since there aren’t any stabilizers or preservatives in these homemade treats, they can get really hard to scoop after a night in the freezer.

Blueberry Tequila Ice Cream

adapted from Fiesta at Rick’s, by Rick Bayless

• 4 egg yolks
• 1/2 cup plus 1/3 cup sugar (for custard base)
• 1 cup half and half
• 2 cups fresh blueberries
• 1/3 cup sugar (for blueberry infusion)
• 1 cup heavy cream
• grated zest of one lime
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 2 1/2 tablespoons blanco (silver) tequila

Whisk together the egg yolks and sugar, then whisk in the half and half.  Place in a saucepan over medium-low heat.  Whisk the mixture frequently while cooking, scraping down the sides of the pan with a rubber spatula too as the mixture thickens.  About 5 minutes.  The custard is cooked enough when it reaches 180 degrees.  For a fine texture, pour the custard through a fine-mesh strainer into a heat-proof bowl.

Cool the base by refrigerating overnight, or by placing it in another bowl filled with ice and whisking until cool.

In another small saucepan, combine the blueberries and remaining 1/3 cup sugar.  Stir over medium heat until the berries have released their juices, about 3 minutes.  Combine the blueberries, cream, lime zest, lime juice and tequila in a blender.  Blend until smooth.  Cool completely, then add to the cooled custard base.  Freeze in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s directions. 

Enjoy!  Don’t forget to check out (and share) more seasonal recipes on the link page!