There are few things more summery than ice cream and strawberries.   While I have long enjoyed fresh strawberry desserts, strawberry ice cream just didn’t interest me.  Most store-bought varieties seem vaguely strawberry flavored and quite artificial.  Using a pound of fresh strawberries and sour cream, this David Lebovitz recipe produces a creamy, subtly sweet ice cream with an authentic strawberry flavor.

I like to play around with the dairy ingredients in an attempt to cut fat and calories.  As written, the ice cream is perfectly smooth and creamy.    While any reduced-fat substitute will effect the ice cream’s texture, I have found that  using reduced fat sour cream and half and half in place of the sour cream and heavy cream yields a delicious, smooth ice cream.  Straight out of the freezer, it’s a little harder than its full-fat counterpart, but nothing that a few minutes on the counter won’t fix.

Topped with fresh strawberries and whipped cream, this ice cream is the perfect treat for a warm summer day.

Strawberry Sour Cream Ice Cream
David Lebovitz: The Perfect Scoop

Yields about 1 1/4 quarts

1 lb fresh strawberries, rinsed and hulled
3/4 cup sugar
1 tbsp vodka
1 cup sour cream
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice.

1. Slice strawberries. In a medium bowl, combine strawberries, sugar and vodka. Stire until the sugar begins to dissolve.
2. Cover the bowl and let stand at room temperature for about an hour, stirring occasionally.
3. Using a blender or food processor, pulse the strawberries and their liquid with the sour cream, heavy cream and lemon juice until smooth but slightly chunky.
4. Chill the mixture in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour and then freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

These Strawberry Banana Muffins were a last-minute addition to my Mother’s Day Brunch line-up. They were so last minute that I had my husband run to the store to pick up more strawberries about an hour before our company was due to arrive!

I spotted this recipe on Just2Good and followed it to a tee. Due to a limited produce selection, I ended up using frozen strawberries. Due to overzealous muffin-tin filling, I ended up with only 14 muffins instead of the suggested 18. I needed to bake them a bit longer, but they turned out beautifully! It’s worth noting that the muffin tops don’t brown when they are done, but they will spring back when lightly pressed.

The strawberry banana combination is delicious – something I had never thought to put in a muffin. The bananas lend a subtle sweetness and great moist consistancy to the muffin, while the strawberries provide bright bursts of flavor.

Strawberry Banana Muffins

Yields 18 muffins

2 1/4 Cup of flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 Cup fresh strawberries, diced
3/4 Cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 stick of butter, melted
2 large ripe bananas, mashed
1 tsp vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin pan with 18 paper liners.
2. In a large bowl combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
3. After mixing, gently fold in the strawberries, making sure to coat them with flour.
4. In another bowl, combine the brown sugar, eggs, butter, bananas, and vanilla until mixed thoroughly.
5. Slowly combine the wet mixture with the dry mixture and stir until just combined. Overmixing will result in tough, dense muffins.
6. Divide batter evenly among the 18 muffin cups.
7. Bake for 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.
8. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.