More ice cream ideas!

Remember the fudge … now for the ice cream! Having made the fudge I thought I'd mess about and make a new ice cream.

Here's the recipe for the fudge – I'd make it ahead :

Chocolate Fudge Squares

Takes 1½ hours/ make 50 pieces

400g dark or milk chocolate, broken into small

even sized pieces

25g butter

397 can condensed milk

100g icing sugar

30g cocoa powder, sifted

Line a 20cm square shallow tin with baking parchment.

Melt the chocolate in a bain-marie. In a non-stick saucepan melt the butter and gently warm the condensed milk, then add the melted chocolate and mix until smooth. Beat in the icing sugar until blended and smooth.

Put the mixture into the prepared tin, spread evenly into the corners, smooth over the top and place in the fridge to set for at least 1 hour. Remove and cut into small squares and dust with cocoa.

Coming next - a photo or two and a few hints and tips …

The ice cream on its own is very easy, the only extra prep is to cut your fudge into tiny pieces. Your fudge is already in 2x2cm pieces, cut each piece into four again, preferably on kitchen roll so that you preserve any cocoa dust and you're ready to roll!

Here's the basic recipe again :

Vanilla ice cream

1 x 397g tin sweetened condensed milk

1 x 600ml double cream

2tsp vanilla bean paste

Put the condensed milk, cream and vanilla into a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric hand whisk until the mixture is quite thick and stiff, like pipeable whipped cream.

You will need 260g of fudge cut into tiny irregular pieces

including the cocoa dust too

Fold the tiny pieces of fudge and the cocoa dust gently through the ice cream so that you achieve a ripple effect with a hidden surprise of fudge!

Spoon the mixture into a lidded freezer-proof containers and freeze for at least 6-8 hours or until firm. You might also want to consider freezing individual portions as well as larger pots, just in case you need an ice cream fix for yourself – as the cook you need to taste!

Bear in mind that you need to take the ice cream out of the freezer at least 15 minutes before serving to allow it to soften.

Photo guide up next …

The ice cream fudge fotos

the tiny pieces of fudge and cocoa

dust, ready to incorporate

the ice cream base and folding in

the fudge and cocoa dust

tiny pots of ice cream – ready for the

freezer

Strawberry Miso Ripple

First, the compote :

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.

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!

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!

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.

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.

Another ice cream of the no churn variety

I cannot claim the credit for this addition to our ice cream repertoire – it is courtesy of delicious. Magazine – consistently brilliant in my humble opinion!

Mascarpone no-churn ice cream

Whisk 150g mascarpone with 170g condensed

milk and ½ tsp vanilla extract (or bean paste).

Pour into a container suitable for the freezer

fold in 1 tbsp of your favourite fruit purée, then

freeze for an easy ripple ice cream.

Freeze for minimum of 4 hours and allow to soften

for 10/15 minutes before serving

I added 1.5 tbsps of good quality lemon curd and served the ice cream with raspberries and then added a shortbread biscuit or two.

This ice cream is full of flavour and a silky texture, not sickly as with some ice creams. I've already mentioned that my friend is over from the USA – who has become an enthusiastic student. He does not do desserts other than ice cream and so considers himself to be a connoisseur in this field – a perfect taster! The recipe is winging its way to the USA as we speak – enough said I think.

Note to self – you might want to consider doubling the recipe – I think you'll be glad you did.

    

Yum!

Let the summer begin!

Summer is coming and whether al fresco dining or a BBQ is your bag – what do you for dessert? Ice cream! Here's a few ideas from the back catalogue that will suit every occasion and they are all easy peasy.

This ice cream combines my old favourite, the basic vanilla no-churn recipe, with an added surprise folded through.

The vanilla ice cream recipe is repeated for ease of reference later on, but first comes the element that needs to be made ahead - toasted, salted pecans, dipped in dark chocolate.

