The summer we moved into our house, my sister and her husband gave us two raspberry bushes. We had no idea how to take care of raspberries, but we found a little home for them along our fence, dreaming of jam, and tarts, and afternoon desserts.
Now, years later, they are out of control – bushes racing up and down that chain link as if they own the place. We adore them, despite their wild tendencies, and every August, as the summer starts slipping away a bit too soon, I am comforted by the deep pinks and reds peeking out at every turn.
No-Churn Raspberry Ice Cream with Chocolate
Raspberry ice cream has become a yearly tradition, and the kids and I spend afternoons picking piles of berries to use. We cook them down and gently press out all their seeds, stirring the bright juice into cold cream, along with pieces of bittersweet chocolate.
This is my favorite no-church recipe I’ve come up with, one that calls to mind lazy summer days and little hands next to mine.
Raspberry No-Churn Ice Cream with Chocolate
Ingredients
Raspberries
- 4 cups raspberries fresh or frozen [600g]
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Chocolate Pieces
- 5 oz semisweet or bittersweet chocolate [140 g]
Ice Cream
- One 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk [396 g]
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 oz cream cheese, room temperature [57 g]
- 2 cups heavy cream [480 g]
Instructions
- For the raspberries: Bring the raspberries, sugar, and salt to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring and pressing down on the berries occasionally until they have released their juices, about 5 minutes. Strain the berry mixture through a fine-mesh strainer, pressing on the solids to extract as much juice as possible. Discard the solids. Let the juice cool to room temperature.
- For the chocolate pieces: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of boiling water, being careful not to let the water touch the bottom of the bowl. Stir constantly until just melted. Remove from the heat and pour the mixture into the prepared pan and freeze until firm, 10 to 15 minutes. Prepare the ice cream while the chocolate is setting. When the chocolate is firm, chop it into bite-sized pieces, and add to the ice cream immediately (it will start to melt as you chop it, so work quickly).
- For the ice cream: In a large bowl, whisk the sweetened condensed milk, vanilla, salt, and raspberry juice until completely combined. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk, beat the cream cheese on medium until smooth. Turn the mixer to low and add the heavy cream in a slow steady stream, mixing until combined. Increase the speed to medium-high and whisk until stiff peaks form, 3 to 4 minutes.
- With a rubber spatula, gently fold 1/3 of the whipped cream into condensed milk mixture. Fold until fully combined. Gently fold in the rest of the whipped cream, until no streaks remain. Add the chopped chocolate and mix to combine. Pour into a 9 in [23 cm] loaf pan or Pullman pan with a lid and freeze until firm, 6 hours, or covered, up to 1 week.
21 Comments
Jeffry
Friday, July 12, 2024 at 12:27 pmThis sounds delicious, but what is the purpose of melting the chocolate, freezing it and chopping it up, rather than just chopping the chocolate in the first place? Is the consistency different?
Sarah Kieffer
Monday, August 12, 2024 at 5:21 pmYes! melting it first helps the chocolate to melt in your mouth when you eat it. Throwing it in unmelted will keep the chocolate hard, like biting in to a frozen chocolate chip.
Lorna
Saturday, August 9, 2014 at 5:39 amHello. What a lovely, inspiring piece of writing – and a fantastic recipe! It’s very easy for me to become obsessed and sad about the state of the world, whilst paying little attention to beauty in the everyday situations. Sometimes I need to be reminded that there are good things out there too; thanks for doing that.
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Tuesday, January 1, 2013 at 2:32 amwow. it’s really a good contribution to us guys not good at icecream, you know i did some cakes before but the taste it’s not good, then i quit, so if you have interesting, you can load to wedding dresses 2013
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Monday, July 30, 2012 at 2:59 amgreat little tip on the chocolate! and lovely photos and recipe per usual! still absolutely enamored with your site!
Helene @ French Foodie Baby
Saturday, July 28, 2012 at 3:56 amBeautiful writing, as always. When the mind gets carried away or brought down, nothing like the senses to bring you back to the present moment, the only thing that is real. That’s what cooking does for me… This ice cream sounds lovely, will have to give it a try.
Sacha
Saturday, July 28, 2012 at 1:55 amAfter complaining all evening about being trapped on a broken-down train for three hours without ventilation, I come and read this and remember how silly I’ve been. How unimportant that was. And now I’m laughing about the whole thing. And I want ice cream. This ice cream. Thank you.
Yossy | apt2bbakingco
Friday, July 27, 2012 at 5:48 pmBeautiful words and beautiful photos, Sarah. That Alice Medrich is some kind of genius, I love her recipes and tips so much.
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Friday, July 27, 2012 at 10:03 pmThank you Yossy. I love Alice Medrich. Her cookbooks are treasures.
Laura
Friday, July 27, 2012 at 4:08 pmGuh, I feel like I say this all the time, but I’m so grateful for this space and its light (and your amazing ice cream).
xoxo
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Friday, July 27, 2012 at 10:02 pmThank you Laura. I love you stopping by. One day I’ll make you some ice cream. xo
la domestique
Friday, July 27, 2012 at 2:55 pmSuch beautiful words. I have a tendency toward moodiness, and when a dark mood falls upon me it is true that the only remedy seems to be to get moving- bake bread, stir a pot of soup, etc. Next time I will make this lovely ice cream.
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Friday, July 27, 2012 at 10:02 pmThank you. Ice cream does help things. 🙂
Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar
Friday, July 27, 2012 at 11:05 amMmm such a treat. Love this!
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Friday, July 27, 2012 at 10:01 pmThanks Katrina!
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Friday, July 27, 2012 at 8:52 amI think the only way to get through the darkness that this kind of tragedy carries with it is to focus on what is good and simple in life, like a scoop of ice cream or a conversation with a friend, and to really make the most of every moment that we have.
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Friday, July 27, 2012 at 10:01 pmI agree. Even though it’s so removed from us, it still startles us as a culture, as people.
Jenny @ BAKE
Friday, July 27, 2012 at 8:44 amAbsolutely gorgeous photos! I am so glad I read this instead of the news, it brought a little sunshine into the morning!
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Friday, July 27, 2012 at 10:00 pmThank you Jenny! So glad to hear it. 🙂
Shanna
Friday, July 27, 2012 at 1:54 amI know just what you mean and I think these same thoughts. It’s good to remember that just as darkness is real, so is light. And Sarah, this ice cream? Stunning. Definitely one of the bright spots in this day.
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Friday, July 27, 2012 at 10:00 pmThank you Shanna. It’s been a little addicting for us, ha.