Strawbs & Cream Candy Sundae Ice Cream

1. Hull and roughly chop the fresh strawberries, then toss them with half the granulated sugar and lemon juice in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat for 12–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mixture has thickened and the strawberries have broken down into a jammy, glossy compote. Remove from heat and stir in the strawberry gelatin powder — this gives that candy-bright flavour and helps firm the swirl. Let cool completely.

2. Once cooled, roughly mash or blend half the compote until smooth, leaving the other half chunky for texture. Stir in the strawberry jam to deepen the fruity intensity. Set aside.

3. In a blender or with a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth with no lumps. Add the condensed milk, remaining granulated sugar, whole milk, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt. Blend until completely smooth and creamy.

4. In a separate large bowl, whip the heavy cream to stiff peaks using a hand or stand mixer. This should take about 3–4 minutes on high speed. Gently fold the milk and cream cheese mixture into the whipped cream in two additions, using a spatula in large sweeping motions to keep it airy.

5. Pour one-third of the ice cream base into a freezer-safe loaf tin or container. Spoon over half the strawberry compote mixture in generous dollops. Repeat with another third of the base and the remaining compote, then finish with the final layer of ice cream base.

6. Using a skewer or butter knife, drag through the layers in long, lazy figure-eight motions 4–5 times to create a bold marbled swirl — don't over-swirl or you'll lose the jammy ribbons. Cover tightly with cling film pressed directly onto the surface and freeze for a minimum of 6 hours, or overnight, until completely firm.

7. Remove the ice cream from the freezer 8–10 minutes before serving to soften slightly. Scoop into bowls or cones and serve immediately. Optionally garnish with fresh strawberry slices and an extra drizzle of strawberry jam for a candy-shop finish.