Most of us love ice cream and, judging by the crowds in my local ice cream shop at this chilly time of year, it seems that it’s never too cold to indulge.
We’ve come up with two lovely flavour combinations that seem just right for winter ice creams. By adding some spices and glacé ginger to one and coffee and nuts to the other we think we’ve managed, paradoxically, to create warm flavours in a frozen dessert. We hope you agree.
Caren
COFFEE AND WALNUT ICE CREAM
Serves 10
75 gm shelled walnut halves
625 ml cream
125 ml milk
165 gm sugar
½ vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped
4 large egg yolks
100 ml fresh or decaffeinated espresso coffee
Preheat oven to 180°C.
Place walnut halves on a baking tray and roast for 5-8 minutes or until the walnuts are golden. Cool for 10 minutes. Tip the walnuts into a clean tea towel and rub off the skins. Roughly chop the nuts into small pieces and set aside.
Heat the cream, milk and sugar in a saucepan, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Add vanilla seeds and bean to the cream mix. Place yolks in a separate bowl and whisk to combine. Take a cup of warm cream mix and whisk it into the yolks. Slowly stir this mix back into the saucepan and continue to stir over a medium heat until the cream thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Stir in the coffee.
Strain into a clean bowl and chill. Churn in an ice cream machine according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Just before the very end of the churning process add the walnut pieces and churn for another 30 seconds to evenly distribute the nuts. Scoop the ice cream into an airtight container, cover with cling wrap and seal with a lid. Freeze for up to 7 days.
GINGER AND CARDAMOM ICE CREAM
Serves 10
650 ml cream
150 ml milk
165 gm sugar
½ teaspoon ground cardamom ½ teaspoon ground ginger
4 large egg yolks
60 gm glacé ginger, roughly chopped into small pieces
Heat the cream, milk, sugar and spices in a saucepan, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Place yolks in a separate bowl and whisk to combine. Take a cup of warm cream mix and whisk it into the yolks. Slowly stir this mix back into the saucepan and continue to stir over a medium heat until the cream thickens and coats the back of a spoon.
Strain into a clean bowl and chill. Churn in an ice cream machine according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Just before the very end of the churning process add the glacé ginger pieces and churn for another 30 seconds to evenly distribute them. Scoop the ice cream into an airtight container, cover with cling wrap and seal with a lid. Freeze for up to 7 days.