Blue Moon Ice Cream (Print)

A nostalgic, citrusy-berry frozen treat with almond undertones and a vivid blue hue, straight from Midwestern ice cream parlors.

# What You Need:

→ Dairy

01 - 2 cups heavy cream
02 - 1 cup whole milk

→ Sweeteners

03 - ¾ cup granulated sugar

→ Flavorings

04 - 1 tablespoon lemon juice
05 - ½ teaspoon almond extract
06 - ½ teaspoon raspberry extract
07 - ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
08 - ¼ teaspoon blue raspberry drink mix powder (optional, for color and flavor)

→ Coloring

09 - Few drops blue food coloring

→ Egg Mixture

10 - 4 large egg yolks

# How To Make It:

01 - In a medium saucepan, combine the heavy cream, whole milk, and granulated sugar. Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is just steaming (do not boil) and the sugar has fully dissolved.
02 - In a separate mixing bowl, whisk the egg yolks thoroughly. Slowly drizzle about ½ cup of the hot cream mixture into the yolks while whisking constantly to temper them and prevent scrambling.
03 - Pour the tempered egg yolk mixture back into the saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the custard thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon, reaching 170–175°F. This should take about 5 to 7 minutes.
04 - Strain the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove any cooked egg bits. Allow it to cool for 10 minutes at room temperature.
05 - Stir in the lemon juice, almond extract, raspberry extract, vanilla extract, and blue raspberry drink mix powder if using. Add blue food coloring a few drops at a time until the desired vibrant blue shade is achieved.
06 - Cover the bowl and refrigerate the custard for at least 4 hours, though overnight chilling will yield the best results.
07 - Pour the chilled custard into your ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer's instructions until it reaches a soft-serve consistency.
08 - Transfer the churned ice cream to a freezer-safe container, cover tightly, and freeze for at least 2 hours to firm up before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The flavor is almost impossible to pin down, which makes every spoonful a little mystery that keeps people coming back for another taste.
  • You probably already have most of these ingredients sitting in your pantry right now.
02 -
  • If your custard gets too hot and starts looking scrambled, do not panic, just pour it through the sieve and carry on because most small lumps will be caught.
  • The flavor of Blue Moon shifts as it freezes, so taste the warm custard and know it will mellow and deepen considerably after chilling and churning.
03 -
  • Chill your ice cream maker bowl for at least twenty four hours, not just overnight, because a partially frozen bowl will give you gritty, icy results no matter how perfect your custard is.
  • Start with less food coloring than you think you need because the shade intensifies as the ice cream freezes and concentrates.

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