Celebrate National Ice Cream Day with Homemade Strawberry Ice Cream!

National Ice Cream Day falls on the third Sunday in July, and it's the perfect excuse to indulge in a scoop (or three) of your favourite frozen treat. This year, skip the supermarket tubs and try something extra special: making your own strawberry ice cream at home.

It’s easier than you think—and bursting with summer flavour.

Fresh, fruity, and incredibly creamy, this recipe from BBC Good Food brings out the best of seasonal strawberries. Whether you serve it in a cone, bowl, or sandwiched between cookies, this homemade version is a guaranteed hit.

Why not make it extra special by picking your own strawberries for the recipe?

🍓 PYO Farms in the Cotswolds

Primrose Vale Farm (Bentham, Cheltenham, GL51 4UA)

• Open late May–October, with table-top strawberries (and raspberries, gooseberries, blackcurrants, tayberries, pumpkins etc.)
• Raised platforms make picking easy—no bending or mud!

http://www.primrosevale.com

Hayles Fruit Farm (Winchcombe, GL54 5PB)

• Family-run, part of Cotswolds life since the 1950s
• Strawberry pick-your-own typically June–end July, plus other soft fruits

https://www.haylesfruitfarm.co.uk/pick-your-own

Over Farm (Highnam, Gloucester, GL2 8DB)

• PYO strawberries (and raspberries, pumpkins, sunflowers) start late June/early July
• Operates on an open-release ticket system; farm shop and trail on site

https://www.overfarm.co.uk/pick-your-own/

Rectory Farm (Stanton St John, Oxford, near North Cotswolds)

• Open for PYO April–October, strawberries from May–September
• Diverse crops: strawberries, raspberries, redcurrants, blackberries, plus veg/flowers

https://rectoryfarmpyo.co.uk

Happy strawberry picking—your homemade ice cream just got even better! 🍓

Homemade Strawberry Ice Cream Recipe

Ingredients:

• 400g strawberries, hulled and halved
• 200g condensed milk
• 600ml double cream
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Method:

1. Blitz the strawberries in a food processor or blender until smooth. You can sieve the purée if you prefer it seedless.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine the condensed milk, vanilla extract, and strawberry purée.
3. Whisk the double cream in a separate bowl until soft peaks form.
4. Fold the whipped cream into the strawberry mixture gently, keeping it airy.
5. Pour into a freezer-safe container, level the top, and cover.
6. Freeze for at least 6 hours, or overnight, until firm.

To make it more decadent why not add fresh strawberries & crushed meringues for a delicious sweet treat!

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