Ingredients

  • 3 cups heavy cream
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 3 tablespoons dark honey (chestnut, buckwheat, etc.)
  • 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
  • 1 cup torn basil leaves
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  • 3 cups very ripe strawberries, rinsed, hulled, and lightly crushed (if the berries are the tiny wood strawberries, half can be left whole, the other half lightly crushed)
  • 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

Method

  • In a heavy pot, bring the cream, milk, honey, brown sugar, basil leaves, and pepper just to a simmer, stirring a moment to dissolve the honey and sugar.
  • Cover the pot and permit the cream and milk combination to steep for an hour or so.
  • Strain the mixture, discarding the basil and any remnants of the pepper.
  • Stir in the prepared strawberries and the vinegar.
  • Cover the mixture and chill it for several hours before proceeding to freeze it in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturers instructions.