Homemade Wintergreen or Teaberry Ice Cream

5 from 1 vote

A refreshing homemade ice cream inspired by the Pennsylvania tradition, flavored with teaberry leaves (wild wintergreen). It tastes like wintergreen mints. Makes about 4 cups.

Prep Time20

Churning time45

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: teaberry ice cream recipe

Servings: servings

Calories: 244kcal

Author: Alan Bergo

Cost: 10

Equipment

1 Ice cream maker preferably with a compressor
1 2 quart sauce pot
1 Very fine mesh strainer
1 Whisk
1 wooden spoon
1 chefs knife

Ingredients

2 cups cream
1 cup milk
5 large egg yolks
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
½ cup sugar
2 teaspoons wintergreen extract see note
15 grams 3 Tablespoons minced fresh wintergreen leaves and berries generous tablespoons
6 oz fresh raspberries or 3 oz blackberries for color, optional

Instructions

In a small 2 qt or similar-sized saucepan, beat the egg yolks, cream, milk and sugar with a whisk until well blended. Put the whisk away and switch to a wooden spoon now to prevent incorporating air into the custard.
If you want to color the ice cream with berries you can mash them with the whisk in the beginning of the cooking process, or heat them until they release their juice, mash them with a fork and add them after the custard’s thickened. You can also puree them with a hand blender into the finished custard.
Heat, stirring constantly until the mixture reaches 175F-180F.
Cool the custard, add the wintergreen leaves, and extract, cover and refrigerate overnight and up to 3 days for the best texture.
Strain the custard through a fine strainer to remove bits of berries and wintergreen leaves. Taste a spoonful-it should have a strong, pleasant taste of wintergreen.
Spin the ice cream until it increases in volume and has the texture of sour cream. This takes about 45 minutes in my ice cream maker. For the best texture, serve the ice cream immediately in bowls you’ve chilled in the freezer, or transfer the ice cream to a container and freeze until needed.
The ice cream will never be quite as good as the day it’s churned, but it can keep for a few weeks in the freezer.

Video

Notes

The ice cream can be made with or without the extract.
To make wintergreen extract, pack a jar full of fresh leaves, cover with brandy, and infuse for at least 3 days.
Fresh wintergreen leaves or berries can be used.
You can infuse the ice cream base in the refrigerator for 3 days or more without the aroma becoming too strong.

Nutrition