Blue Moon Ice Cream (Printable)
A vibrant blue ice cream blending citrus, almond, and berry flavors into a creamy Midwestern frozen treat.
# What You Need:
→ Dairy
01 - 2 cups heavy cream
02 - 1 cup whole milk
→ Sweeteners
03 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
→ Flavorings
04 - 1 tablespoon lemon juice
05 - 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
06 - 1/2 teaspoon raspberry extract
07 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
08 - 1/4 teaspoon blue raspberry drink mix powder (optional, for enhanced color and flavor)
→ Coloring
09 - Blue food coloring, a few drops
→ Egg Mixture
10 - 4 large egg yolks
# How To Make It:
01 - Combine heavy cream, whole milk, and granulated sugar in a medium saucepan. Heat over medium, stirring occasionally, until the mixture just begins to steam and the sugar has fully dissolved. Do not allow it to boil.
02 - In a separate mixing bowl, whisk the egg yolks thoroughly. Slowly drizzle about 1/2 cup of the hot cream mixture into the yolks while whisking constantly to gradually bring the temperature up without scrambling the eggs.
03 - Pour the tempered egg yolk mixture back into the saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or spatula, until the custard thickens slightly and coats the back of the spoon, reaching 170–175°F. This should take about 5 to 7 minutes.
04 - Pour the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove any cooked egg bits. Allow it to cool for 10 minutes at room temperature.
05 - Stir in the lemon juice, almond extract, raspberry extract, vanilla extract, and blue raspberry drink mix powder if using. Add blue food coloring drop by drop until the desired vibrant blue shade is achieved.
06 - Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight, until the mixture is thoroughly chilled.
07 - Pour the chilled mixture into your ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer's instructions until it reaches a soft-serve consistency.
08 - Transfer the churned ice cream to a freezer-safe container, cover tightly, and freeze for at least 2 hours to firm up before scooping and serving.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- You will finally crack the mystery of what that iconic blue scoop actually tastes like and realize you can recreate it any time the craving hits.
- The custard base makes it impossibly creamy, far superior to anything scooped from a store carton.
- Watching the mixture turn that signature electric blue shade is pure kitchen joy that never gets old.
02 -
- If your custard gets too hot and starts looking scrambled, pour it through the sieve immediately and keep going, because most small curdles will be caught and the rest will be fine.
- The flavor of Blue Moon shifts as it freezes, so if the warm base tastes slightly too strong, trust that it will mellow and soften beautifully once churned and frozen.
03 -
- Measure your extracts with a light hand at first, because you can always add more but you cannot take away, and the balance between almond and raspberry is what makes Blue Moon taste like Blue Moon.
- Chill your freezer safe container in the freezer before transferring the churned ice cream into it, because a cold container means the ice cream firms up faster with smaller ice crystals.