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Serves 8Prep 25 minCook 10 minTotal 8H35 min

Ingredients

• 500 g fresh strawberries, hulled and chopped
• 50 g caster sugar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 397 g sweetened condensed milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon fine salt
• 600 ml cold double cream or heavy whipping cream

Method

1. Prepare the strawberries. Place the chopped strawberries, caster sugar and lemon juice in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat for 8–10 minutes, stirring regularly, until the fruit has softened and the liquid has reduced.
2. Create the fruit mixture. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Mash the strawberries with a potato masher for a textured finish, or blend briefly for a smoother ice cream. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the mixture for swirling through the finished dessert. Transfer the remainder to a shallow bowl and cool completely.
3. Make the condensed milk base. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the cooled strawberry mixture, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla extract and salt. Confirm that the fruit mixture is no longer warm before adding the cream.
4. Whip the cream. Pour the cold cream into a separate bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat until firm peaks form. The cream should hold its shape when the beaters are lifted. Do not continue beating after this stage.
5. Combine the mixtures. Add one-third of the whipped cream to the strawberry mixture. Fold gently to loosen the base. Add the remaining whipped cream in two additions, folding until the colour is even and no large white streaks remain.
6. Transfer to a container. Spoon the mixture into a freezer-safe loaf tin or lidded container. Smooth the surface. Add the reserved strawberry mixture in small dots, then draw a knife through it once or twice to create a simple swirl.
7. Cover and freeze. Press baking paper or freezer-safe wrap directly onto the surface. Cover the container and freeze for at least 8 hours, preferably overnight.
8. Serve. Remove the container from the freezer and leave it at room temperature for 5–10 minutes. Scoop and serve immediately.

Homemade Strawberry Ice Cream (No-Churn)

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Definition

strawberry ice cream (noun): A frozen dairy dessert containing strawberries, cream and a sweetening agent.

This no-churn version uses a cooked strawberry mixture, sweetened condensed milk and whipped cream. An ice-cream machine is not required. The method produces a soft, creamy dessert with a concentrated strawberry flavour and small pieces of fruit.

The recipe is suitable for a daily batch. It provides approximately eight servings and requires at least eight hours of freezing time. For best results, prepare it the day before service.

This method follows the standard no-churn process of combining a sweetened condensed milk base with separately whipped cream. A comparable technique is outlined in BBC Food’s no-churn strawberry ice cream recipe.

Recipe

Yield

• Servings: 8
• Prep time: 25 minutes
• Cook time: 10 minutes
• Freeze time: 8 hours
• Total time: 8 hours 35 minutes
• Equipment: saucepan, blender or potato masher, mixing bowls, electric mixer, freezer-safe container

Ingredients

• 500 g fresh strawberries, hulled and chopped
• 50 g caster sugar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 397 g sweetened condensed milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon fine salt
• 600 ml cold double cream or heavy whipping cream

Method

1. Prepare the strawberries. Place the chopped strawberries, caster sugar and lemon juice in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat for 8–10 minutes, stirring regularly, until the fruit has softened and the liquid has reduced.

2. Create the fruit mixture. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Mash the strawberries with a potato masher for a textured finish, or blend briefly for a smoother ice cream. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the mixture for swirling through the finished dessert. Transfer the remainder to a shallow bowl and cool completely.

3. Make the condensed milk base. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the cooled strawberry mixture, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla extract and salt. Confirm that the fruit mixture is no longer warm before adding the cream.

4. Whip the cream. Pour the cold cream into a separate bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat until firm peaks form. The cream should hold its shape when the beaters are lifted. Do not continue beating after this stage.

5. Combine the mixtures. Add one-third of the whipped cream to the strawberry mixture. Fold gently to loosen the base. Add the remaining whipped cream in two additions, folding until the colour is even and no large white streaks remain.

6. Transfer to a container. Spoon the mixture into a freezer-safe loaf tin or lidded container. Smooth the surface. Add the reserved strawberry mixture in small dots, then draw a knife through it once or twice to create a simple swirl.

7. Cover and freeze. Press baking paper or freezer-safe wrap directly onto the surface. Cover the container and freeze for at least 8 hours, preferably overnight.