Toasted, salted pecans

75g unsalted butter

100g pecan halves, blitzed to a crumb

sea salt flakes

Heat a small knob of butter in a pan and when foaming, tip in the pecans with a pinch of sea salt flakes. Stir over a medium heat for 3-4 minutes or till toasted – you will smell them when they are ready. Tip the nuts into a bowl and leave to cool.

Here's a photo of blitzed toasted, salted pecans :

ready for the chocolate!

You'll need :

150g dark chocolate, minimum 50% cocoa solids

¼ tsp measuring spoon

a baking sheet lined with parchment

But first a quick reminder about melting chocolate.

You can melt your chocolate in a microwave – I prefer to create washing up by melting it in a large, squeaky clean glass bowl over a pan of gently simmering water. It's important that the simmering water does not touch the bottom of the bowl. It should be the steam from the water that melts the chocolate.

Resist the urge to prod and stir, leave it be. You can use a heatproof spatula when you can see that the chocolate is melting. Taking care to use oven gloves, lift the bowl onto a heat resistant non-slip mat – you may also find it useful to lay a tea towel on top of the mat so that you can dry the bowl – leave the chocolate to cool slightly.

Your chocolate choices!

Here's my usual tip at this stage – to prevent your baking parchment from sliding on to the floor glue it into place using a tiny blob of the melted chocolate in each corner of the baking sheet.

When your melted chocolate has cooled slightly, add the pecans and fold in.

Using your ¼ tsp measuring spoon place tiny blobs of the mixture onto the parchment and pop the sheet into the fridge to chill. I can hear you saying, that'll take ages – I suppose it depends on your definition of “ages”.

If you'd like to see the result of the laborious task I'm recommending, take a look :

I think it's worth the effort!

There is a “plan B”. Instead of creating the blobs tip the mixture onto your glued parchment. If you're using this plan you may need two baking sheets. As a guide I'd suggest a size 30x30cms/12x12” approximately x 2 sheets and the parchment should be a similar size. Using a palette knife divide the mixture between the two sheets and then spread it, as thinly as you can, over the parchment. It matters not if it's irregular shapes and sizes. Fridge the sheets for at least 2 hours, to cool and set properly.

Lift the parchment from the sheet and place on a large chopping board or similar surface. I used a Chef's knife to cut random shards of the mixture, as small as possible.

Alternatively you could gather up the parchment and crumple into tiny bits and pieces.

I wouldn't recommend using your hands to break up the mixture bearing in mind that the heat from your hands will cause it to warm and bend!

Have a look at the result of plan B :

The world is your ice cream here -

you could combine the blobs and the shards

As promised, here's the basic ice cream recipe :

Vanilla ice cream

Prep – 5 minutes

Total time – 5 minutes

plus freezing at least 6-8 hours

or until firm

Gives you 1.6 litres of ice cream is equal

to 18 scoops

1 x 397g tin sweetened condensed milk

1 x 600ml double cream

2tsp vanilla bean paste

Put the condensed milk, cream and vanilla into a large mixing bowl and using an electric hand whisk, whisk until the mixture is quite thick and stiff, like pipeable whipped cream. Fold in the chocolate dipped pecans.

At this point you need to decide on size of pots and a small individual version would be a really good idea. Here are a couple of examples :

                                       

easy peasy for serving!

the perfect treat in the perfect size pot!

Freeze for at least 6-8 hours or until firm. Remove from the freezer and allow to soften for 10 minutes before serving.

Never let it be said that I don't try to think of everyone and cover every base.

One of my favourite additions to the standard vanilla ice cream is to add salted caramel sauce. Some may say it might be a step too far and they may be right, however I think it's personal choice and after all, it is meant to be a summer treat!

The fast option - use a jar of salted caramel sauce (260g) – easily available at most large supermarkets – fold into the mixture to give a marbled effect.

