Strawberry earl grey ice cream, no churning required

Makes about 8 servings. Around 20 minutes of hands-on time, plus chilling and an overnight freeze.

There's a London Fog hiding in this one. Earl grey and cream have always gone together, and a little strawberry pulls that pairing into the middle of July. You don't need an ice cream maker (it is nice though if you have it), and there's no custard to stand over. A loaf pan and a freezer will do it, with a little prep work.

The tea here is our Gratitude Blend Strawberry Earl Grey Black Tea. It's one of our original recipes, going strong 10 years later! The bergamot carries the base, and a ribbon of cooked-down strawberry brings the color and the fresh fruit the tea can't give you on its own. Scooped, it lands soft and creamy, with a faint citrus lift from the bergamot and the berry showing up in streaks.

How to make it

1. Infuse the cream. Warm the heavy cream in a small pot over low heat until it just steams. Don't let it boil. Take it off the heat, stir in the earl grey, and once it cools a bit, put it in the fridge to fully chill. Once cool, strain through a fine mesh sieve, pressing the leaves to get all that good cream back.
2. Make the swirl. Add the strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice to a small pot. Simmer for eight to ten minutes, mashing as you go, until it thickens into a glossy sauce. Cool it completely.
3. Whip the cream. Once your tea cream is cold (this matters, warm cream won't whip), beat it to stiff peaks. I find the best way to do this is to put the cream in a chilled metal bowl and whip, but you follow your method - this part is crucial for a good ice cream.
4. Fold. Gently fold into the cream the condensed milk, vanilla, and salt until just combined. Go slow and keep it airy. That air is what gives no-churn its soft scoop.
5. Layer and swirl. Spread half the cream into a loaf pan. Dollop over half the strawberry sauce. Repeat with the rest. You can do a ribbon swirl if you like.
6. Freeze. Cover and freeze for at least six hours, or overnight if you can wait.

That's it. Give it a few minutes on the counter before you scoop.

Make it your own

Got an ice cream maker? Make a custard instead. Steep the tea in the warm milk and cream, whisk in egg yolks and sugar, cook gently until it coats the back of a spoon, chill, then churn. It comes out denser, and you fold the strawberry in at the end. (Your ice cream maker likely has a more accurate recipe for measurements you can follow.)

For a float, brew a strong batch of Strawberry Earl Grey, chill it, and pour it over a scoop in a tall glass. As the ice cream melts it turns the tea cloudy and sweet, somewhere close to a strawberry cream soda. Good excuse to brew a pitcher while you're at it.

Hosting? Crumble a little shortbread over each scoop right before serving. Our Classic Shortbread Bites bring a buttery crunch against the cold.

This one is make-ahead by design. Stash it tonight and it's ready for the next warm evening, with nothing to scramble over when friends turn up.