Blend the fresh strawberries with 1/4 cup sugar and lemon juice until completely smooth, with no visible chunks. Strain the puree through a fine mesh to remove seeds and set aside.

In a saucepan, combine whole milk and heavy cream and heat until steaming, about 3 to 5 minutes. Keep it just under a simmer so the dairy stays smooth.

Whisk egg yolks, remaining 1/2 cup sugar, and cornstarch until smooth and glossy. Slowly drizzle the hot milk mixture into the yolks while whisking to temper them.

Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened like a pudding, about 5 minutes. The custard should coat the back of a spoon and hold a line when you draw a finger through it.

Remove from heat and stir in the strawberry puree and vanilla extract until the mixture turns vivid pink-red and uniform.

Cool the mixture completely over an ice bath, stirring occasionally so it doesn’t form a skin. Refrigerate at least 4 hours (chilling + freezing timeline starts here) until very cold.

Churn in an ice cream maker on the lowest setting until dense and gelato-style. Serve soft for an immediate, silky texture, or freeze 1 to 2 hours for a firmer scoop.