The “fastish” option. If you'd like to make your own salted caramel sauce here's my recipe :

Salted Caramel Sauce

110g/4oz unsalted butter

225g/8oz soft dark brown sugar

275ml/10 fl oz double cream (or whipping cream)

1½ tsp salt

Heat together the butter and sugar. When dissolved add the salt and whisk in the cream.

Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring.

One batch of the recipe produces approximately 539g of the sauce and you can portion and freeze for convenience. Yippee – more for another time!

Then there's the sprinkles.

My favourite home-made sprinkle is praline – used largely for adding to and flavouring cream, ice cream, butter cream or whatever takes your fancy. You can use it in large pieces or shards or blitzed into a coarse powder. It keeps well so long as you transfer it into an air-tight jar. Should the mood take you it can even be blitzed into a paste.

Praline

75g/3oz almonds, unblanched

75g/3oz caster sugar

Place the sugar into a frying pan (I used a pan measuring 28cms/11” in diameter) and then the almonds on top. Heat the sugar and almonds on as low a heat as possible. Resist the urge to prod/stir/mess with! Patience is eventually rewarded the sugar begins to melt and when the almonds begin to “pop”, and your sugar is a good colour - turn it out onto a non-stick sheet (or oiled slab if you want to be posh). The melting of the sugar takes approximately 20 minutes.

Leave the praline sheet where it is until it is well and truly set. You can then break it up and blitz into a coarse powder or as you wish. It's stating the obvious I know – you'll get 150g/6oz of praline.

Please note that when blitzing you will need ear plugs and warn anyone nearby that isn't totally deaf they soon will be – it's worth the noise – the result - tiny bits of twinkling toffee – the ultimate sprinkle.

For those who like to experiment :

Another miso moment, this time sweet

If you've never used sweet white miso before and want to have a go the following two recipes are a great place to start – they are both easy.

To begin, a no-churn ice cream – using sweet white miso paste – to explain, 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 goes :

Sweet white miso ice cream

Makes 1 litre of ice cream

100g sweet white miso paste

397g tin condensed milk

300ml double cream

Combine the miso paste and condensed milk in a bowl, mix well so that it loosens. A tip – put the paste in the bowl first and then add the condensed milk gradually. If it doesn't comply then use your hand whisk until smooth. Add the cream and whisk until it begins to thicken.

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.

If you're a fan of the salted caramel flavour you'll like that sweet and salty “hit” the miso gives.

Now for the second recipe – Miso Caramel Sauce ...

You might think that there's too much miso going on here but I can assure you it works. Just think salted caramel. This recipe isn't mine but it rang a bell because of the miso ice cream I'd made back in 2019. I like recipes that fit together but that play well with other ingredients too!

Here it is :

Miso Caramel Sauce

260g dark brown sugar

250ml double cream

100g unsalted butter

2 tsp sweet white miso – saikyo

Heat the sugar, cream and butter in a small pan over a medium heat, stirring regularly. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook for 2/3 minutes until slightly thickened. Take off the heat then stir in the miso.

Make the miso caramel up to a week in advance, chill until needed, then gently warm to a pouring consistency.

I've frozen this sauce too so another candidate for your emergency dessert stash, what's not to love.

There's more!

Editor's February Pick #2: Granola Gravel Accompaniment

Editor's note: Once again, my original plan has been lost as I carried on scrolling and found the accompanying piece to go with the Granola Gravel. The best finds are the ones you're not looking for and this is a fantastic recipe for a faff-free ice cream - all the more so because at my local B&M, I've recently discovered vegan condensed milk. Now with most things I buy on impulse, I think "Hurray!" and then later "What the hell do I do with it". So this is very fortuitous and I see some ice cream in my near future! PS, this - 1.6 litres equaling 18 scoops - isn't a serving suggestion. I must not eat 18 scoops in one go. In other news, Amazon does sell Rennies. 

Granola Gravel … nil desperandum

For those who aren't familiar - “never say die”

I'm going to make a batch of vanilla ice cream, cut the gravel into smaller pieces and fold it through to make a Granola Glacé – ta dah!

