Roasted Plum Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)

• Yield: 1 quart, about 8 servings
• Prep Time: 25 minutes
• Cook Time: 45 minutes
• Chill/Freeze Time: 8 hours 30 minutes
• Total Time: 9 hours 40 minutes

Quick Ingredients

• Roasted plums: 1 1/2 pounds ripe plums, 1/3 cup granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
• Vanilla custard: 2 cups heavy cream, 1 cup whole milk, 2/3 cup granulated sugar, 5 large egg yolks, 1 vanilla bean, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

Do This

• 1. Roast plum wedges with sugar, honey, lemon juice, and salt at 400°F for 25 to 30 minutes, until jammy and caramelized at the edges.
• 2. Reserve 1/3 cup roasted plum pieces, then blend the remaining roasted plums and syrup into about 1 cup puree. Chill completely.
• 3. Heat cream, milk, half the sugar, salt, and a scraped vanilla bean to 170°F, then steep for 15 minutes.
• 4. Whisk egg yolks with the remaining sugar, temper with hot dairy, then cook to 175°F to 180°F until the custard coats a spoon.
• 5. Strain the custard, stir in vanilla extract, cool in an ice bath, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
• 6. Churn the cold custard for 20 to 25 minutes, adding 1/2 cup plum puree in the final 2 minutes for a soft roasted-plum ribbon.
• 7. Layer with the remaining puree and reserved plum pieces, freeze for 4 hours, then scoop and serve.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Deep fruit flavor: Roasting concentrates the plums, turning them glossy, jammy, and lightly caramelized.
• Silky vanilla custard: Real vanilla bean gives the ice cream a fragrant, bakery-style richness.
• Sweet-tart balance: The bright acidity of plums keeps the creamy custard from tasting too heavy.
• Elegant but doable: It feels special enough for a dinner party, but each step is simple and home-kitchen friendly.

Grocery List

• Produce: 1 1/2 pounds ripe but firm red or black plums, 1 lemon
• Dairy: 2 cups heavy cream, 1 cup whole milk, 5 large eggs for yolks
• Pantry: Granulated sugar, honey, 1 vanilla bean, pure vanilla extract, fine sea salt

Full Ingredients

For the Caramelized Roasted Plum Swirl

• 1 1/2 pounds ripe but firm red or black plums, about 6 medium plums or 680 g, halved, pitted, and cut into 1-inch wedges
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar, 67 g
• 1 tablespoon honey, 21 g
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, 15 ml
• 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt

For the Vanilla Bean Custard Ice Cream

• 2 cups heavy cream, 480 ml
• 1 cup whole milk, 240 ml
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar, 134 g, divided
• 5 large egg yolks
• 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and seeds scraped
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Roast the plums until glossy and jammy

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet or shallow baking dish with parchment paper for easier cleanup. Place the plum wedges on the pan, then add 1/3 cup granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt. Toss gently until the fruit is evenly coated, then spread the plums into a single layer.

Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring once after 15 minutes, until the plums are soft, the skins have relaxed, and the juices look thick and syrupy. Some edges should look slightly darker and caramelized, but the syrup should not smell burnt. Let the plums cool on the pan for 15 minutes.

Step 2: Make the roasted plum puree and reserve a chunky ribbon

Spoon out 1/3 cup of the roasted plum pieces and chop them into small, scoop-friendly bits if needed. Place them in a small bowl and refrigerate. Transfer the remaining roasted plums and their syrup to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. You should have about 1 cup roasted plum puree. If you have more than 1 cup, use exactly 1 cup for the ice cream and save the extra for serving over yogurt, pancakes, or a finished scoop.

Cover the puree and refrigerate until completely cold, at least 1 hour. Cold fruit puree blends into ice cream more smoothly and helps prevent icy pockets.

Step 3: Infuse the dairy with vanilla bean

In a medium saucepan, combine 2 cups heavy cream, 1 cup whole milk, 1/3 cup of the granulated sugar, 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, the scraped vanilla bean seeds, and the empty vanilla pod. Warm over medium heat, stirring often, until the mixture reaches 170°F and is steaming but not boiling, about 5 to 7 minutes.

