Eating ice cream in zillion degree weather: smart. Trying to photograph ice cream in zillion degree weather: very very dumb. But this one tastes soooo good, it was worth the meltdown (guess who melted down more). I’m back with no-churn ice cream! Creamy, smooth, fruity and perfect. With blueberry compote swirled in and a crunchy brown sugar crumble that is so good, we might as well forget about the ice cream. No wait, I take that back.

With a miraculous stock of frozen blueberries, I’ve been going crazy putting them in everything. Ice cream was naturally on the list. With frozen berries, it isn’t enough to just stir them in, they’ll only break your teeth and add no pretty colour or flavour bursts. Enter, an easy compote that once cooled, becomes thick and jammy and blends in perfectly. The berries have a pleasant bite even after freezing. Plus, the ice cream gets tinted purrrrple! Win win.

The crumble! OMG so good. Much like with any other crumble I’d make, this one is super quick. Just flour, butter and brown sugar with some cinnamon and salt for more flavour. Then it’s crumbled up onto a tray and baked till really nice and toasty. The deep brown colour ensures it doesn’t go soggy once mixed into the ice cream. Should you reserve some to sprinkle over your bowl? I can’t believe you had to ask.

There is plenty of blueberry flavour and the crumble is the perfect texture contrast. Seriously, jammy berries and crunchy crumble omg. No churn ice cream melts faster than the traditional homemade ones with egg custards, but no harm done. Definitely freeze it at least overnight to get it to the right scoop-able consistency. Check out more ice cream here!

And make a batch of this today 🙂

Blueberry Crumble Ice Cream (No-Churn)

No churn ice cream with blueberry compote and crunchy brown sugar crumble

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 15

Total Time: 25

Makes: 1 litre ice cream

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Ingredients

For the blueberry compote

200 gms frozen blueberries (do not thaw)
1 tbsp caster sugar
1 tsp cornstarch or arrowroot starch

For the crumble

1/2 cup all-purpose flour (60 gms)
2 tbsps brown sugar
Pinch of salt
Pinch of cinnamon powder
3 tbsps cold, unsalted butter, cubed (40 gms)

For the ice cream base

1 cup whipping cream, chilled (250 ml; see notes)
1/2 cup condensed milk (150 gms)

Instructions

Make the compote first, since it needs time to chill before you can stir it into the ice cream. In a small saucepan on low heat, combine the frozen blueberries and sugar. Stir often till the berries begin to release their juices and thaw. Continue to let them cook for 3 to 4 minutes.
Once the liquid is very lightly simmering and the berries have softened, sprinkle the cornflour over it and stir it in thoroughly.
Cook for another 1 to 2 minutes until the mixture begins to thicken and coat the back of the spoon. Take it off the heat and let it cool for 20 minutes at room temperature. Then transfer to the fridge for at least an hour. It will thicken further as it chills.
Now make the crumble. Preheat the oven to to 170 C and line a baking tray with a silicone mat or non-stick baking paper.
Combine the flour, sugar, salt and cinnamon in a bowl. Stir well, then add the cold, cubed butter. Rub it in with your fingertips until the flour is no longer dry and the mixture clumps together when you press it between your fingers.
Tip the crumble onto the prepared tray and spread it out in an even layer, making sure the clumps stay as is, so that they add more texture to the ice cream.
Bake for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring the crumble halfway through, until toasty and golden-brown. Set aside to cool completely.
Now make the ice cream base! Using a hand mixer, or a stand mixer, whip the cream on high speed (see notes) until it thickens and forms stiff peaks with only slightly rounded tips.
Stir in the condensed milk gently. Then stir in the chilled blueberry compote. You can leave it a little swirly, or stir it in completely to get a nice purple colour.
Finally, gently fold in the crumble. By this time the cream would have deflated a bit, so don't be too vigorous. Pour into a freezer-safe container with a tight fitting lid, or use a metal loaf tin and cover it with clingfilm. Remember to scrape the bottom of the bowl while because the berries will sink down.
Freeze for at least 12 hours for the best texture, especially in hot climates. I found it most easy to scoop after 48 hours. The ice cream does melt pretty quick, but all the more reason to eat it really fast! Will keep in the freezer for about 10 days. Happy summer 🙂

Notes

*You should use whipping cream that's been chilled at least 24 hours. Also keep your bowl in the fridge 30 minutes before you plan to whip the cream. I buy Amul whipping cream from Big Basket usually.

*Delish has frozen blueberries which are available online sometimes and at stores like Nature's Basket.

*You can double the compote if you'd like a deeper colour and flavour in the ice cream, or want to spoon some over the top after serving. The berries will likely sink to the bottom of the ice cream, so having some extra compote doesn't hurt 🙂

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