Key-Lime Ice Cream with Strawberries

After my successful experiments with making simple eggless home-made ice creams that don't require an ice cream maker, ice creams are now my new go-to dessert option when there is company at home.  When it comes to entertaining a group of people, this seems to be one of the easier desserts to ensure a fool-proof hosting experience. Who doesn't love ice creams?! Plus, from the host's perspective, it can be prepared ahead of time and doesn't need a lot of fuss and attention, except for the periodic beating/creaming. I also wanted to make some ice cream for my parents, so it was settled. 

A few weeks back, I found a very very rare bag of key-limes in the store. I had to buy it first and then think about what to do with it later :). My husband loves key-lime pie. Although I have made it a few times, I have always used regular limes instead of key-limes, so my original plan for the key-limes was to make some pie or mousse. But, work and life caught up with me. So, panicking that the key-limes would go bad, I used them to make the ice cream. 

Key-limes are not as juicy as limes or lemons, but are sweeter and have a more refined flavor. They are incredibly cute, looking like baby limes! They elevated the delicate taste of the ice cream. 

Although my procedure for preparing this ice cream is similar to the other ice cream recipes I have posted before, there is one important difference in this recipe. I used regular low fat, 2% milk instead of whole milk, half & half, cream, or a combination of any. Although it took a while to reduce and thicken, the ice cream did not crystallize much and it was still pretty good! So, I can comfortably call this a low-fat, low-sugar version. 

All in all, a low calorie version that worked with adults. Not sure of kids! :)

Ingredients (serves 10):

1. 6 cups 2% milk (or whole milk or a combination of milk, cream and half & half for a creamier version)
2. 3 tablespoons of grated zest of key-lime (ensuring not to grate the white, bitter pith)
3. 1/4 cup key-lime juice
4. 1 cup + 1 tablespoon sugar
5. 5 tablespoons corn starch dissolved in some milk to make a thick solution
6. 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
7. 10 strawberries, hulled and sliced

Preparation: 

1. In a sauce-pan, add milk, 1 cup sugar and key-lime zest and heat on medium-high heat, stirring constantly until the sugar dissolves and the milk boils. 
2. Add the dissolved corn-starch and whisk well into the milk.
3. Continue to heat the milk on medium heat until it becomes slightly thick and coats the back of a spatula. Took me about 25-30 minutes to get to this stage, thanks to the reduced fat milk.
4. Remove from heat, cover the top of the milk with a plastic wrap (that touches the milk) and let it cool. The plastic wrap avoids a skin from forming on the milky custard.
5. When cool, beat the custard with an electric beater for a few minutes. Pour into a ceramic or freezer-safe tray or box, and freeze.
6. Take the mixture out every 1 hour for 4 hours (a total of 4 times) and cream/beat it with an electric beater, making sure all the crystallized edges are broken down. Beat on medium speed for 5 minutes each time. 
7. At the end of 4 creaming sessions, freeze (with the box/tray closed) for 4 hours. Transfer the ice cream to the fridge 30 minutes - 1 hour before serving so that it softens a bit. 
8. When the ice cream is thawing, mix the strawberries with key-lime juice, vanilla extract and 1 tablespoon sugar and mix. Let this macerate (or marinate) for at least 20 minutes. Then, serve immediately along with the ice cream.

 A delicious, low-calorie, fancy looking dessert!

Due to lack of additives and stabilizers the ice cream will melt fast. So, dig into it before it melts into a puddle!