Haskap berries are tart fruits that thrive in cold northern climates.  Similar to blueberries, they’re perfect for homemade haskap ice cream!

Haskap berries, or honeyberries as they’re known by those trying to market them, are a tart fruit.  Some describe them as downright sour, but they’re sweet enough to hold the attention of my 2 and 4-year-olds.  Sweetest when fully ripe, these fruits don’t last long.  They’ll spoil quickly once picked, and they’re very soft.

Mostly my kids just eat them fresh in season, but this year we had a huge bumper crop.  I used a bit of fish emulsion fertilizer which gave the bushes a boost and we got 4 times our normal harvest.  Plenty for fresh eating, haskap jam, and this tasty haskap ice cream.  I even have a jug of haskap wine bubbling away on my countertop too!

Our soils are heavy and alkaline, which is horrible for growing blueberries, but honeyberries are much less picky.  Growing honeyberries is easy, as they relatively carefree and fast growing.  All they need is cool winters, and they do best in zones 2 to 6.  No problem here in zone 4 Vermont.

While blueberries may be better for fresh eating, I’m a huge fan of this honeyberry ice cream.  It’s quickly becoming one of my favorites, with loads of fresh berry flavor and enough sugar to balance out an otherwise tart fruit.

I’ve wanted an ice cream maker for years, and I’m loving the fact that I can make ice cream out of all the strange fruits we grow on our permaculture homestead.  Later this summer I’m looking forward to cornelian cherry ice cream, but for now, this one’s a huge hit.

I’m using a really lovely home ice cream maker with a built-in compressor (no ice or salt required) and it took about 25 minutes for the haskap ice cream to churn completely.

Yield: 1 quart

Haskap Ice Cream

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Haskap ice cream is made with the tart fruit of a species of fruiting honeysuckle. They're also called honeyberries, and they have a deep flavor somewhat similar to blueberries and black grapes.

Ingredients

• 2 cups haskap berries (fresh or frozen)
• 1 cup sugar, honey or maple
• pinch of salt
• 2 cups whipping cream
• 1 cup whole milk

Instructions

1. Puree the berries with the sugar in a food processor until the berries are completely blended and the sugar has dissolved.
2. Mix in the remaining ingredients and pulse to just combine, but do not over blend the cream.
3. Pour into a home ice cream maker and process according to the manufacturers instructions.
4. When finished churning, place into the freezer and allow the ice cream to completely setup before serving. (or serve immediately as soft serve)

Notes

Notes ~ Honeyberries are tart, and while I only use half this much sugar in blueberry ice cream, these tart little fruits need a bit of extra sweetening. Test the batter before churning and adjust the sugar if necessary to fit your tastes.

Recommended Products

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• 
  Whynter ICM-200LS Stainless Steel Ice Cream Maker, 2.1-Quart, Silver

More Ice Cream Recipes

Now that I have an ice cream maker, there’ll be plenty of recipes posted soon.  For now, try this:

• Homemade Fresh Mint Ice Cream