8. Serve. Remove the container from the freezer and leave it at room temperature for 5–10 minutes. Scoop and serve immediately.

Tips

• Use ripe strawberries. Fully ripe fruit provides more flavour and colour. Remove berries that are mouldy, damaged or excessively soft.
• Reduce the fruit mixture properly. Fresh strawberries contain a significant amount of water. Cooking the fruit concentrates the flavour and reduces the amount of free liquid that can form ice crystals.
• Cool the strawberries completely. Warm fruit can soften or partially melt the whipped cream. Spread the mixture in a shallow bowl to shorten the cooling time.
• Keep the cream cold. Cold cream whips more efficiently and produces a more stable mixture. Refrigerate the bowl and beaters for 10 minutes if the kitchen is warm.
• Fold, do not stir vigorously. The whipped cream provides the aeration required for the no-churn texture. Excessive mixing removes that air.
• Use a shallow container. A broad, shallow container freezes the mixture more quickly and makes it easier to scoop.
• Cover the surface. Direct contact with baking paper or freezer wrap helps limit ice crystals and freezer odours.
• Use pasteurised dairy. Keep the cream refrigerated until required. Clean the equipment before preparation and wash the strawberries under running water.
• Observe storage limits. Store the ice cream at approximately −18°C/0°F. If it melts significantly or remains above 4°C/40°F for more than two hours, discard it rather than refreezing it. See the USDA food safety guidance for frozen foods.

Variations

Strawberry ripple

Prepare the recipe as written, but do not mix all the strawberry mixture into the condensed milk. Add half to the base and reserve the remainder. Layer the ice cream and strawberry mixture in the container, then make three or four shallow swirls with a knife.

Strawberry and chocolate

Add 75 g of finely chopped dark or milk chocolate to the mixture immediately before transferring it to the freezer container. Chocolate-coated strawberry pieces can also be used, provided they are chopped into small pieces.

Strawberry cheesecake

Fold 100 g of small digestive biscuit crumbs into the finished mixture. Add 100 g of softened cream cheese to the condensed milk base before incorporating the whipped cream. The resulting mixture will be denser and more tangy.

Fresh strawberry pieces

Reserve 100 g of the chopped strawberries before cooking. Pat them dry with kitchen paper and fold them into the completed ice-cream mixture. This provides a fresher fruit texture but may create additional ice crystals.

Reduced-sugar version

Do not remove the condensed milk without replacing its structure. Sweetened condensed milk contributes sweetness, solids and texture. A reduced-sugar version will generally be less creamy and may freeze harder.

FAQ

Can homemade strawberry ice cream be made without an ice-cream machine?

Yes. Whipped cream supplies air, while sweetened condensed milk provides sweetness and a smooth base. The mixture is frozen in a covered container without churning.

Why is the strawberry mixture cooked first?

Cooking softens the fruit, concentrates its flavour and reduces excess water. This produces a more pronounced strawberry taste and helps limit iciness.

Can frozen strawberries be used?

Yes. Thaw the strawberries completely, drain excess liquid and measure 500 g after thawing. Cook them as directed. The flavour may be less fresh than that of ripe seasonal berries.

How long does no-churn strawberry ice cream take to freeze?

It requires a minimum of 8 hours in a properly cold freezer. A shallow container may freeze more quickly, but overnight freezing is the operational standard for a firm texture.

Why is the finished ice cream hard?

Home freezers can produce a firmer result than commercial freezers. Leave the container at room temperature for 5–10 minutes before scooping. Avoid repeated thawing and refreezing, which damages texture and may create a food-safety issue.

Can this recipe be made with single cream?

Single cream does not contain enough fat to whip into a stable structure. Use double cream or heavy whipping cream with a fat content suitable for whipping.

How long can the ice cream be stored?

For best texture, use it within two weeks. It may remain frozen for longer, but ice crystals and freezer odours are likely to increase over time. Keep the container tightly covered.

Does this recipe contain eggs?

No. This is an egg-free recipe. If an egg-based variation is used, the custard should be cooked to 71°C/160°F before cooling and freezing.

What is the correct serving temperature?

Serve after a short tempering period of approximately 5–10 minutes. The exact time depends on the freezer temperature, container depth and room temperature.