Fourth of July Desserts and Strawberry Sour Cream Ice Cream Sandwiches

The Fourth is coming up, so I thought I'd make a list of all the red, white, and/or blue desserts I've made over the past couple of years (mostly red/pink, to be fair!). You could make these even more patriotic by adding complementary fruits: for example, a handful of blueberries on top of the raspberry gelato would be delicious! I also won't leave you without a new recipe: my mom says this strawberry sour cream ice cream is the best ice cream she's ever tasted!

The strawberry flavor in this ice cream really comes through, and the addition of sour cream adds a delicious tang. It's also not overly rich with no egg yolks and just a half cup of heavy cream, while still providing that satisfying ice cream texture. I thought it was amazing sandwiched between two chocolate chip cookies; this recipe is nice because they're crispy on the outside but soft and chewy on the inside, and they're also thin enough to eat this way without all the ice cream squooshing out of the ice cream sandwich. I think these would be perfect for the Fourth because they're portable and delicious, and the pink ice cream is perfect for the holiday (especially if you added some black raspberries or blueberries sandwiched in between the cookie and ice cream!).

Strawberry Sour Cream Ice Cream (adapted from The Perfect Scoop)
Makes about 1 1/2 pints

1/2 pound fresh strawberries, rinsed, hulled, and sliced
1/4 cup sugar, more to taste
1/2 T vodka or kirsch, optional
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

1. Place the strawberries in a bowl with the sugar and vodka or kirsch, if using. Stir until the sugar begins to dissolve. Cover and let stand for at least one hour, stirring occasionally.
2. Place the strawberry mixture in a food processor or blender and add the sour cream, heavy cream, and lemon juice. Pulse until the mixture is smooth with some pieces of strawberry remaining (not too large or they will become icy once frozen). Taste and adjust for additional sugar or lemon juice.
3. Chill the mixture until cold, and then freeze in your ice cream maker.

Other Perfect Desserts for the Fourth

Ice Creams:
Strawberry Frozen Yogurt
Strawberry-Balsamic Ice Cream
Raspberry Gelato

Cupcakes:
Strawberry Cupcakes
Red, White, and Blue Cupcakes (midway through the post)
Neapolitan Cupcakes
Raspberry Cupcakes

Pies & Tarts:
Meyer Lemon-Strawberry Tart
Blueberry-Raspberry Pie
Strawberry-Rhubarb Pie

Other:
Berry-Brioche Bread Pudding
Yeasted Sugar Cake with Strawberry Sauce
4th of July Star Cookies (scroll to end of post)

I'm also entering the strawberry ice cream featured above in the July Ice Cream Social hosted by Scotty Snacks, SavortheThyme and Tangled Noodle.