The transformation :

A quick recap of the recipe :

Vanilla ice cream

Prep – 5 minutes

Total time – 5 minutes

plus freezing at least 6-8 hours

or until firm

Gives you 1.6 litres of ice cream is equal

to 18 scoops

1 x 397g tin sweetened condensed milk

1 x 600ml double cream

2tsp vanilla bean paste

1. Put the condensed milk, cream and vanilla into a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric hand whisk until the mixture is quite thick and stiff, like pipeable whipped cream.**

2. Spoon the mixture into a lidded freezer-proof container and free for at least 6-8 hours or until firm.

** My variation – make a batch of sticky toffee sauce and fold 260g through the ice cream. For the sticky toffee sauce recipe see Sauce label – The ultimate … sticky toffee sauce. You can buy a ready-made version but it's nowhere near as good!

Editor's January Pick #12: No-churn Ice Cream

Editor's note: A lot of people enjoy sweet with savoury, and even as my tastebuds realign to find fruitcake tasty and other such things I never saw myself enjoying, something I will never fathom is butter on cake. But I am very much in the minority there! So, for those who want something a little sweet to go with the aforementioned (blowing my braincell budget right there...) banana bread, I present MiamMiam's no-churn ice cream. If you struggle to get fresh berries then frozen ones are definitely get-able, so grab a bag of whatever fruit is your fancy (strawberries if we're following closely) and see just how easy it is to make!

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!

The new ice cream – the decadent optional extras!

Never let it be said that I don't try to think of everyone and cover every base.

One of my favourite additions to the standard vanilla ice cream is to add salted caramel sauce. Some may say it might be a step too far and they may be right, however I think it's personal choice and after all, it is meant to be a summer treat!

The fast option - use a jar of salted caramel sauce (260g) – easily available at most large supermarkets – fold into the mixture to give a marbled effect with your chocolate and pecan blobs.

The “fastish” option. If you'd like to make your own salted caramel sauce here's my recipe :

110g/4oz unsalted butter

225g/8oz soft dark brown sugar

275ml/10 fl oz double cream (or whipping cream)

1½ tsp salt

Heat together the butter and sugar. When dissolved add the salt and whisk in the cream.

Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring.

One batch of the recipe produces approximately 539g of the sauce and you can portion and freeze for convenience. Yippee – more for another time!

Finally … the sprinkles.

My favourite home-made sprinkle is praline – used largely for adding to and flavouring cream, ice cream, butter cream or whatever takes your fancy. You can use it in large pieces or shards or blitzed into a coarse powder. It keeps well so long as you transfer it into an air-tight jar. Should the mood take you it can even be blitzed into a paste.

Praline

75g/3oz almonds, unblanched

75g/3oz caster sugar

Place the sugar into a frying pan (I used a pan measuring 28cms/11” in diameter) and then the almonds on top. Heat the sugar and almonds on as low a heat as possible. Resist the urge to prod/stir/mess with! Patience is eventually rewarded the sugar begins to melt and when the almonds begin to “pop”, and your sugar is a good colour - turn it out onto a non-stick sheet (or oiled slab if you want to be posh). The melting of the sugar takes approximately 20 minutes.

Leave the praline sheet where it is until it is well and truly set. You can then break it up and blitz into a coarse powder or as you wish. It's stating the obvious I know – you'll get 150g/6oz of praline.

Please note that when blitzing you will need ear plugs and warn anyone nearby that isn't totally deaf they soon will be – it's worth the noise – the result - tiny bits of twinkling toffee – the ultimate sprinkle.

I did say they were decadent optional extras!

What did the taste testers say?

...”You've done it again – another yummylicious ice cream … it takes time to savour the vanilla ice cream before you nibble away at the pecan nut and chocolate … very moreish but not too much as it's very satisfying - a little goes a long way … no sneaking out to the garage with a teaspoon for this ice cream!”

