Elderberry Ice Cream Recipe - How to Make Elderberry Ice Cream (2024)

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5 from 5 votes

By Hank Shaw

May 30, 2021 | Updated May 30, 2022

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I love ice creams. They are my main weakness when it comes to sweets, and I specialize in weird ice creams — herbs like yerba buena and fruits like this elderberry ice cream.

Elderberry Ice Cream Recipe - How to Make Elderberry Ice Cream (2)

Elderberries live in most states, and are ripe from June to September, depending on where you live. Only use ripe berries, as the green ones are slightly toxic. Take them off the stems (tedious but necessary) and make a syrup out of them first.

This is my elderberry syrup recipe, and this is the base for elderberry ice cream. And yes, you can absolutely use store-bought elderberry syrup if you want to.

Keep in mind I am talking about black or blue elderberries, not red elderberries. While technically edible, the red ones aren’t very good, and don’t make a nice ice cream.

Once you have your elderberry syrup, you then use this syrup to flavor a standard custard-based ice cream. But wait! I’ll add one more flavor dimension in: buttermilk. I love the idea of a slightly sour, tangy edge to an ice cream, and even just a little bit adds a lot to the flavor.

Can you use this recipe for other berries? You bet. Some you can try include: Highbush cranberries, chokecherries, currants, gooseberries, mulberries, beach plums — really any seedy fruit. Think fruits you would not sit there and eat, although the recipe works for even those fruits.

Serve elderberry ice cream with a drizzle of leftover fruit syrup and you are good to go!

Once made, the ice cream will keep a few months in the freezer before it starts to get a little icy.

Looking for more unusual ice creams? I have recipes for wintergreen ice cream, paw paw ice cream, pine nut ice cream and mint leaf ice cream.

If you liked this recipe, please leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and a comment below; I’d love to hear how everything went. If you’re on Instagram, share a picture and tag me athuntgathercook.

5 from 5 votes

Elderberry Ice Cream

You can also make this ice cream with more typical fruit, such as strawberries, raspberries and blueberries. Serve with a drizzle of honey, molasses, chocolate sauce or some leftover fruit syrup.

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Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: 10 servings

Author: Hank Shaw

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour

Total Time: 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 cups elderberries, stripped off the stems
  • 1 cup water
  • Sugar to taste
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 1 1/2 cups milk
  • 3 to 4 tablespoons buttermilk
  • 5 egg yolks
  • 1 tablespoon elderberry liqueur, cassis or other dark fruit liqueur (optional)

Instructions

  • First make the syrup. To make a syrup out of a seedy fruit like an elderberry, add about 2 cups of the elderberries to a pot and pour 1 cup of water over them. Heat slowly until it simmers and the berries begin bursting. Keep the berries at a slow simmer and begin pouring in sugar. Start with 1/2 cup and stir it in well. Taste and add more if you want. Don’t go higher than 1 1/2 cups of sugar. Simmer for 5 minutes or so and then take off the heat.

  • Let the syrup cool a bit, then push it through a food mill with the finest setting, or a medium-meshed sieve. Elderberry seeds tend to be small, so you will need to account for that. Use a mesh that prevents them from getting through. Try to get as much pulp in as you can — it adds body to the syrup, and later the ice cream. Pour the syrup into a jar and chill it in the fridge. A syrup like this will last for weeks in the fridge, so you can make it far in advance.

  • When you want to make the ice cream, pour the cream and milk into a heavy pot and put it over a medium-high flame. Add the syrup. How much? I use 1 1/2 cups of elderberry syrup, but it will depend on your taste. Use as little as 1/2 cup, or as much as 2 cups. Just add and taste, and do it bit by bit, tasting as you go.

  • Bring the mixture to about 160°F, which is steaming but not simmering. Lower the heat a bit for now. Get a bowl and beat the egg yolks.

  • Now comes the tricky part: With a ladle in one hand and a whisk or fork in the other, slowly pour some hot cream into the egg yolks. Do this very slowly at first, whisking the eggs all the time with your other hand. Pour in another ladle, which can go in a little faster, then one more ladle, just to be sure. You are tempering your egg yolks, so they do not scramble in your cream mixture — this is making a custard. Pour the hot egg-cream mixture into the pot and whisk well.

  • Add the buttermilk – you can add more if you want, but use your taste as a guide. Whisk everything really well. Bring the mixture to 160°F, then take it off the heat. Again, this is not quite a simmer. Let it cool on the counter for 15 minutes or so, then add the liqueur. You use this both for flavor and to prevent the ice cream from setting up like a rock in the freezer. Put the mixture in the fridge to chill thoroughly, even overnight. Once it’s cold, pour into your ice cream maker and follow its directions.

