Basil-Lemon Ice Cream with Strawberry Sauce

Place the basil leaves and lemon zest in a small heavy-bottomed saucepan. 10 g of basil leaves is not a lot — roughly from 2–3 small sprigs. Pour in the milk, bring to a boil, and let it simmer for a couple of minutes.

Muddle the basil with a pestle to help release its aroma, then cover and let it steep for 5–10 minutes.

Whisk the egg yolks together with the sugar. Then pour the hot milk into the yolks in a thin, steady stream, whisking vigorously the entire time.

Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve (to catch the leaves and zest) back into the saucepan. Cook over the lowest possible heat, stirring constantly — especially along the bottom — until the custard thickens slightly (it's ready when it coats a spatula and a line drawn through it with your finger holds its shape). Be very careful not to overheat the custard, or the egg yolks will curdle. Allow the finished custard to cool completely (!).

Whip the heavy cream to soft peaks, then add the crème anglaise and whip to combine. Place in the freezer for 3–4 hours, stirring a couple of times during that period if possible. Once the mixture reaches a soft-serve consistency, transfer it to a sealed container and freeze until fully solid.

To make the strawberry sauce, blend the strawberries with a blender, adding powdered sugar to taste. Then be sure (!) to strain through a fine mesh sieve to remove the seeds.

Spoon the strawberry sauce into serving dishes and top with a scoop of ice cream. Ready to serve! My daughter kept asking for scoop after scoop — she absolutely loved this ice cream)) Basil-lemon ice cream with strawberry sauce is delicious, one-of-a-kind, and perfectly summery!