ICE CREAM

                                              

There could be nothing more inviting on a hot summer’s day than a bowl of delicious ice cream.

 

                                         FROZEN STRAWBERRY YOGURT

500 g (1 lb) fresh, ripe strawberries, washed, hulled and sliced

125 g (5 oz) sugar or more

1 liqueur glass Metaxa brandy or orange flavoured liqueur

2 tbsp orange juice

A few drops of lemon juice to accentuate the taste

A pinch of salt

250 g (8 1/3 oz) thick Greek yogurt

 

Marinate the strawberries with sugar, alcohol, lemon and orange juices, and salt, cover, and refrigerate for about 2 hours.  Then blend, blend, taste for sugar, and add some more, if necessary, blend again and sieve.

 

Combine the fruit pulp with the yogurt and mix well.  The easiest way to freeze the strawberry yogurt is in an electric ice cream machine.  Alternatively, freeze it in a covered ice cream tray, and when it is almost frozen, whip well and quickly return it to the freezer.  Repeat the procedure twice more.

 

 

                                                   VANILLA ICE CREAM

For this ice cream you must first prepare a custard with:

 

420 ml (14 fl oz) single cream

½ a vanilla bean

125 g (5 oz) sugar

8 egg yolks

A good pinch of salt

250 ml (8  fl oz) double cream whipped to soft peaks

 

Bring the single cream with a little sugar and the vanilla bean to a boil.  Meanwhile, whip the egg yolks with the remaining sugar and salt until light and fluffy and doubled in bulk.  Discard the vanilla bean and slowly pour the hot cream into the beaten egg yolks, whipping constantly.

 

Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and simmer gently, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until it thickens to a custard and coats the back of the spoon.  Remove from the heat and strain the custard through a fine sieve and allow it to cool to room temperature. Fold in the whipped until well combined.

 

Spoon the custard into a bowl with a cover and freeze for 2 hours at least.  Then remove from the freezer and stir it vigorously and return it to the freezer.  Repeat the procedure twice more.  Transfer the ice cream to a container, cover it, and freeze.

 

One can use the same recipe (minus the vanilla0 bean) for pistachio ice cream by adding:

2 tbsp ground pistachio nuts

7 drops of green food colouring 

A few crushed pistachios for garnish

 

 

                                              CHOCOLATE ICE CREAM

Do prepare this old-fashioned ice cream

 

500 ml (2 cups) milk

4 large eggs

8 tbsp sugar

Pinch of salt

120 (4 oz) dark chocolate, melted

Vanilla

500 ml (2 cups) double cream, whipped to soft peaks

 

Heat milk, and beat the eggs together as described in vanilla ice cream (Please see recipe above).

 

Stir in the melted chocolate and the vanilla and strain into a bowl to cool, gently fold in the whipped cream until well combined.  Freeze as described above.

 

 

                                              STRAWBERRY WATER ICE

   

Use the same recipe for peaches and apricots.

 

250 ml (1 cup) sieved strawberry pulp

500 ml (2 cups) water

200 g (1 cup) sugar

A pinch of salt

1 tsp lemon juice

 

Heat water, sugar, and salt and stir until sugar dissolves.  Remove from the stove and set aside to cool. Then add the lemon juice and the strawberry pulp and mix well together. 

 

The easiest way to freeze water ice is in an electric ice cream machine.  Alternatively, freeze it in a covered ice cream tray, and when half frozen whip well and quickly return it to the freezer.  Repeat the procedure twice more.

 

 

                                                  LEMON WATER ICE

 

Another very refreshing water ice

750 ml (3 cups) water

375 g (1½ cup) sugar

1 small slice lemon rind

125 ml (½ cup) lemon juice

1 tsp grated lemon rind

1/8 tsp salt

 

Heat water with the sliced lemon rind, add the sugar and salt and stir until the sugar melts.  Remove from the heat, discard the lemon peel and set aside to cool.  Add the lemon juice and grated lemon rind and mix well.

 

Freeze according to the instructions given above.   Serve the lemon granita in long glasses garnished with mint leaves.

 

 

                             CHOCOLATE AND VANILLA ICE CREAM CAKE

Chocolate ice cream:

456 g (1 large tin + 1 small tin) sweet, condensed milk

100 g (3.5 oz)  dark chocolate

375 ml (1 ½ ) cup milk

Vanilla

300 g (10.6 oz)  sugar

750 ml (3 cups) full-fat cream, whipped to soft peaks

 

Vanilla ice cream:

500 ml (2 cups) milk

400 g (10 oz  + 1 tbsp) sugar

2 vanillas

2 tbsp Metaxa brandy

1.250 ml (5 cups) cream

 

First, prepare the chocolate ice cream.  Mix the condensed milk with the melted chocolate, milk, salt, and vanilla thoroughly together. Then fold in the cream until no streaks of white are evident.  Place in a covered container and freeze for 2 hours at least. Remove from the container and whisk vigorously, return to the container, cover, and freeze.  Repeat the procedure twice more.

 

For the vanilla ice cream, gently heat the milk with the sugar, salt, and vanilla to the boiling point, stirring from time to time until the sugar melts.  Then remove from the fire and allow to cool.  Fold in the cream.  Spoon into a covered container and place in the freezer.  After 1 hour whisk and return it to the freezer.  After a couple of hours whisk once more and freeze.  Repeat the procedure twice more.

 

Sprinkle a 30 cm (12 in) tin with sunflower oil. To assemble the ice cream cake, remove the chocolate ice cream from the freezer and whip it to soften it a little.  Then spread one half over the bottom and the sides of the prepared cake tin.  It doesn’t have to be perfect, that’s the beauty of it!   Cover the cake and the remaining chocolate ice cream and freeze for one hour.

 

Then add the vanilla ice cream, spreading it evenly over.  After 2 hours cover with the remaining chocolate ice cream, which should almost reach the tin’s brim.  Cover and freeze for almost 5 hours.

 

Just before serving dip the bottom of the tin in hot water and reverse the ice cream cake onto an iced serving dish. Garnish with chocolate curls or according to taste.  

PLEASE DO NOT FORGET TO BE INOCULATED AGAINST THE CORONAVIRUS SO  THAT YOU AND YOUR BELOVED FAMILIES REMAIN HEALTHY