Notes

This recipe makes about 1 quart.

Nutrition

Calories: 242kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 167mg | Sodium: 42mg | Potassium: 176mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1063IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 96mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Tried this recipe? Tag me today!Mention @huntgathercook or tag #hankshaw!

Categorized as:
Berries and Fruits, How-To (DIY stuff), Recipe, Sweet Things

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About Hank Shaw

Hey there. Welcome to Hunter Angler Gardener Cook, the internet’s largest source of recipes and know-how for wild foods. I am a chef, author, and yes, hunter, angler, gardener, forager and cook. Follow me on Instagram and on Facebook.

Read More About Me

Elderberry Ice Cream Recipe - How to Make Elderberry Ice Cream (2024)

FAQs

How to make ice cream at home step by step? ›

In a small plastic bag, add ½ cup heavy cream, ½ cup milk, 2 tablespoons fine sugar and ½ teaspoon vanilla extract. In another larger bag, add 2 to 3 cups ice and ¼ cup salt, then place the smaller bag inside and seal it. Shake the big bag for about 6 to 8 minutes, and presto! Instant ice cream.

What is the secret to making ice cream very creamy? ›

When it comes to great ice cream, cold temperatures and speed are your friends: the faster you bring your base from liquid to solid, the creamier it'll be. In a 2-quart unit, a typical batch of ice cream will take between 18 and 25 minutes to churn.

Can you freeze homemade elderberry? ›

Elderberries can be frozen either before or after destemming, and freezing can even be a part of the destemming process itself, since the firmer, frozen berries can better withstand destemming manipulations. To freeze elderberries prior to destemming, lay cymes on a tray or wide bin and place in the freezer.

What flavors mix with elderberry? ›

Hop on this trend by optimizing elderberry's potential with tried-and-true flavor pairings. Complementary fruits include other berries, apple, apricot, peach, citrus, plum, fig, and dates. For spices, we encourage pairing them with brown sugar, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, star anise, allspice, clove, and vanilla.

How to make ice cream at home in 10 minutes? ›

Step 1In a small resealable plastic bag, combine half-and-half, sugar, and vanilla. Push out excess air and seal. Step 2Into a large resealable plastic bag, combine ice and salt. Place small bag inside the bigger bag and shake vigorously, 7 to 10 minutes, until ice cream has hardened.

Do eggs make ice cream creamier? ›

Eggs leverage the fat already present in the ice cream base (the butterfat in cream and milk) and make it work even further for a creamier texture. But wait, there's more! Egg yolks also improve the stability of an ice cream, reducing its tendency to melt before you can get it from freezer to cone to mouth.

What is the best sugar for ice cream? ›

Most home ice cream recipes call for simple table sugar, which is chemically known as sucrose. But in pro kitchens you have more options. Liquid sugars like invert sugar, corn syrup, honey, and glucose syrup all add body, creaminess, and stability to ice cream, and a little goes a long way.

What ingredient makes ice cream thick? ›

Egg Yolks: The most traditional thickening agent, egg yolks contain natural proteins and fats that contribute to a rich and luxurious texture in custard-based ice creams. Cornstarch: Often used in non-custard ice creams, cornstarch mixed with milk helps thicken the base and create a smooth mouthfeel.

Should I wash elderberries before freezing? ›

First, snip the whole elderberry clusters off of the shrubs, while they are still attached to their main stalks. Then rinse them under water to remove any insects or debris. Spread them on a dish towel to dry off for a few minutes, and then simply put the whole elderberry clusters into freezer bags or containers.

Is it better to freeze or dry elderberries? ›

Freezing whole berries

Flat freezing elderberries is also a good choice to preserve them. It is especially helpful if you plan on using them for baking or pie making later on in the season.

Does heat destroy elderberry? ›

While immune supporting magnesium, potassium, niacin, viburnic and shikimic acids and other health supporting constituents and nutrients in elderberries can withstand heating and drying, the ascorbic acid, anthocyanins, and many other flavonoids (AKA antioxidants) may not.

Which is better elderberry or elderflower? ›

Elderberry is a nutrient rich berry with a great flavor that may help to support the immune system. It also has antioxidant properties due to its rich anthocyanin content. Elderflower contains high amounts of antioxidants due to rich phenol content. Additionally, it's thought to help support healthy blood sugar levels.

What's the difference between elderflower and elderberry? ›

Elderflower has a woodsy and floral taste, and their sweetness comes out when elderflower is cooked. Photo courtesy of Shadi via Unsplash. Compared to elderflower, elderberry has a more intense taste: woodsy and floral, with a dark flavor that can be bitter and earthy when the fruit is consumed raw.

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