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This vibrantly beautiful blackberry ice cream is so smooth and creamy. It is bursting with blackberry flavor and chocolate chips in every bite! This custard-based ice cream is the most delightful summertime treat.
Homemade Sweet Treat: Blackberry Ice Cream
We love berries of all kinds in our house. Strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, you get it. And one of our favorite things to do with an excess of berries is to make homemade ice cream or sorbet with it! My strawberry ice cream is at the top of my list but this blackberry ice cream is a close second, and let me tell you why.
This blackberry ice cream has a custard base vs. the strawberry ice cream that uses condensed milk and heavy cream. While there is nothing wrong with that, as it takes less work to make, this custard-based blackberry ice cream is honestly worth the time. It is the creamiest, smoothest ice cream consistency. It made for the easiest scoop (or three) and blackberries and chocolate? Need I say more? It’s one of the most loved combinations. The sweet tart flavor of blackberries throughout the custardy, smooth ice cream base with chocolate chip sand shavings throughout. It’s simply perfection!
How to Make Blackberry Ice Cream
- Make the blackberry syrup. Combine blackberries, sugar, and lemon juice in a small saucepan on the stove to make the syrup.
- Make the ice cream custard base. Heat the half and half, remaining sugar, and egg yolks to create the base of the ice cream. Add in the heavy cream last. Stir all the liquid ingredients together, along with the blackberry syrup.
- Chill the mixture. Chill the mixture for at least 6 hours in the refrigerator.
- Churn the ice cream and freeze. After 6 hours, pour the mixture into your ice cream maker along with the chocolate chips and churn. Transfer to a freeze-safe bowl or container.
Frozen Blackberries or Fresh Blackberries
Since you’re making a syrup with the blackberries first, it doesn’t matter if you use fresh or frozen. Preferably, of course, if blackberries are in season, I would choose fresh over frozen.
Storage Instructions
Keep frozen in a freezer-safe container in the freezer for up to two months. Before serving, take the container out of the freezer and allow to sit on the counter for 10 minutes before scooping.
Pro tip: run your ice cream scoop under hot water before scooping your ice cream! It helps scooping ice cream much easier.
Other ice cream flavors
If you love homemade ice cream, here are some other flavors that you may enjoy:
Blackberry Ice Cream
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 pints (946 g) fresh blackberries
- 1 ¼ cups (250 g) granulated sugar, divided
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1 ½ cups (355 ml) half and half
- 5 large egg yolks
- 1 ½ cups (355 ml) heavy cream
- 5 ounces (142 g) semisweet or dark chocolate, chopped
Instructions
- Combine blackberries, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, and the lemon juice in a saucepan. Cook over low heat until the blackberries are broken down and syrupy, about 20 minutes.2 pints (946 g) fresh blackberries, 1 1/4 cups (250 g) granulated sugar, Juice of 1/2 lemon
- Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve/strainer into a bowl, using a spoon to force as much as the deep purple liquid through as you can; set aside to cool. Discard the blackberry pulp seeds.
- Heat the half and half and the remaining 1 cup of sugar in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks in a bowl until pale yellow and thick, about 5 minutes. Temper the egg yolks by splashing in a very small amount of the warm half and half mixture while whisking constantly. Slowly pour the tempered egg yolks into the saucepan with the half and half and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes.1 1/2 cups (355 ml) half and half, 5 large egg yolks, 1 1/2 cups (355 ml) heavy cream
- Stir the heavy cream into the bowl with the berry mixture, then pour in the egg mixture and stir to combine. Cover the bowl and let chill for at least 6 hours in the refrigerator.
- Once chilled, pour the mixture into the bowl of the ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Chop the chocolate into chunks and put into ice cream right before the ice cream is done churning. Transfer ice cream to a freezer-safe container and freeze overnight before serving.5 ounces (142 g) semisweet or dark chocolate
Nutrition
Photographs by Eat Love Eat
Hey, I was wondering–do you strain your custard before stirring it into the blackberry mixture? Gorgeous ice cream by the way ;)
No, I don’t strain it :)
Awesome recipe! I made it twice this weekend and it came out perfectly. Super delicious and a gorgeous color! Everyone loved it!
One of my favorites! Glad you and everyone enjoyed it :)
I didn`t even know there was a non-custard based ice cream until after I made several batches of custard based ice cream!
This looks amazing! I love fruit ice cream flavors and this ice cream flavor looks so pretty.
This looks delightful :) I love blackberry!
My dad is obsessed with blackberries — his birthday is coming up, this sounds like the perfect thing to make for him :)
I am wishing that I had a bowl of this right now!
This is so gorgeous, Julie! I agree, I love custard ice cream!
I love my custard based ice cream – but I don’t make ice cream nearly enough – because I am too lazy to do it. I have never tried the heavy cream and condensed cream !! What is my problem?! I need to be lazy and try that version! And berries and chocolate is always a win. A massive creamy win.
LOVE blackberries, love chips, love ice cream… win-win-win. :)
Blackberry used to be my favorite ice cream! I havent had it in forever! Thanks for the inspiration! I love custard based ice creams too..sooo creamy and dreamy! :P