Some favourite ice cream recipes

"Ice cream is exquisite. What a pity it isn't illegal."
Voltaire

These days, making ice cream is simplicity itself, thanks to electric ice cream makers.
The following recipes are some of my personal favourites. Where I know the source, it’s credited – please let me know if I’ve made any mistakes.

Lemon ice cream
Strawberry ice cream with balsamic vinegar
Very easy vanilla ice cream
Zabaglione ice cream with biscotti
Ginger ice cream
Tomato ice cream
Pineapple sorbet
Champagne sorbet
Chrysanthemum and apple jelly
Red and black pepper granita
Syllabub

Lemon ice cream
From ‘Frozen Desserts’ by Caroline Liddell and Robin Weir
Quick, fresh-tasting and light (it contains no eggs), this lemon ice is better served as part of a selection of other ice-creams and/or sorbets. Use very fresh cream or there is a danger that the lemon juice will curdle it, and eat within three days.

Makes about 28fl oz/875ml
3 lemons
7oz/200g granulated sugar
16fl oz/500ml chilled whipping cream
Good pinch of salt

Thoroughly scrub the lemons in warm, soapy water, then rinse and dry. Using a potato peeler, remove the zest (only the coloured part, making sure all the white pith is removed). Put the peel and sugar into a food processor or blender and blend for about 4 minutes, or until the peel is so fine it 'disappears' into the sugar. Squeeze the lemons and add 6 tablespoons of juice to the sugar. Keep the remaining juice. Blend again for 30 seconds then stir slowly and steadily into a jug containing the chilled cream. Cover and chill for about 1 hour. When ready, taste the mixture and add more lemon juice if preferred; a further tablespoon will usually suffice. Now either still- freeze or start the ice-cream machine.

For still-freezing, pour the chilled mixture into a strong plastic container to a depth of 4cm/1 1/2 in. Cover with a lid and put in the coldest part of the freezer. Check after 1-1 1/2 hours; the mixture should have frozen to a firm ring of ice around the sides and base of the box, with a soft slush in the centre. Beat the mixture for few seconds until it forms a uniform slush. Return to the freezer. Repeat the beating at least twice at intervals of 1-1 1/2 hours. After the third beating freeze for a further 30-60 minutes. Transfer to the main body of the fridge about 20 minutes before serving.

If you are using an ice-cream machine, pour in the flavoured cream via a plastic sieve. Churn until the mixture has the consistency of softly whipped cream. Then quickly scrape into plastic freezer boxes and cover with waxed or greaseproof paper and a lid and freeze. Eat in about 1 hour. If you have stored it and it is frozen solid, transfer the ice-cream to the fridge for about
20-25 minutes to soften it before serving.

Strawberry ice cream with balsamic vinegar
From ‘Frozen Desserts’ by Caroline Liddell and Robin Weir, with acknowledgements to Anna Del Conte.

akes about 28fl oz/875 ml.
1lb/450g fresh strawberries
5 1/4 oz/150g caster sugar
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
5 1/4 fl oz/150ml whipping cream

Wash and hull the strawberries. Dry them thoroughly with kitchen paper then put them in a food processor or blender with the sugar. Set the machine in motion and add the balsamic vinegar through the lid or funnel. Continue to blend until the ingredients have combined to a smooth puree, then pour this into a bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 2-3 hours. The sugar and vinegar will bring out the flavour of the fruit.

When ready, combine the strawberry puree and cream and either still-freeze (see description for lemon ice-cream above) or start the ice-cream machine. Follow the manufacturer's instructions or see above. Finally label, then freeze. Freeze for 1 hour or until just firm enough to serve. If stored longer and frozen solid, transfer to the fridge for 20-25 minutes to soften before serving.

Back to top ^

Very easy vanilla ice cream by Delia Smith
Please note that because of the sugar content in condensed milk, this recipe is not suitable for ice cream makers.

Serves 8-10 (Makes 2½ pints/1.5 litres)

Ingredients

2 x 10 fl oz (275 ml) tins condensed milk
10 fl oz (275 ml) single cream
2 x 7 oz (200 ml) cartons crème fraîche
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
You will also need a 3½ pint (2 litre) polythene freezer box 8 x 8 inches x 2½ inches deep (20 x 20 cm x 6 cm deep).
Simply put everything into a bowl and use an electric hand whisk to mix all the ingredients thoroughly. Then pour the mixture into the polythene freezer box and place it in the coldest part of the freezer. After about 2 hours, or when the edges are starting to freeze, remove it and use the hand whisk to give it another good mix and break down any ice crystals. Return to the freezer, then repeat the whisking after 3 more hours. Finally return it to the freezer for a further 6-8 hours, by which time it should be at serving consistency.
If you've made it a long time ahead, and it's very hard, transfer it to the main body of the fridge for 30 minutes to soften enough to scoop.

