PUTTING THE SEXINESS BACK INTO ICE CREAM

Homemade Ice Cream
(Photos : Jackie Cameron)

"Homemade Ice Cream is so rewarding - it's a real indulgence"

There's an American saying that goes, "I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream!" With temperatures soaring recently there has been many a person licking away on popular iced delights. Our love affair with ice cream is centuries old and is said to have originated in the mountains of ancient China when ice cream was snow based. How things have changed. Today it is primarily a commercial dairy food, mass produced and reasonably priced. Before the invention of modern refrigeration it was a luxury reserved for special occasions. Ice cream has since lost its sexiness and grandness of yesteryear. I have compiled a few recipes to help you get to the root of extraordinary ice creams and restore its former elegance.

A quick and easy roasted hazelnut praline (a French confection of nuts and caramelised sugar) ice cream with lots of Frangelico - to enhance the nutty flavours - is a winner. Double or triple the recipe and freeze for those unexpected guests - homemade ice cream always impresses. This served with a thick caramel or Belgian chocolate sauce is true decadence. Remove the hazelnuts and frangelico from the recipe and keep the vanilla pod - the result is the most dreamy vanilla bean ice cream. Use this for milkshakes and dom pedros (a South African mixed drink made by combining ice cream and whiskey or any other preferred alcohol) and you will have your friends "screaming" for more.

Creamy, ultra smooth mocha bean ice cream with crumbled chocolate chip cookies is a favourite of mine. Serve this in a sugar cup with an espresso on the side. Delicious!

Orange Marmalade Ice Cream is perfectly-balanced with the tart sweetness softened by the soft, creamy consistency. Serve on top of a simple compote fruit. Fantastic!

I always refuse bought rum and raisin ice cream because it tastes too synthetic for my liking. This home-produced recipe is truly heavenly. Serve, in a sugar cone, with broken bits of honeycomb and fresh dates and you have a delectable match.

You'll entice family and friends as you put the sexiness back into ice cream. The feedback will amaze you. Homemade ice cream is so rewarding - it's a real indulgence.

Take these recipes and try them.

HAZELNUT PRALINE AND FRANGELICO ICE CREAM
MOCHA BEAN ICE CREAM AND CHOC CHIP COOKIES
MARMALADE ICE CREAM WITH COMPOTE FRUIT
RUM AND RAISIN ICE CREAM SERVED IN A SUGAR CONE

I look forward to hearing from you.

Jackie Cameron
Head Chef
Hartford House
www.hartford.co.za
jackie@hartford.co.za
+27 33 263 2713

Comments

[John]

Thanks for sharing these lovely ice cream recipes - come weekend you can guess what we will be trying to make. Hazelnut is my all time favorite. Keep up the great blog and lovely recipes.

[Jackie Cameron]

Hi John,

Thank you for your comments. So appreciated! All the best with your ice cream making this weekend.
Shout if you have any questions.

Yours in hospitality
Jackie Cameron
(Head Chef)