Remove the pan from the heat, cover, and let the vanilla steep for 15 minutes. This short rest gives the custard a fuller vanilla flavor without making the process complicated.

Step 4: Temper the eggs and cook the custard

In a medium heatproof bowl, whisk the 5 egg yolks with the remaining 1/3 cup granulated sugar for 1 to 2 minutes, until the mixture looks slightly lighter and thicker. Rewarm the dairy mixture over medium-low heat if it has cooled significantly; it should be hot and steaming, but not boiling.

Slowly drizzle about 1 cup of the hot dairy mixture into the yolks while whisking constantly. This gently warms the eggs so they do not scramble. Pour the tempered yolk mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining dairy. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a heatproof spatula and scraping the bottom and corners of the pan, until the custard reaches 175°F to 180°F and coats the back of a spoon, about 6 to 8 minutes. Do not let it boil.

Step 5: Strain and chill the custard thoroughly

Set a fine-mesh strainer over a clean bowl. Strain the custard, removing the vanilla pod and any tiny bits of cooked egg. Stir in 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract. Place the bowl of custard into a larger bowl filled with ice water and stir occasionally for 20 minutes, until the custard is cool to the touch.

Cover the custard and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight, until it is very cold. For the smoothest texture, the custard should be 40°F or colder before churning. Chill the roasted plum puree and reserved plum pieces during this time as well.

Step 6: Churn the vanilla custard with a roasted plum ribbon

Churn the cold vanilla custard in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s directions. Most machines will take 20 to 25 minutes. The ice cream is ready for layering when it looks thick and creamy, similar to soft serve.

During the final 2 minutes of churning, drizzle in 1/2 cup of the chilled roasted plum puree. Stop the machine while the ice cream still looks streaky rather than fully blended. This creates a beautiful pale vanilla base with rosy plum swirls instead of a completely uniform color.

Step 7: Layer, freeze, and serve

Spoon one-third of the churned ice cream into a chilled freezer-safe container. Dot with one-third of the remaining roasted plum puree and a few reserved plum pieces. Repeat twice more, finishing with small streaks of plum on top. Use a butter knife or chopstick to make 2 or 3 gentle figure-eight swirls; avoid overmixing so the ribbons stay distinct.

Press a piece of parchment paper directly onto the surface of the ice cream, cover tightly, and freeze for at least 4 hours, until firm enough to scoop. For the best texture, let the ice cream stand at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Pro Tips

• Use ripe but firm plums: Very soft plums can release too much liquid and become watery. Ripe but slightly firm plums roast into a thicker, more concentrated swirl.
• Do not rush the chill: A fully chilled custard churns faster, traps smaller ice crystals, and gives you a smoother, creamier result.
• Watch the custard temperature: Pull it from the heat at 175°F to 180°F. Above 185°F, the egg yolks are more likely to curdle.
• Keep the swirl thick: If your roasted plums look very juicy after roasting, simmer the puree in a small saucepan for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring often, until it is the texture of loose jam. Chill again before using.
• Freeze your ice cream maker bowl ahead: If your machine uses a freezer canister, freeze it for at least 24 hours before churning.

Variations

• Plum almond ice cream: Add 1/4 teaspoon almond extract to the strained custard with the vanilla extract, then top scoops with toasted sliced almonds.
• Spiced roasted plum ice cream: Toss the plums with 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom or 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon before roasting for a warmer, late-summer flavor.
• Roasted plum and blackberry: Replace 1/2 pound of the plums with fresh blackberries. Roast them together and strain the puree if you prefer fewer seeds.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Store the ice cream in a shallow, airtight freezer-safe container with parchment pressed directly against the surface. It is best within 1 week, when the roasted plum flavor is bright and the texture is at its creamiest, but it will keep for up to 2 weeks. For make-ahead planning, roast and puree the plums up to 3 days in advance, and prepare the custard up to 24 hours before churning. Keep both components refrigerated until ready to churn. If the ice cream becomes very firm after several days, let it sit at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes before scooping.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 405 kcal | Carbs: 40g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 37g | Sodium: 140mg | Cholesterol: 200mg