Strawberry Ice Cream In Normandy, France

There is so much history in Normandy that after a few hours of driving we felt that we had traversed several centuries! A good place to start a tour of Normandy is the coastal town of Honfleur, whose harbour was once the base from which French raiders attacked the coast of England. English invaders sacked and burned the town in revenge several times. Fortunately those turbulent times are past and the harbour is entirely peaceful and utterly charming, surrounded by restaurants serving delicious seafood. We spent a lovely afternoon strolling the narrow streets of Honfleur, admiring the medieval half-timbered houses that make up the heart of the town.

A short distance away is the town of Deauville, which became famous as a beach resort in the 19th century. It is a short train ride from Paris and the rich and famous flocked to Deauville, attracted by its casino, horse races, and beaches. It is still a very upscale destination, as was evident from the designer boutiques and high-end restaurants that we passed on its main streets. Several well known movies filmed in Deauville have kept its magic alive and continue to attract new generations of tourists.

Caen is a medieval city forever identified with the most famous Norman of all time, William the Conqueror. He and his wife, Matilda, built two great churches here, the Abbaye-aux-Hommes and the Abbaye-aux-Dames, that are still magnificent sights. They are located on opposite ends of the town, so walking from one to the other gave us a nice tour of Caen. William’s tomb is located in the Abbaye-aux-Hommes and we made sure to visit and pay our respects.

The historic capital of Normandy is Rouen, which was the seat of the Dukes of Normandy. The city has a very well-preserved medieval centre and one of the most popular sight is the Gros-Horloge, a giant clock dating back to the 14th century that still keeps accurate time.

A somewhat ghoulish but fascinating place to visit is the Aître Saint-Maclou, a timber-framed courtyard that once served as a cemetery for plague victims in the 14th century. The wooden frames of the buildings reveal macabre details - skulls, bones, shovels and pickaxes that remind you of the sad history of this place.

Rouen Cathedral, a Gothic masterpiece, was made famous by the artist Claude Monet who produced more than thirty paintings of its facade, each time with different lighting. While Monet focused on the front spire the other tower of the cathedral, known as the Tour de Beurre (Butter Tower) is equally famous. It acquired its name from how its construction was paid for, which was by people buying indulgences from the church to permit them to eat butter during Lent, which was otherwise forbidden. After tasting Norman butter we can confirm that it was certainly worth paying!

Rouen is also infamous as the place where Joan of Arc was tried and burned at the stake. Not much survives of the original Rouen castle, except for the forbidding tower in which she was held captive that now looms alone over the surrounding buildings. The place she was executed, in the old marketplace, is now marked by a church that was built in the 1960s.

A stay in a picture perfect chateau is a real treat when driving around Normandy, to experience true old time luxury. These centuries old chateaus are lovingly restored, surprisingly affordable and make you feel like royalty! Often set in the lush countryside, they are serene, beautiful and a welcome respite from sightseeing. Another joy of a drive through the small towns of Normandy is stumbling upon Michelin starred restaurants. Much more affordable and accessible than those in larger cities like Paris, you can eat delicious, creatively prepared, exquisitely presented food. The smoked fish salad in the photo below was almost too pretty to eat!

Strawberries were in season when we were in Normandy. Once you’ve had fresh picked strawberries there, you are going to be spoiled for life! Ripe luscious, juicy berries that were fantastic on their own or even better folded into desserts, especially ice cream. When the weather is warm, there’s nothing better than fresh strawberry ice cream to herald the taste of summer! When I have an abundance of peak season strawberries, I like to freeze them and also make strawberry jam and freeze that too. That way I can whip up strawberry ice cream whenever I wish.

Cream cheese adds a hint of tartness and creaminess to my recipe, while stabilizing the ice cream base from getting too runny or crystalline. Serve it with some sliced fresh strawberries and a sprig of mint for a pretty presentation.

Strawberry Ice Cream

1 lb fresh sweet, ripe, juicy strawberries

2 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp Grand Marnier liquor or water

1 tsp vanilla

1 can condensed milk, 300 ml

1 can evaporated milk, 354 ml

1 cup whipping (heavy) cream

1/2 cup plain cream cheese, well softened

1/2 cup strawberry jam or strawberry preserves

Combine strawberries, sugar, liquor or water and vanilla in a deep bowl. Mash berries lightly and mix well. Marinate for 15 min for flavours to blend, then blitz lightly with hand blender leaving some small strawberry pieces for texture. Set aside at room temperature for later use in the recipe.

Combine condensed milk, evaporated milk and cream in a medium saucepan set over mdm heat. Bring to a gentle simmer, whisking occasionally for about 2-3 min. Remove from heat, stirring now and then to prevent film forming on top.

Place softened cream cheese in deep mixing bowl and mash with a fork. Add half of the warm milk mixture, whisking until smooth.

Add the remaining warm milk mixture and mix well. Whisk occasionally till cooled to room temperature, about 15 min.

Add the strawberries and juices to the milk mixture once it has cooled, mixing well.

Add the jam and mix well.

Cover and chill in the refrigerator overnight.

Churn ice cream in an ice cream machine following manufacturer’s directions.

Keep frozen until ready to serve. Scoop ice cream into bowls and serve.

Alternatively, you can also try this hand blending method:

Cover and freeze ice cream mixture overnight in a tightly covered bowl.

Remove ice cream from freezer, uncover and rest at room temperature for 1 hour or until ice cream is starting to thaw and soften. Break up ice cream into smaller pieces with a knife. Using a hand blender, blend ice cream until it is smooth, without any crystals or lumps, about 2-3 min.

Cover and freeze again until set.

Scoop into serving bowls and serve.

Serves Eight