Upgrade the Flavor of Your Childhood with Strawberry Walnut Chocolate Chunk Ice Cream

So, I was definitely one of the weirder children when I was growing up. While everyone in my class was ordering chocolate or vanilla ice cream, I was the girl begging for rum raisin or strawberry.

What can I say? I’ve always been one to break the mold when it comes to food.

My friends would always look at me like I was the weirdo because I never wanted to simply enjoy one of the classic options, without any add-ins or extra flavoring. I loved ordering mint chocolate chip! They thought I was nuts, but I thought I was a genius because that berry flavor was so different.

To each their own, I suppose.

Strawberry ice cream reminds me of summer days spent out of school, hanging out by the ice cream shop with my best friends.

I was lucky enough to have friends who were just as obsessed with the frozen dessert as I was. It was practically a daily tradition for us.

We would spend our afternoons in hot and humid Kansas City, sitting on the curb with our cones of goodness, giggling about boys or chatting about our last swim meet.

The flavor of strawberry ice cream instantly comes to my mouth anytime I think about those summer days.

It was that creamy berry flavor that would make me so happy, and to this day, it’s a flavor that I will seek out whenever I can.

It’s kind of a shame that a lot of the upscale ice cream shops don’t make the most of that strawberry flavor anymore.

Well, now you don’t have to even worry about leaving home to enjoy that flavor from childhood in a whole new way.

The base of this recipe is flavored with a fresh strawberry puree, which makes the flavor truly jump off the spoon and dance along your taste buds. But this version has gotten an upgrade.

Next, you get chunks of dark, slightly bitter chocolate throughout to give you that chocolate-covered strawberry flavor.

The nuttiness of the walnut chunks provides even more texture, and the shredded coconut gives a warm, tropical sweetness to the flavor that is truly unexpected.

You feel like you are eating a gourmet quart of frozen indulgence, without even having to go to the store.

Personally, I love to eat this straight out of the container. Of course, since that’s kind of frowned upon (particularly by my husband, who would occasionally like a bite… I’m not the best sharer, I admit), I usually dish out a few scoops into a bowl.

However, if you want to head outside, I recommend loading up a couple of scoops into your favorite cone, whether it’s waffle or sugar.

You can even use this recipe in lieu of plain vanilla or chocolate for a homemade ice cream or icebox cakes to give the recipe a new spin.

There are so many reasons to make this recipe, but my primary goal is to reinvigorate your taste buds with a flavor that harkens back to your younger days. Isn’t that what the magic of food is all about?

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Cooking by the Numbers…

Step 1 – Prep and Measure Ingredients

Remove the tops from all the strawberries.

Separate out 3 egg yolks into a small bowl. Save the whites for another use, like making meringue.

Chop enough walnuts until you have 1/2 cup total.

Chop enough dark chocolate, or measure out enough chips, until you have 1/3 to 1/2 cup total. The amount that you choose to use here depends on how much chocolate you like. You can also try our recipe for chocolate chips if you want to go hardcore homemade with this ice cream!

Measure out all of the remaining ingredients as listed on the ingredients list.

The coconut is optional, but I love including it for added texture and flavor.

Step 2 – Make Puree

Place the strawberries in a blender or a food processor. Puree until the strawberries are smooth. No large chunks should remain.

You will end up with 1 cup pureed strawberries. Set aside.

Step 3 – Make Base

In a medium saucepan, stir to combine 1/2 cup granulated sugar, milk, and heavy cream over medium heat. Bring to a rolling simmer, cooking for about 2 to 3 minutes until the sugar is completely dissolved. Be sure to stir frequently, keeping an eye on it to make sure it doesn’t scald.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and remaining sugar. Slowly pour in 1/4 cup of the hot milk mixture, whisking constantly until combined. Repeat two more times, slowly adding ¼ cup at a time and whisking until combined.

Return the egg mixture back to the saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly. When the mixture coats the back of a spoon, remove from heat. This will take about 5 minutes.

Stir in vanilla extract and strawberry puree until combined.

Step 4 – Chill

Pour ice cream base into a large bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator for about 2 hours, until cold.

Step 5 – Make Ice Cream

Add the ice cream base to your ice cream maker. Make ice cream according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

In the last 5 minutes of churning, add the walnuts, chocolate, and coconut.

Step 6 – Chill

Transfer to an airtight container.

Chill in the freezer for about 4 hours before serving.