Add a taste of Japan to your desserts this summer by swapping lemon for yuzu in this No Churn Blueberry and Yuzu Ripple Ice Cream recipe. Sponsored by Scenic.
Japanese sweets
When people think about Japan they often immediately think of sushi, wagyu steak and ramen. But Japan also has an amazing selection of sweet treats to choose from.
You will often find these made with rice and flavoured with sweet red beans (mochi, daifuku) but, as Japan continues to be influenced by the west, fusions like souffle cheesecakes, crepes and fruit sandos (fruity sandwiches) are becoming increasingly popular! (Just take a look at Instagram and you will see what I mean!)
One of the most exciting things about Japanese puddings and the current fusion of East/West is the combinations of flavours and ingredients being used. Salted caramel and miso is not a pairing you'd expect to find on a dessert menu but is incredibly moreish. Blueberry and yuzu is a much more classic combo, and of course you have to have matcha flavoured desserts too! Black sesame is another flavour that is now synonymous with Japanese puddings.
What I love about Japanese desserts is that they are a work of art. All food in Japan is lovingly prepared and painstakingly presented as a way of showing respect for the ingredients used and there's a lot of ceremony and ritual that goes into both preparation and eating. Chado, the traditional tea ritual is considered one of the Japan’s highest forms of art (alongside other practices like calligraphy, music, and theater).
Yuzu fusion
When it comes to Japanese ingredients I feel as though matcha has had its day. My favourite Japanese flavour of the moment is yuzu.
The yuzu fruit looks a lot like a lemon and unsurprisingly has an incredibly sour, tart flavour. Swapping lemon for yuzu is the perfect way of putting a Japanese twist on some of your favourite recipes.
Blueberry and lemon is one of my favourite sweet flavour combinations so when I first got my hand on some yuzu juice I knew they would go well together. In fact there's something about yuzu juice that I think works even better with blueberries than lemon juice does!
Sadly it's near impossible to get your hands on a fresh yuzu fruit as they are predominantly grown in Japan and Korea. But, lots of supermarkets are now stocking yuzu juice in their international aisles. I've been getting mine from Waitrose but you can of course get on Amazon or from your local Asian supermarket.
Now it's not the cheapest ingredient (for obvious reasons) but don't worry there's lots you can do with it beyond just adding a tablespoon or two to this recipe! I like to use mine in soft and alcoholic drinks. It's also great in salad dressings. If you would use lemon, orange or even grapefruit juice in a recipe then it can be swapped out for yuzu. So get experimenting!
The recipe
This recipe couldn't be easier there are just 3 steps. First make your compote for the "ripple", then whip up the ice cream base, finally spoon it into a tin and freeze. What are you waiting for?!
No Churn Blueberry and Yuzu Ice Cream
Ingredients
For the blueberry and yuzu ripple
- 250 grams frozen blueberries
- 4 tablespoons caster sugar
- 50 ml water
- 4 tablespoons yuzu juice
For the ice cream base
- 600 ml double cream
- 200 grams condensed milk or half of a 397g tin
Instructions
To make the blueberry and yuzu ripple
- Add the blueberries, water and sugar to a heavy bottomed pan.
- Heat gently until the sugar has dissolved.
- Turn the heat up to medium and cook the blueberries and sugar syrup for 15-20 minutes or until the blueberries have begun to break down.
- turn up the heat to high and bring to a bubble, stirring constantly.
- Remove from the heat once the mix is thick and syrupy.
- Let the blueberry syrup cool completely before adding the yuzu one tablespoon at a time (keep tasting until you're happy with the balance of sweet and sour).
To make the ice cream base
- Whisk together the double cream and condensed milk until it has formed soft peaks.
- Carefully fold through the blueberry and yuzu ripple.
- Spoon the ice cream into a freezer safe container.
- Cover with cling film and freeze for 3 hours or until the ice cream is firm but scoop-able.
Nutrition
More ice cream recipes
If you like this recipe, why not try another one of these no churn ice cream flavours.
Scenic's guide to Japanese food
The guys at Scenic have produced a brilliant guide to Japanese cuisine (beyond sushi) to give you a taste of what to expect on your trip to Japan. You can check it out here. It's well worth a read of you are curious about regional delicacies, traditional cooking methods and commonly used ingredients.
I can't wait for our honeymoon to Japan in 2020 - 3 whole weeks of immersing ourselves in Japanese culture and, of course, the food!
More dishes inspired by Japan
For the full range of Japanese recipes check out the archive
If you make this, or any other recipes from the blog, leave me a comment and let me know what you think! Your feedback is super important to me.
Michelle Miller says
What a beautiful way to get in touch with Japanese desserts! I absolutely love this!
Romina says
This looks so nice and cooling. I’m not a fan of matcha and have yet to try yuzu, this looks like a perfect excuse!
Milica Vladova says
Never heard of yuzu juice before but I might need to check it out because this ice cream is stunning!
Amy | The Cook Report says
I love the addition of the yuzu in there, such a delicious flavour combo!
Marc says
That looks delightful!