Zabaglione ice cream with biscotti
from Delia Smith: How to Cook Book Three.
Serves 4

Ingredients

For the zabaglione:
4 large egg yolks
2 oz (50 g) golden caster sugar
2½ fl oz (65 ml) Marsala
For the ice cream:
10 fl oz (275 ml) double cream
3 oz (75 g) almond biscotti, crushed to crumbs, plus extra biscuits to serve

You will also need an ice-cream maker (pre-frozen according to the manufacturer’s instructions), a lidded plastic box measuring 7 x 5½ x 2½ in (18 x 14 x 6 cm) and an electric whisk.

Begin by whipping the cream to the ‘floppy’ stage and then transfer to the fridge to chill.

Now make the zabaglione. Put a large saucepan, filled with a couple of inches of water, on a lowish heat to bring it up to a gentle simmer. Then place the egg yolks and sugar in a heatproof mixing bowl large enough to sit over the saucepan without touching the water. Start to whisk them (not on the heat yet) with the electric hand whisk until the mixture is pale and creamy – this will probably take about 4 minutes. Now gradually whisk in the Marsala bit by bit, about a dessertspoon at a time.

Next, transfer the bowl to the saucepan – keeping the heat very low and making sure the bowl doesn’t touch the water. Continue whisking until the mixture thickens and becomes foamy. This can sometimes be rather slow (it usually takes 10-15 minutes), but don’t be tempted to turn the heat up because, if the mixture becomes too hot, it will curdle. You could do a crossword (one-handed!), listen to the radio or have a natter with someone to pass the time!

When it does thicken, the whisk should leave a clear trail when it is lifted out of the mixture. Next, remove the bowl from the heat, cover and allow the mixture to cool completely, which will take about 30 minutes.
When the mixture is absolutely cold, gently stir, and fold in the double cream. Then pour the mixture into the ice-cream maker and freeze-churn for 20-30 minutes until the ice cream is soft-set.

Now transfer the mixture to a bowl and stir in the biscotti crumbs. Serve straightaway, or freeze in the plastic box for 1-2 hours until firm, transferring to the fridge 30 minutes before serving to allow the ice cream to soften and become easy to scoop.

Note: this recipe contains partially cooked eggs.

Ginger ice cream
by Delia Smith, Sainsbury's Magazine.
Delia writes: This recipe is the best I know for a vanilla ice cream, but I have added some preserved stem ginger for an extra exotic dimension.
Serves 4-6 (makes about 1¼ pints/725 ml)

4 pieces stem ginger, chopped into ¼ inch (5 mm) cubes, plus 2 extra to decorate
2 tablespoons ginger syrup from the stem ginger jar
10 fl oz (275 ml) double cream
10 fl oz (275 ml) single cream
4 large egg yolks
1 oz (25 g) caster sugar
2 slightly rounded teaspoons cornflour
3-4 drops vanilla extract
You will also need a polythene box, with a base measurement of 7 x 5½ x 2½ inches (18 x 14 x 6 cm).
 First of all, whip the double cream until it reaches the floppy stage but isn't too thick then pop it into the refrigerator to chill. At the same time, put the polythene box into the freezer to chill as well.

Now make the custard by first pouring the single cream into a saucepan and then heating it to boiling point. Meanwhile, beat together the egg yolks, sugar and cornflour in a bowl until absolutely smooth. Next, pour the hot cream on to this mixture, beating with a wooden spoon as you pour. Now return the custard to the pan and continue to whisk it over a medium heat until it has thickened and come up to boiling point again. (Ignore any curdled appearance, which may come about if you don't keep stirring and have the heat too high. The cornflour will stabilise it, so don t worry – it will always regain its smoothness when cooled and whisked.)

Now place the bowl of custard in a bowl of cold water, and stir it now and then until absolutely cold. Then, fold in the chilled whipped cream, chopped stem ginger, ginger syrup and vanilla extract. Pour the whole lot into the chilled polythene box, cover and freeze for 2-3 hours or until it is just beginning to set.

As soon as the mixture is freezing round the edges, remove it from the freezer, tip it into a mixing bowl and whisk it very thoroughly with an electric hand whisk. Then return the mixture to the box, put the lid back on and replace in the freezer. Leave for about another 3 hours before giving it a final whisking. Now return it to the freezer until you want to serve it. Then, 45 minutes before serving transfer it to the refrigerator to allow it to soften to a scoopable consistency.

