Blackberry & Raspberry Yoghurt
Ingredients:
2 heaping cups (340g) raspberries & blackberries
1 cup (198g) granulated sugar, divided
4 tsp (35g) lemon juice, fresh preferred
1 ½ cups (340g) yogurt, Greek
½ cup (113g) heavy cream
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
pinch of salt
Method:
In a saucepan combine the berries,90gms of sugar, & lemon juice. Mash the berries until broken & juicy. Cook the berries over medium-high heat until the juices are thickened & take on a consistency of a jam.
Use a rubber spatula to press the berries through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl & transfer to the refrigerator to cool completely. Discard the skins & seeds.
When cool, whisk in the remaining sugar, yoghurt, heavy cream, vanilla extract, & salt until the sugar has dissolved completely. Chill until completely cold, at least 2 hours, in the refrigerator then churn in an ice cream machine according to manufacturer’s instructions. Enjoy immediately as soft serve or transfer the frozen yoghurt to a freezer-safe container, cover & freeze until firm.
Cookies & Cream Ice Cream
Ingredients:
227mls, whole milk, cold
99gms sugar
454gms whipping cream, cold
1 tsp Vanilla Bean
170gms chocolate cookies, broken into chunks
Method:
Whisk together the milk & sugar, stirring until the sugar has dissolved.
Stir in the heavy cream & vanilla.
For best results, chill the mixture in the refrigerator for 1 hour before freezing.
Freeze in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s directions.
Stir the cookie chunks into the soft ice cream, & serve immediately.
For firmer ice cream, place soft ice cream in a covered container. Freeze for 2 to 3 hours, until the ice cream is as hard as you like. Note: Freezing longer than this will make the ice cream rock hard; plan on softening at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes or so before serving.
How does Ice Cream differ from a Sorbet
Ice cream & sorbet are both popular frozen desserts, very similar in appearance, but they have some key differences:
Ice Cream:
• Ice cream is typically made with milk, cream, & sugar.
• Ice cream is required to contain at least 10 percent milkfat (also called butterfat).
• By definition, ice cream must also be churned during freezing & be sweet.
• Ice cream is typically creamy & smooth.
Sorbet:
• Sorbet, on the other hand, is made with fruit, sugar, & water. Sorbet is dairy-free, making it a good option for those who are lactose intolerant.
• Sorbet is often churned in an ice cream maker, which makes it scoopable but not creamy.
• Sorbet is icier & has a granular texture.
• In terms of health, while sorbet is dairy-free, it is high in sugar, often more so than ice cream. On the other hand, ice cream is slightly higher in fat. So, the choice between the two often depends on individual dietary preferences & restrictions.
Orange Limoncello Sorbet
Ingredients:
9 cups water
2.25 cups limoncello
6 cups granulated sugar
3 tsp freshly grated lemon peel
juice of 1 lemon
3 tsp freshly grated orange peel
juice of 1 orange (about ½ cup)
pinch fine sea salt
Method:
Add water, limoncello, granulated sugar, lemon peel, lemon juice, orange peel, orange juice, & fine sea salt to a large bowl. Whisk together until the granulated sugar is fully dissolved.
Cover mixture, & set aside in the refrigerator for 3 hours, or up to overnight. The temperature should
reach 4 – 5°C during this time.
Churn the mixture in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer instructions, about 25 – 30 minutes.
Transfer sorbet to an airtight container, & allow it to set in the freezer for an additional 3 – 4 hours. Serve in a chilled bowl or martini glass.
Nutritional Values: Serving: 1serving Calories: 364kcal Carbohydrates: 78g Protein: 0.01g Fat: 0.2g Sodium: 55mg Potassium: 3mg Fibre: 0.1g Sugar: 78g Vitamin A: 2IU Vitamin C: 1mg Calcium: 5mg Iron: 0.04mg
Watermelon & Basil Sorbet
Ingredients:
4 cups watermelon, seeds removed and cubed
1 tbsp lime juice, freshly squeezed
1-2 tbsp water
maple syrup or honey (optional, if needed)
watermelon slices (optional, for serving)
basil or mint leaves (optional, for serving)
Method:
Line a large half sheet baking pan with parchment paper. Place cubed watermelon on the prepared pan spaced evenly apart. Freeze for 1-2 hours, then transfer to a freezer bag to freeze completely overnight.
Combine frozen watermelon and lime juice in a food processor. Pulse mix to puree. Add water 1-2 teaspoons at a time, to get the sorbet to a smoother and scoop-able consistency.
The sorbet should be sweet enough if using ripe watermelon. If it is not sweet, add a little maple syrup or honey until desired sweetness is achieved.
Serve immediately with small watermelon slices and/or basil or mint leaves.
Store any leftovers in a covered loaf pan in the freezer. Note that the longer it is in the freezer the harder it will get. If it is too hard to scoop, set the pan on the kitchen counter for 10-20 minutes.
