Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream Recipe

A cooked egg-yolk custard base churns up denser and creamier than a no-churn version, a quick stovetop strawberry compote gives concentrated berry flavor without watering down the base, and a buttery shortbread-and-freeze-dried-strawberry crumb (baked briefly to dry it out) stays crunchy even after freezing instead of turning soggy.

Prep

40 min

Cook

20 min

Total

670 min

Servings

8

Ingredients

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Instructions

1. 1In a medium saucepan, combine the heavy cream, whole milk, and half the sugar (1/2 cup / 100g). Heat over medium until steaming, but not boiling.
2. 2In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the remaining sugar until pale. Slowly pour about 1 cup of the hot cream mixture into the yolks while whisking constantly, then pour the tempered yolks back into the saucepan.
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3. 3Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a spatula, until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon and reaches 170-175°F (77-79°C), 5-8 minutes. Do not let it boil.
4. 4Strain the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl set over ice. Stir in the vanilla and salt, then cover and refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight until fully cold.
5. 5Meanwhile, make the strawberry swirl: cook the chopped strawberries, 2 tablespoons of sugar, and the lemon juice in a small saucepan over medium heat for 8-10 minutes, mashing occasionally, until jammy and reduced by about half. Cool completely, then refrigerate.
6. 6Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C). Toss the crushed shortbread with the melted butter and crushed freeze-dried strawberries until evenly coated and clumpy. Spread on a lined baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes, until fragrant and dry to the touch. Cool completely, then break into pea-sized crumbs.
7. 7Churn the cold custard in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions, about 20-25 minutes, until it reaches soft-serve consistency.
8. 8Layer the churned ice cream into a loaf pan or freezer-safe container, alternating with spoonfuls of the strawberry swirl and the shortbread crumb, then run a butter knife through the layers a few times to marble (do not overmix or it will streak grey-pink instead of ribboning).
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9. 9Press a piece of parchment or plastic wrap directly onto the surface, cover, and freeze for at least 4 hours until firm before scooping.

Tips & variations

• No ice cream maker? Freeze the custard in a shallow dish and whisk vigorously every 30 minutes for about 3 hours to break up ice crystals, then fold in the swirl and crumb once it's mostly set.
• Golden Oreos or vanilla wafers work as a swap for shortbread in the crumb topping.
• Frozen strawberries work for the swirl; thaw and drain excess liquid first so the compote doesn't take longer to reduce.
• For a stronger strawberry flavor throughout, add a tablespoon of the crushed freeze-dried strawberries directly into the custard base before churning.

Storage & reheating

Store in an airtight container with plastic wrap pressed against the surface for up to 2 weeks in the freezer; the crumb softens gradually after the first week but stays flavorful. Let sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes before scooping to soften.

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