Why Dragonfruit + Strawberry Ice Cream?
Color & appeal: Dragonfruit (especially the pink/red variety) gives a beautiful magenta / rose hue without any artificial coloring.
Flavor harmony: Strawberry adds a familiar sweetness and aroma; dragonfruit is milder but exotic, letting the color shine while contributing tropical nuance.
Customizability: You can turn this into a custard base, or a simpler no‑cook “ice cream” (cream + fruit), or even a vegan version.
Fruit & freshness: Using real fruit gives natural flavors and a refreshing quality.
There are a number of versions online. For example, one recipe uses blush dragonfruit and strawberry, with cream, milk, sugar, vanilla, and churned in an ice cream maker.
Noty Cheese
Another recipe for pure dragonfruit ice cream uses heavy cream, whole milk, sugar, lime juice, eggs, and frozen dragonfruit.
floridamilk.com
I’m going to combine best practices, and show multiple paths.
Ingredients — Base Version (Dairy)
This base recipe yields about 1 quart / ~1 liter of ice cream (approx. 6–8 servings).
Ingredient Amount Role / Notes
Dragonfruit (pink / red variety) 1 to 1¼ cups, diced or cubed (fresh or frozen) For color and flavor
Strawberries 1 cup, hulled and chopped (fresh or frozen) Adds sweetness, aroma, body
Granulated sugar ½ to ¾ cup (adjust to taste) Sweetener and helps texture
Heavy cream 1 cup (≈ 240 ml) Fat for richness, creaminess
Whole milk ½ cup (≈ 120 ml) Lightens texture to scoopable consistency
Egg yolks 3 large (optional, for custard base) Adds thickness, creaminess (if making custard style)
Vanilla extract 1 teaspoon Flavor enhancer
Lemon or lime juice 1 tablespoon Brightens fruit flavor and balances sweetness
Pinch of salt ~⅛ teaspoon Depth of flavor, cuts sweetness
(Optional) Stabilizers / mix-ins e.g. 1 tablespoon corn syrup, or small amount of gelatin / xanthan gum Helps reduce ice crystals and improve texture
Alternative / Vegan / Simplified Version
If you want to make it without dairy / eggs, here’s a lighter approach:
Use coconut cream or full-fat coconut milk instead of heavy cream + milk
Use a plant milk (almond milk, oat milk, cashew milk, etc.)
Use sweeteners like maple syrup, agave, or cane sugar
Skip egg yolks; you may add a small amount of cornstarch slurry, agar, or xanthan gum to help texture
Use frozen fruit to reduce the need for extra ice or dilution
Tools & Equipment
Blender or food processor (for pureeing fruit)
Mixing bowls
Whisk
Saucepan (if doing custard base)
Fine mesh sieve (optional, to remove seeds)
Ice cream maker (churner) — optional but highly recommended
Freezer‑safe container (with lid)
Spatula
Thermometer (helpful if making custard)
If you don’t have an ice cream maker, I’ll describe a “manual” freeze-and-stir method.
Step‑by‑Step Instructions — Custard / Churned Version
Here’s a detailed method using eggs (custard) + churned final step. Then later I’ll give a simpler no‑egg method.
1. Prepare & Puree the Fruits
If using fresh dragonfruit & strawberries, wash them, cut off skins (for dragonfruit) and hull strawberries.
Dice or roughly chop them. If frozen, let them thaw slightly (just enough so blender can process).
Place dragonfruit + strawberries into a blender or food processor. Add the lemon (or lime) juice and a portion of the sugar (e.g. half) to help draw juices.
Puree until smooth. You can strain through a fine sieve to remove seeds if you prefer a silky texture (especially strawberry seeds). Reserve the fruit puree.
2. Make the Custard Base (Egg Yolk Method)
In a saucepan, combine milk + cream + the remaining sugar + the pinch of salt. Warm over medium heat just until bubbles form at the edges (don’t boil).
In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks until they lighten in color.
Temper the egg yolks: slowly pour some of the warm cream mixture into the yolks while whisking constantly (to avoid scrambling). Then pour the yolk mixture back into the saucepan.
Cook gently, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon (temperature ~ 75–80 °C / 165–175 °F). Don’t overheat.
Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla extract.
Let this custard mixture cool, ideally in an ice bath, until it's cold (refrigerate for a few hours, or overnight).
3. Combine Fruit Puree + Custard
Once cold, whisk or stir the custard base, then fold in the fruit puree until fully incorporated and uniform color.
Optional: At this point, add any stabilizers (corn syrup, small gelatin, or xanthan gum) if using, to help texture and reduce ice crystals. Mix well.
4. Churn in Ice Cream Maker
Pour the mixture into your ice cream maker and churn according to machine instructions (typically 20–30 minutes) until thickened and soft‑serve consistency.
Immediately transfer to a freezer-safe container, smoothing the top. Press a layer of plastic wrap or parchment paper directly on the surface to reduce ice crystals.
Freeze for at least 4–6 hours (or overnight) until firm.
5. Serve
For easier scooping, let the container sit at room temperature for 5–10 minutes before scooping.
Scoop into bowls or cones. Garnish with fresh dragonfruit cubes, strawberry slices, shredded coconut, mint leaves, or a drizzle of fruit sauce.
Step‑by‑Step Instructions — Simpler / No‑Egg Version (Cream + Fruit Method)
If you don’t want to use eggs, here’s a simpler, quicker method — sometimes called “ice cream without cooking”:
Puree fruit with sugar and lemon juice (as above).
Whip heavy cream (chilled) to stiff peaks (or nearly so).
