Fresh Blueberry Ice Cream

For your reference and mine, here's a handy flow chart to show the decision-making process for whether or not to write (yet another) post about dessert on the blog: 

Yep, that's basically how it goes around here. I genuinely do like other foods, it's just that I like dessert so much more. Of course I know it's supposed to be eaten in moderation and that sugar is killing us all and yada yada yada. But for me, sweet foods are just one of life's great pleasures, so dang it, I'm gonna keep making them. Maybe someday I'll achieve some dietary zen where I'm eating lentils for dessert holed up at a hermitage writing a book like this:

From amazon.com

but all I can say is I am not there yet, and I don't think I want to be. (I have a lot more I could say about this topic as a prospective nutritionist, but it would probably just get me all worked up and then I'd have to go diffuse my frustration with a cupcake brisk jog and I'd never get through this post.)

Anyway, so let me tell you about this melt-in-your-mouth blueberry ice cream. Blueberry is a flavor that gets a lot of love in muffins, breads, and even pies, but rarely do you see it headlining in ice cream. This needs to be remedied ASAP. The combination of blueberries and cream just rings with freshness and makes me think of what you would be served at some quaint Alpine pension. With blueberries in season, it's time to take advantage of rock-bottom sale prices and stock up so you can try blueberry-flavored everything. When we got a giant clamshell of them at Costco recently, they were quickly put to work in fruit salads, jam, and a blueberry-lime pound cake...but I think this creamy treat may have been my favorite. Give it a try and see if you agree!

Blueberry Ice Cream

(Adapted from Your Home-Based Mom)

Ingredients:

2 c. fresh or frozen blueberries

1 c. sugar

1/2 Tbsp. vanilla

pinch of salt

1 c. half and half

1 c. whipping cream

Directions:

1. Puree berries in a standard blender or with an immersion blender.

2. Heat pureed blueberries and sugar in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring until sugar has dissolved. Refrigerate until cold--totally, thoroughly cold. Your end result will be much creamier this way.

3. Mix in vanilla, salt, half and half, and whipping cream.

4. Pour into ice cream maker and churn according to manufacturer directions.