Coming up – chilli con pollo

The new ice cream and the finishing line

As promised, here's the basic ice cream recipe :

Vanilla ice cream

Prep – 5 minutes

Total time – 5 minutes

plus freezing at least 6-8 hours

or until firm

Gives you 1.6 litres of ice cream is equal

to 18 scoops

1 x 397g tin sweetened condensed milk

1 x 600ml double cream

2tsp vanilla bean paste

Put the condensed milk, cream and vanilla into a large mixing bowl and using an electric hand whisk, whisk until the mixture is quite thick and stiff, like pipeable whipped cream. Fold in the chocolate dipped pecans.

At this point you need to decide on size of pots and a small individual version would be a really good idea. Here are a couple of examples :

easy peasy for serving!

the perfect treat in the perfect size pot!

Freeze for at least 6-8 hours or until firm. Remove from the freezer and allow to soften for 10 minutes before serving.

Then there's the decadent optional extras!

A new ice cream – your chocolate choices!

Here's my usual tip at this stage – to prevent your baking parchment from sliding on to the floor glue it into place using a tiny blob of the melted chocolate in each corner of the baking sheet.

When your melted chocolate has cooled slightly, add the pecans and fold in.

Using your ¼ tsp measuring spoon place tiny blobs of the mixture onto the parchment and pop the sheet into the fridge to chill. I can hear you saying, that'll take ages – I suppose it depends on your definition of “ages”.

If you'd like to see the result of the laborious task I'm recommending, take a look :

 

I think it's worth the effort!

There is a “plan B”. Instead of creating the blobs tip the mixture onto your glued parchment. If you're using this plan you may need two baking sheets. As a guide I'd suggest a size 30x30cms/12x12” approximately x 2 sheets and the parchment should be a similar size. Using a palette knife divide the mixture between the two sheets and then spread it, as thinly as you can, over the parchment. It matters not if it's irregular shapes and sizes. Fridge the sheets for at least 2 hours, to cool and set properly.

Lift the parchment from the sheet and place on a large chopping board or similar surface. I used a Chef's knife to cut random shards of the mixture, as small as possible.

Alternatively you could gather up the parchment and crumple into tiny bits and pieces.

I wouldn't recommend using your hands to break up the mixture bearing in mind that the heat from your hands will cause it to warm and bend!

Have a look at the result of plan B :

The world is your ice cream here -

you could combine the blobs and the shards

The finishing line …

A new ice cream … a summer treat!

This new ice cream combines my old favourite, the basic vanilla no-churn recipe, with an added surprise folded through.

The vanilla ice cream recipe is repeated for ease of reference, later on, but first comes the element that needs to be made ahead. Toasted, salted pecans, dipped in dark chocolate.

Toasted, salted pecans

75g unsalted butter

100g pecan halves, blitzed to a crumb

sea salt flakes

Heat a small knob of butter in a pan and when foaming, tip in the pecans with a pinch of sea salt flakes. Stir over a medium heat for 3-4 minutes or till toasted – you will smell them when they are ready. Tip the nuts into a bowl and leave to cool.

Here's a photo of blitzed toasted, salted pecans :

ready for the chocolate!

You'll need :

150g dark chocolate, minimum 50% cocoa solids

¼ tsp measuring spoon

a baking sheet lined with parchment

But first a quick reminder about melting chocolate.

You can melt your chocolate in a microwave – I prefer to create washing up by melting it in a large, squeaky clean glass bowl over a pan of gently simmering water. It's important that the simmering water does not touch the bottom of the bowl. It should be the steam from the water that melts the chocolate.

Resist the urge to prod and stir, leave it be. You can use a heatproof spatula when you can see that the chocolate is melting. Taking care to use oven gloves, lift the bowl onto a heat resistant non-slip mat – you may also find it useful to lay a tea towel on top of the mat so that you can dry the bowl – leave the chocolate to cool slightly.

