Raspberry-White Chocolate Ice Cream

This is a perfect ice cream for Valentine's Day!  I made this about a month ago for some guests, and it was a hit with them as well as our fam.  I concocted this recipe using a few other recipes on my blog, namely this White Chocolate recipe and this Chocolate Raspberry one.  You can make it even more festive-looking by incorporating a raspberry puree swirl.  I thought of it, but already had too many other things to do.  Borrowing an idea from the David Lebovitz Choc-Raspberry recipe (link above), I added raspberries (frozen) and fully incorporated them into the mixture, then strained it to remove any seeds.

Raspberry-White Chocolate Ice Cream
by What a Dish! with inspiration from David Lebovitz

2 cups half and half
1 2/3 cups heavy cream
1/3 cup vanilla sugar, divided
1 vanilla bean
3 egg yolks
12 ounces good-quality white chocolate, chopped
1 1/2 cups frozen raspberries, slightly thawed
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Pour the cream and half-and-half into a heavy medium-size saucepan along with about half the sugar. Split vanilla bean and scrape the seeds out with the dull edge of a knife. Add vanilla bean seeds to the milk and half-and-half, and drop in the empty pod. Bring mixture to a simmer.

2. In the meantime, place egg yolks and remaining sugar in a heavy-duty stand mixture and beat at a medium-low speed until lightened and smooth. With mixer running, remove milk mixture from the heat (after it has been brought to a simmer) and slowly beat into the the eggs. If you mix it too quickly, the eggs will scramble. Pour all of the mixture back into the pan and put over low heat.

3. Stir constantly with a wire whisk until the custard slightly thickens. Be very careful at this point- stir constantly and do not let mixture come to a boil. Add the slightly thawed raspberries and whisk. Let mixture come to 160 degrees F, stirring constantly.  If raspberries do not break up enough, you can use an immersion blender to puree them.

4. Have ready a large glass bowl with a fine-mesh strainer fitted over the top. Place the chopped white chocolate into the bottom of the bowl. Remove the raspberry-custard mixture from the heat and pour it through a mesh strainer into the bowl over the white chocolate. It will take a while to filter down. Discard the seeds leftover in the strainer. Stir in the vanilla extract. Whisk very well until all the white chocolate is melted and incorporated. Cover and refrigerate until cold or overnight.

5. Stir the chilled mixture; freeze in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's directions.

**This post and photos are property of http://dishingwithdish.blogspot.com/ **