Blue Moon Ice Cream (Printable Version)
Vibrant, creamy blue moon ice cream with a fruity citrus twist—churned from scratch for a nostalgic Midwestern treat.
# 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)
# How To Make:
01 - In a medium saucepan, combine the heavy cream, whole milk, granulated sugar, and salt. Set over medium heat, stirring gently until the sugar fully dissolves and the mixture begins to steam. Do not allow it to reach a boil.
02 - Place the egg yolks in a medium bowl and whisk lightly. While whisking constantly, slowly drizzle in about ½ cup of the hot cream mixture to gradually raise the temperature of the yolks without scrambling them.
03 - Pour the tempered yolk mixture back into the saucepan, stirring to combine. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for 5 to 7 minutes until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Keep the heat low and never let it boil.
04 - Remove the saucepan from heat. Stir in the raspberry extract, lemon extract, vanilla extract, and blue food coloring. Mix until the color is uniform and vibrant, adjusting the food coloring drop by drop until the desired shade is reached.
05 - Pour the custard through a fine mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove any cooked egg bits. Let it cool to room temperature, then cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight for the best results.
06 - Pour the thoroughly chilled custard into an ice cream maker and churn following the manufacturer's instructions until the mixture is thick, creamy, and has soft-serve consistency.
07 - Transfer the churned ice cream into a lidded freezer-safe container. Smooth the surface, press a piece of parchment against the top to prevent ice crystals, and freeze for at least 2 hours before scooping and serving.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- That elusive fruity citrus flavor is surprisingly easy to recreate with a blend of raspberry and lemon extracts.
- The custard base produces the silkiest, most luxurious texture you will never find in store bought pints.
02 -
- If your custard boils even briefly the eggs will scramble and you will have tiny lumps that no amount of straining can fully forgive.
- Chilling the base overnight instead of the minimum four hours dramatically improves the final texture and depth of flavor.
03 -
- Taste the chilled base before churning because once frozen the flavors dull significantly and you want it slightly bolder than you think it needs to be.
- A pinch of salt in the base is the difference between ice cream that tastes one dimensional and ice cream that keeps people coming back for another bite.