Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup butterfly pea flowers
- 1 vanilla bean or two teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- FREEZE: First, freeze the bowl of your ice cream maker. During the summer, I always keep mine in the freezer so it’s ready to go whenever I need it. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve forgotten this step and had to scrap my ice cream plans for the day. The bowl must be completely chilled for the ice cream to firm up properly.
- Make the ice cream base. I recommend prepping this step anywhere from 2 to 24 hours in advance. If you make it less than 2 hours ahead, the base won’t chill enough to thicken nicely during churning.
- Combine the cream, milk, sugar, vanilla bean (or extract), and salt in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Warm the mixture for about 5 minutes, whisking often, until the sugar is fully dissolved and the base is warmed through. You don’t want it to get too hot—just warm enough to infuse flavor without forming a film on top.
- Steep the butterfly pea flowers. Once the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is warm, remove the pan from the heat and stir in the dried butterfly pea flowers (about 1/4 cup, depending on how bold you want the color). Let them steep in the warm mixture for about 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally. The mixture will take on a beautiful blue hue. After steeping, strain out the flowers using a fine mesh sieve and discard them.
- Chill the base – Pour the infused ice cream base into a heatproof bowl, cover it, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or ideally overnight, to allow the mixture to chill thoroughly.
- Churn – When you’re ready to make the ice cream, churn it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions—usually around 20–25 minutes.
- Note: The texture will be soft and creamy straight out of the machine, like soft serve. It’s absolutely delicious that way, but I personally prefer it after it’s been in the freezer for about 2 hours. It scoops better, holds its shape in a cone, and pairs beautifully with toppings.
- Transfer the churned ice cream into a quart-size airtight container using a spatula.
- Freeze for at least 2 hours before serving. The ice cream will be easy to scoop on the first day, but as it sits in the freezer, it will firm up. Let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes before scooping.
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: 5
- Category: Desserts