Next up – dipping the chocolate and choices

Another miso moment, this time sweet

If you've never used sweet white miso before and want to have a go the following two recipes are a great place to start – they are both easy.

To begin, a no-churn ice cream – using sweet white miso paste – to explain, 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 goes :

Sweet white miso ice cream

Makes 1 litre of ice cream

100g sweet white miso paste

397g tin condensed milk

300ml double cream

Combine the miso paste and condensed milk in a bowl, mix well so that it loosens. A tip – put the paste in the bowl first and then add the condensed milk gradually. If it doesn't comply then use your hand whisk until smooth. Add the cream and whisk until it begins to thicken.

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.

If you're a fan of the salted caramel flavour you'll like that sweet and salty “hit” the miso gives.

P.s. I first published this recipe in July 2019 so if you'd like to see photos and a Strawberry Miso version too check out the Ice Cream label.

Now for the second recipe – Miso Caramel Sauce ...

The ice cream feedback!

As usual, the best I can do is to give you an extract of an email from Morag headed “Yummylicious”

“... Well about the ice cream – I think the heading says

it all, we thoroughly enjoyed it - how do you describe it?

Creamy smooth lovely texture not grainy little nuggets

of dark chocolate with … ? It was subtle … yet again

another winner!”

I replied :

“...Love the name! I was hoping you'd enjoy it and if

a “yes” then suggest you give it a name and thank you -

you've done just that! It's chocolate orange fudge, dusted

in cocoa, cut into tiny irregular pieces and folded into

the basic vanilla ice cream recipe. The orange element

is Valencian orange extract. Two for the price of one -

fudge if that's your bag and an ice cream too!”

We are now well and truly snowed in – hopefully not for long and my once a week grocery shopping trip is a no-go!

I'm so glad I decided after the debacle with “loo-roll gate” during the first lockdown that I would pay proper attention to my own store cupboard and have gradually, not greedily, created a spin-off store cupboard separate from the norm with basics and staples. I didn't expect that it would come into its own because of the weather – it's bad enough being in lockdown – snowed in too really puts the tin hat on it!

It's time for the pie fillings …

The ice cream fudge fotos

Here they are :

the tiny pieces of fudge and cocoa

dust, ready to incorporate

the ice cream base and folding in

the fudge and cocoa dust

tiny pots of ice cream – ready for the

freezer

Hmm, now I need to taste test it!

Off went the following message to my friend Morag …

“Good morning, hope you're keeping sane and are both safe and well. I've made a new ice cream – not the weather I know – and have individual pots for you both if you'd like to try? If yes I could do a doorstep delivery later this morning?”

Doorstep delivery up next!

Remember the fudge … now for the ice cream!

Having made the fudge I thought I'd mess about and make a new ice cream.

The ice cream on its own is very easy, the only extra prep is to cut your fudge into tiny pieces. Your fudge is already in 2x2cm pieces, cut each piece into four again, preferably on kitchen roll so that you preserve any cocoa dust and you're ready to roll!

Here's the basic recipe :

Vanilla ice cream

1 x 397g tin sweetened condensed milk

1 x 600ml double cream

2tsp vanilla bean paste

Put the condensed milk, cream and vanilla into a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric hand whisk until the mixture is quite thick and stiff, like pipeable whipped cream.

You will need 260g of fudge cut into tiny irregular pieces

including the cocoa dust too

Fold the tiny pieces of fudge and the cocoa dust gently through the ice cream so that you achieve a ripple effect with a hidden surprise of fudge!

Spoon the mixture into a lidded freezer-proof containers and freeze for at least 6-8 hours or until firm. You might also want to consider freezing individual portions as well as larger pots, just in case you need an ice cream fix for yourself – as the cook you need to taste!

Bear in mind that you need to take the ice cream out of the freezer at least 15 minutes before serving to allow it to soften.

Photo guide up next …