ICE CREAMS

When I was a child, one of the great delights of life was ice cream.  Delicious mixtures of fruit and cream and chocolate and cream were my favourites.  But even now, in my deep old age, a delicate sorbet or a creamy frozen dessert makes me very happy.  Here are a few recipes that I hope will make you happy too.


                                              STEM GINGER ICE CREAM

Chopped Stem Ginger

Stem Ginger Ice Cream

This is a lovely ice cream prepared with stem ginger in syrup which is very popular with my family.

150 g (5 oz) sugar
500 ml (2 cups) full milk
60 ml (2 fl oz) ginger syrup
A good pinch of salt

500 g (2 cups) full cream

2 pieces stem ginger or more or less according to taste, rinsed and finely chopped


Heat milk, sugar, ginger, syrup and salt, stirring until the sugar dissolves.  cool and combine with the cream.  Transfer the mixture to  a bowl, cover and freeze.   After an hour whisk the mixture and place it in the freezer.  After two hours whisk again and fold in the chopped stem ginger, cover and freeze once more.   When the ice cream is really firm, give it a last whisk and transfer it to a suitable container with a lid, and place in the freezer.   After about one  hour it will be ready to serve.

                                        FROZEN STRAWBERRY YOGURT

Frozen Strawberry and  Rasberry Yogurt 

This is an interesting and healthy frozen dessert

500 g (1 lb 5oz) fresh, ripe strawberries or raspberries hulled and sliced,   

125 g (4oz + 1tbsp) caster sugar or more if preferred

1 liqueur glass good quality 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 oz 1//3 oz) thick yogurt

Marinate the berries with sugar, alcohol, lemon and orange juice and salt, cover and refrigerate for about 2 hours.    Then blend, taste for sugar and add some more, if necessary, blend again and sieve.   Combine the fruit pulp with the yogurt and mix very well together

 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 half frozen, beat well and quickly return it to the freezer.  Repeat the same procedure, twice more.

                                                PEACH SORBET

Ready to Serve

Peach Sorbet

A delicate sorbet.   It is wonderful prepared with Greek peaches

250 ml (1 cup) peach pulp

500 ml (2 cups) water

180 ml (1 cup – 1 tbsp) caster sugar

1 tsp lemon juice

A pinch of salt

Heat the water, add the sugar and salt and stir until the sugar melts.     Remove from the fire and set aside to cool.   Then add the lemon juice and the peach pulp to the syrup and mix well together.   Freeze according to the instructions given above.

Serve the sorbet in tall glasses or bowls, garnished with sprigs of mint.