Serve the ice cream with a garnish of stem ginger cut into matchstick strips and a small amount of syrup poured over.

Back to top ^

Tomato ice cream
source unknown
Serves 6

Peel and deseed 6 large ripe tomatoes, whiz them in a blender, then pass through a sieve. Combine with 450ml double cream, 2 tbsp tomato paste and the juice  of 1 lemon. Adjust the flavours to your taste with a pinch of sugar, a few dashes of Tabasco and a little sea salt.

Churn and freeze using an ice cream maker if you have one. Alternatively, transfer the mixture to a container and freeze for 1 hour, then whisk and return to the freezer every 30 minutes until firm (this will take about 3 hours). Serve a scoop as a first or salad course with seafood, such as prawns or lobster. Decorate with watercress

Pineapple sorbet
- source unknown
Serves four.

Ingredients
Half a cup of Sugar; half a cup of Water; 1 very ripe medium-sized Pineapple; juice of 1 Lime.

Heat the sugar and water together over a low heat, stir just until the Sugar has all dissolved, then remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.

Peel and core the pineapple (preferably using a pineapple-corer, as this does the job in seconds, literally, and allows you to catch all of the juice as you do so). Cut the cored fruit roughly into pieces and place in a liquidizer jar.

Liquidize until very smooth, along with the cooled syrup and the lime juice.

Churn the mixture in an ice-cream machine. Can be eaten immediately, but will also keep well over time in the freezer.

Champagne sorbet
by Gordon Ramsey

Serves 4
For best results, make the sorbet in an electric ice-cream maker so that you have a silky smooth result. A good-quality sparkling wine works well also, but if it’s not bone dry, reduce the sugar to 100g.

Juice of 1 lemon
200ml water
150g sugar
1 tbsp liquid glucose
250ml champagne

Place the lemon juice, water, sugar and liquid glucose in a small saucepan. Stir well, then heat gently until the sugar dissolves. Bring the pan to the boil, then remove from the heat and allow to cool to room temperature.

Add the champagne and transfer to an ice-cream maker. Churn for 30 minutes and serve immediately.

Chrysanthemum and apple jelly
to accompany a champagne sorbet

200g green apples
Bramley apple jelly
15 dried chrysanthemum flowers
2½ litres water
425g sugar
50g gelatine sheets
Soak the gelatine sheets in some water until it softens and then remove.
Cut the apples into four and tear the dried chrysanthemum flowers into small pieces.
Add water, bring to boil, reduce heat and gently simmer covered for 1 hour. Remove and pass the liquid through a sieve.

Add in the sugar and gelatine sheets and gently heat until the sugar and gelatine dissolves fully. Allow to cool and then pour the apple and chrysanthemum mix into a whisky tumbler to about ⅓ full. Place inside a fridge allowing the jelly to set. Scoop some sorbet into each glass and serve, garnished with frozen grape on top of the sorbet.

Red and black pepper granita
From ‘Frozen Desserts’ by Caroline Liddell and Robin Weir
This granita, a savoury one, is made with a puree of roasted red peppers, spiked with a generous amount of ground black pepper. To prepare the peppers, grill them whole until blackened all over, then leave to cool. Work over a bowl to catch the juices wile skinning and seeding them. It is fiddly but try to pick out all the seeds without resorting to rinsing the peppers and washing away some of the flavour.

Red peppers 2lb
Granulated sugar 1/3 cup
water 2 cups
juice of lemon
salt and freshly milled black pepper
Makes about 3 ½ cups

Prepare the peppers. In a small saucepan combine the sugar and water. Bring slowly to the boil, stirring occasionally until the sugar has dissolved. Remove the pan from the heat and leave the syrup to cool. Put the skinned and seeded peppers in a food processor or blender with their juices and the syrup and bloend until smooth. Pour the puree into a bowl and mix in the strained lemon juice, salt and a fairly generous amount of freshly milled black pepper. Adjust seasoning to taste. Cover and chill in the fridge.

 
Syllabub

From Hannah Wooley, The Queen-like Closet (London,1674)
Take one Quart of Cream, one Pint and an half of Wine or Sack, the Juice of two Limons with some of the Pill, and a Branch of Rosemary, sweeten it very well, then put a little of this Liquor, and a little of the Cream into a Basin, beat them till it froth, put that Froth into the Sillibub pot, and so do till the Cream and Wine be done, then cover it close, and set it in a cool Cellar for twelve hours, then eat it.

Back to top ^