How to make wild strawberry and thyme ice cream
Naturalist, artist and nature writer Tiffany Francis shares her recipe for a summery ice cream from foraged fruit and herbs.
Is there anything more glorious than fresh ice cream in the sunshine? Wild strawberries (Fragaria vesca) are bursting with flavour from June to August, and can be found growing on grassy banks, woodlands, scrub and chalky soil.
Wild thyme (Thymus serpyllum) is a wonderfully aromatic herb, and just a sprinkle will bring this recipe to life. Look out for it on heathland, dry grasses and sandy soils, where it attracts bees and common blue butterflies.
Serve in scoops with chewy meringue or squashed into a cone for long walks in the woods.
More recipes by Tiffany Francis:
More summer foraging recipes:
Ingredients
- Caster sugar 60g
- Wild strawberries 300g, rinsed
- Wild thyme 1/2 tsp, rinsed and chopped
- Lemon zest 1/2 a lemon, grated
- Whole milk 150ml
- Double cream 150ml
- Egg yolks 3, beaten
Method
-
Step 1
Pop the strawberries, chopped thyme and lemon zest into a bowl and gently mash with a fork to release the juices. Sprinkle with 30g of the caster sugar and leave covered for an hour.
![Fresh wild strawberries. Tobias Titz/Getty]( "Fresh wild strawberries. Tobias Titz/Getty")
Fresh wild strawberries. © Tobias Titz/Getty -
Step 2
Add the milk and cream to a saucepan and bring to boil over a medium heat. In a separate bowl, combine the remaining sugar and beaten egg yolks until mixed thoroughly.
-
Step 3
Pour the warm milk mixture over the eggs and whisk well. Then return the whole mixture to the pan and stir continuously over a medium heat until it thickens into custard.
-
Step 4
Fold in the strawberries, thyme and lemon and beat well. If you prefer your ice cream without chunks, you can now add the mixture to a processor and blend until smooth.
When you are happy with the consistency, pour the mixture into a plastic tub and store in the freezer until solid.
![Bowl of strawberry ice cream. © Ericka McConnell/Getty]( "Bowl of strawberry ice cream. © Ericka McConnell/Getty")
Bowl of strawberry ice cream. © Ericka McConnell/Getty
Tiffany Francis is a writer, naturalist, and artist, living in the South Downs, and is the author of Food You Can Forage, published by Bloomsbury Wildlife.
Main image: Fresh wild strawberries. © Tobias Titz/Getty
Authors
