Strawberry Miso Ripple – the photos

the sweet white miso in the mixing bowl

the ice cream whipped, ready to ripple

adding the compote

rippled!

Et voila :

one scoop or two?

the ripple topped with the whole fruit compote

Most importantly … the verdict.

Silence is always a good sign, followed by the scraping of the dish, finally two words “beautiful” and “gorgeous” - not words you'd normally associate with strawberries and ice cream but hey I'll take them!

Strawberry Miso Ripple

Back to the strawberry compote. Instead of keeping the whole fruit or blitzing and passing for a smooth version why not have half and half?

When your compote has cooled :

Gently poor the compote into a large mixing bowl

and weigh the total amount

In my case this was 512g precisely!

Take 256g of the whole fruits and place in

a jar and fridge

Blitz and pass the remaining half and set

aside ready for use

Add the smooth compote to your batch of ice cream and fold gently through creating a ripple effect, then freeze in containers to suit.

Say hello to Strawberry Miso Ripple!

Photos up next.

Strawberries & ice cream …

… but not as you know this iconic summer treat!

Another no-churn ice cream – this time using sweet white miso paste – if you're not familiar with this product it's a Japanese seasoning – fermented soybeans with salt and koji, the resulting paste is used in savoury and sweet dishes. There are different types of miso the sweeter white version includes rice, barley and a smaller quantity of soybeans.

Here's the recipe :

Sweet white miso ice cream

Makes 1 litre of ice cream

100g sweet white miso paste

397 tin condensed milk

300ml double cream

Combine the miso paste and condensed milk in a bowl, mix well so that it loosens. If it doesn't disperse then use your hand whisk until smooth. Add the cream and whisk until it begins to thicken.

At this stage you may want to read the following piece which gives you a variation using the compote.

Decant into suitable containers – I'd suggest you decide on portion control that suits you, so a mixture of small and medium pots. Remember you can always take out more if you need it! Freeze overnight.

Allow the ice cream to soften for 10 minutes before serving.

I can hear you - “what's so different about sweet white miso ice cream?!” Answer – if you're a fan of the salted caramel flavour you'll like that sweet and salty “hit” the miso gives.

Strawberry Compote – photos

Just for fun and hopefully helpful too, here's a quick photo guide :

the strawberries, hulled – worth the effort

great therapy

in the pan with the sugar and the lemon juice

your cooked compote – just love the colour

in the jar ready to be fridged

Hmm … now for something a little different I think!

Another strawberry solution

High on my list of favourite recipes, especially using fresh fruit, are compotes. Here's a strawberry version :

A strawberry compote

500g ripe strawberries, hulled

4 tbsp caster sugar

2 tbsp lemon juice

Cut the strawberries in half – or quarters if large – place in a large saucepan with the sugar and lemon juice. Heat gently until the sugar has dissolved and then simmer. Cover and cook for 3/5 minutes until dark in colour and syrupy. Compote can be store in fridge for up to 2 weeks. I'd suggest you divide in half and freeze one for a rainy day.

If you prefer a smooth compote blitz and pass through a sieve.

As you can see it's not a difficult recipe, hulling the berries, i.e. removing the green leaf on the top and the stalk below, takes a little time but it's worth every second. You can buy a kitchen implement to do the job if you wish but using a paring knife and cutting in a circular motion will do the job just as well.

This is another flexible recipe for your culinary arsenal – you can leave the compote as is with visible berries or you can blitz it, as mentioned at the end of the recipe.

The result of your labours is an ice cream and a compote, ready to serve when you are.

Make the most of fresh seasonal fruits, as an example, melon, pineapple, grapes and raspberry all fit with strawberry – make up a large bowlful – coat the fruit in the compote. You can use small individual glass dishes to serve, topped with a scoop of ice cream. An even better idea would be to use tall sundae glasses and layer fruit and compote, a scoop of strawberry ice cream and then repeat. Decorate with four shards of chocolate bark and serve with two sundae spoons to be shared between friends!

What's not to love.

Speaking of seasonal fresh fruit

I don't think there is a more evocative scent of summer than that of a bowl of strawberries, it's just divine and makes your mouth water. Sadly these days shop bought fruit can bring disappointment since a lot of strawberries are forced and taste, quite honestly, of nothing. Buy locally at farm shops or pick your own if you can.

The following recipes give you two ideas for alternative uses for a glut of strawberries.

No-churn strawberry ice cream

The recipe will give you 960g

750g/1½lb strawberries

juice of two lemons

1 x 397g condensed milk

300g light brown muscovado sugar

Top the strawberries, cut in half or quarters if large then blitz to a purée, add the lemon juice. Tip the blitzed berries into a large sieve and allow the purée to pass through. As you're passing the strawberries there's no need to hull the berries.

Place the condensed milk and brown sugar into a large mixing bowl and whisk on high for 10 minutes. I used a hand whisk. Eventually the sugar is beaten into the condensed milk and will give you a ribbon effect. Set your timer and have patience – it's worth it. You can help your strawberry pulp through the sieve with the back of a metal spoon. Fold into your sugar and condensed milk and mix until combined. I split the mixture into two boxes. Freeze for at least 6 hours. Remove from the freezer 10 minutes before serving – no longer – it softens very quickly.

If you want a perfect scoop dip the scoop into boiling water and pat dry.

As the cook I think you're entitled to taste the ice cream ahead of serving. I confess I'm not a huge fan as a rule but I was intrigued so I took a teaspoonful as I boxed it – one word - “wow” - I ditched the spoon and took another, just to be sure.

It's the best I've ever made – I hope you feel the same!

Chocolate Bark photo guide

Summer fun and fast work :

the baking tray, oiled and lined

with cling film – you can see it's not moving

the melted chocolate poured onto

the tray

the “Jackson Pollock” moment

the shards of bark

I don't expect it will last too long but you could freeze a box. Here's a thought – need a fast summer dessert – a scoop of home-made ice cream, seasonal fresh berries – strawberries and raspberries top of the list at the moment - topped off with a chard or two of chocolate bark.

What I like about the mini versions of the fudge and honeycomb is that they are just that – mini - so in reality you only get tiny bits in your sweet treat.

I don't feel quite so guilty now!

P.s. I should have said – the salted caramel fudge and honeycomb came from Aldi and each cost 85p for 100g.