Blackberry Ice Cream

Yield: Makes 1 gallon

Ingredients

• 3  cups  sugar
• 3  tablespoons  all-purpose flour
• 1/2  teaspoon  salt
• 10  cup  half-and-half
• 8  large eggs, beaten
• 1  teaspoon  vanilla extract
• 4 1/2  cups  fresh or 1 (1-pound) package frozen blackberries
• 1 1/2  cups  sugar
• 1  tablespoon  fresh lemon juice
• Garnishes: fresh mint, fresh blackberries

Preparation

Combine first 3 ingredients in a large Dutch oven. Whisk in half-and-half. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, over medium-high heat.

Slowly whisk about 4 cups of hot mixture into beaten egg. Add egg mixture to remaining hot mixture, whisking constantly, until mixture reaches 160°. (Immediately remove it from heat to prevent curdling.) Let cool completely, stirring occasionally. Stir in vanilla; chill 8 hours or overnight.

Combine blackberries and 1 1/2 cups sugar in a separate bowl; stir well. Cover and chill 8 hours, stirring occasionally to dissolve sugar. Stir in lemon juice.

Stir berry mixture into custard mixture. Pour into container of a 4-quart ice-cream maker. Freeze according to manufacturer's instructions; if recommended, pack freezer with additional ice and rock salt, and let stand 1 hour before serving. Scoop into serving bowls; garnish, if desired.

Note: To hasten cooling of custard mixture, partially fill sink with ice water to come about halfway up sides of Dutch oven. Let pan remain in ice-water bath, stirring often until room temperature; chill.