Gently fold the fruit puree into the whipped cream, combining well but preserving some air.
If desired, add a splash of milk or plant milk to loosen consistency.
Pour into a freezer-safe container, cover surface with plastic or parchment, and freeze.
Every 30–60 minutes for the first few hours, take the mixture out and stir vigorously (or whisk) to break ice crystals. Repeat until frozen solid.
Let sit 5–10 minutes at room temperature before serving.
This method is easier but may yield a slightly icier texture unless stir‑freeze is done diligently.
Tips for Best Results
Use cold ingredients — chilling the custard base, cream, or mixing bowl helps reduce melting when churning.
Churn soon after mixing — don’t let mixture sit exposed for long before churning.
Limit over-dilution — avoid adding too much liquid (milk or water) that could make the ice cream sloppy.
Stabilizers help — a bit of corn syrup, gelatin, or small xanthan gum addition can suppress large ice crystals and improve scoopability.
Seed removal — strawberry and dragonfruit both have small seeds; if you don’t like seed texture, strain the puree.
Taste & adjust — before churning, taste the mixture (cold) and adjust sweetness or acidity.
Freeze properly — use an airtight container, press plastic wrap onto the surface, and minimize air exposure to reduce freezer burn.
Softening before scooping — allow 5–10 minutes at room temp (or hold container under warm water briefly) to soften just enough to scoop.
Variations & Creative Twists
Mixed fruit swirl: keep part of the fruit puree unblended (coarsely chopped) and swirl into the churned ice cream for textural contrast.
Coconut version: replace part of cream/milk with coconut milk or coconut cream for tropical flavor.
Yogurt tang: add a bit of plain yogurt (Greek or goat) for tanginess.
Herbal hint: infuse cream with mint, basil, or lemongrass (heat with herbs, steep, then strain) before mixing.
Citrus twist: increase lime or lemon juice zest for brightness.
Alcohol boost: a tablespoon of vodka or fruit liqueur helps maintain softness (lowers freezing point).
Vegan / plant-based: use coconut cream + almond milk (or cashew milk), sweeten with maple syrup or agave, and optionally add a stabilizer like agar.
Layered cake ice cream: layer your dragonfruit-strawberry ice cream with cake cubes, fruit compote, or cookie crumbles.
Frozen pops: pour into molds and freeze for dragonfruit-strawberry ice pops (though texture will differ).
Troubleshooting Common Issues
Problem Likely Cause Fix / Remedy
Ice cream is too icy or hard Not enough fat or stabilizer; large ice crystals Use full cream, add stabilizer (corn syrup, gelatin, xanthan), churn well, avoid too much water
Doesn’t scoop well Too cold or too firm Let sit 5–10 min, or add a bit more fat / alcohol to adjust freezing point
Seeds or gritty texture Didn’t strain fruit purees Strain the puree to remove seeds
Fruit flavor is weak Too much cream / dilution Increase ratio of fruit or reduce dilution
Separation / layering Poor emulsification or too much liquid Blend thoroughly, chill mixture fully before churning
Custard scrambles / curdles Overheat eggs or too rapid addition of hot liquid Temper carefully, keep heat moderate
Narrative / Walk‑Through (for Sharing / Context)
Imagine a warm sunny afternoon. You feel like something cold, creamy, and exotic. You head to your kitchen, retrieve a ripe pink dragonfruit and ripe strawberries from your fruit stash, and set them beside your blender. You slice open the dragonfruit and scoop out the flesh, cutting it into chunks; you hull and quarter strawberries. A bright magenta pulp begins to emerge as you pulse them in the blender, adding a splash of lime juice and half the sugar to coax out juices and balance tartness.
Meanwhile, you set about your custard base. You heat cream, milk, and sugar just until steam rises, then in a separate bowl whisk egg yolks. You temper them carefully, stirring constantly as you add warm cream, then return to heat and watch for the moment the custard thickens just enough to coat a spoon. You remove it from heat, stir in vanilla and a pinch of salt, and chill it rapidly in an ice bath.
Once cold, you fold in the vivid fruit puree, mixing until the color is uniform and the scent of strawberry-berry and tropical dragonfruit wafts through your kitchen. Into the ice cream maker it goes, spinning and cooling until it becomes thick and luscious. You scrape it into a container, press plastic wrap to the surface, and freeze for several hours.
Later, you retrieve the container and let it sit a few minutes so scoops form cleanly. You dish it into bowls — the color is breathtaking: deep pink with possible swirls of lighter shades. You top with fresh strawberry slices, small dragonfruit cubes, perhaps a sprinkle of toasted coconut or slivered almonds. The first spoonful is cold, creamy, fruity — the tang of strawberry, the soft exotic whisper of dragonfruit, the richness of cream.
If you made a no‑egg version, you may have whipped cream, folded fruit in, and worked during freezing to break up crystals. It may not have quite the custard depth, but it will still deliver fresh, fruity pleasure.
Approximate Nutritional Estimate (for the dairy version)
This is a rough estimate per serving (based on ~8 servings):
Calories: ~ 220–300 kcal
Fat: ~ 12–18 g (depending on cream)
Saturated fat: moderate (from cream)
Carbohydrates / Sugar: ~ 20–30 g
Protein: ~ 3–5 g
Fiber: small amount (from fruit)
Vitamins / minerals: Vitamin C (from strawberries / dragonfruit), etc.
Vegan or lighter versions will vary.
If you like, I can now format this into a printable recipe card or adapt it so all measurements use units familiar in Morocco (grams, ml). Do you want me to do that?
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