Fresh Peach & Goat Cheese Ice Cream
Ingredients:
4 medium sized peaches, peeled, pitted, & coarsely chopped
⅔ cup sugar
1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp almond extract
pinch fine sea salt
375mls heavy cream
125gms mild goat cheese
Method:
To peel peaches, bring a pot of water to a boil. Score a shallow X in the bottom of each peach. Lower into the boiling water & let simmer for 30 seconds. Transfer with a slotted spoon to an ice bath to stop the cooking process. Immediately remove the skin. Cut peaches in half & remove pits, then coarsely dice the peach.
In a blender or food processor, combine peaches, sugar, lemon juice, & extracts & pulse until mixture is pureed.
Add cream & goat cheese & pulse a few more times on low speed
until mixture is smooth. Chill for a few hours to bring the base temperature to 5ºC which will hasten the ice cream to freeze rapidly.
Pour into ice cream machine & churn according to manufacturer’s instructions. When it reaches the consistency of soft serve, transfer to a freezer storage container. Press a layer of parchment onto the top of the ice cream, cover & freeze overnight until firm
Bastani Sonati (Saffron & Rose Water Ice Cream)
Ingredients:
2 cups whipping cream, divided
3 cups whole milk, divided
3 tbsp cornstarch
½ tsp saffron threads
1 cup sugar
pinch salt
½ tsp pure vanilla extract
2 tbsp rosewater
2 tbsp coarsely chopped raw pistachios
Method:
Pour ½ cup of whipping cream into a small, flat, rimmed plate or bowl & freeze until frozen solid, about 1 hour.
In a small bowl, combine ⅓ cup of milk with the cornstarch. Stir until completely smooth & a slurry has formed. Set aside.
Using a mortar & pestle, grind the saffron threads to a fine powder. Set aside.
Combine the remaining 1 ½ cups whipping cream, the remaining 2 ⅔ cups milk, sugar, salt, & vanilla in a large saucepan.
Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring frequently. Continue to cook for about 10 minutes, being sure to stir the mixture frequently to avoid any milk crusting on the bottom.
Reduce the flame to low when the milk starts to steam. Do not boil.
Add the ground saffron & rosewater, stirring to combine. The milk mixture should turn a vibrant golden colour & become quite aromatic.
Stir the milk-cornstarch slurry slowly & continue to cook on a low simmer whilst stirring continuously & the mixture starts to thickened slightly, 4 to 5 minutes.
Transfer to a bowl, bring to room temperature & cover with cling film. Refrigerate for 6 hours
Transfer the chilled milk mixture to an ice cream maker. Churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Break the frozen cream into small pieces, add with the pistachios to the ice cream’s final churning stage.
Once churning is complete, the ice cream will have a soft & creamy texture, with visible pieces of pistachio & white flakes of frozen cream.
Alternatively, freeze the ice cream longer for a firmer texture, about 2 hours more.
Transfer the ice cream to an airtight container. Place a piece of parchment paper directly on the ice cream’s surface to prevent ice crystals from forming, & freeze overnight.
Serve between two wafers
Lemon Raspberry Semifreddo
Ingredients:
2 cups whipping cream
½ cup fresh lemon juice ~3 lemons
1 tbsp lemon zest ~1 lemon
1¼ cups + 1 tbsp sugar
7 large egg yolks
1 cup fresh raspberries
For the Raspberry Sauce
2 cups raspberries fresh or frozen
1 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp limoncello
For Serving
Additional fresh raspberries
Method:
Line a standard 9”x5” loaf pan with plastic wrap, leaving at least 3” of wrap overhanging on both of the longer edges of the pan; set pan aside.
Whip cream until soft peaks form; place in refrigerator to chill.
Using a large metal bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, zest, 1¼ cups sugar and egg yolks. Set bowl over a water bath of gently simmering water. Whisk constantly until mixture thickens noticeably or the mixture reaches a temperature of 75°C
Remove bowl & place on a iced water bath to cool rapidly. Using an electric hand mixer, whisk for 5-6 minutes, or until mixture has cooled and has doubled in volume.
In a medium sized bowl, combine both the raspberries and 1 tablespoon of sugar & pulp with the back of a spoon. Add the lemon juice to the raspberries pulp & and fold in the whipped cream.
Transfer mixture into the prepared loaf pan. Tap pan lightly on countertop to remove air pockets. Fold overhanging plastic wrap over top of pan and freeze overnight.
For the Raspberry Sauce: Using a medium bowl, pulp the raspberries, sugar and limoncello using a hand blender pulse until well combined. Pass mixture through a fine-meshed sieve to remove seeds.
To Assemble & Serve Semifreddo: Remove plastic wrap from top of semifreddo. Invert onto serving plate and discard plastic wrap. Pour raspberry sauce on top and garnish with additional fresh raspberries.
Strawberry Semifreddo
Ingredients:
Semifreddo:
1 ½ litres cups cream
1 ½ litres Greek yoghurt
1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
Strawberry Sauce:
150 gms sugar
900 gms fresh strawberries, quartered
3 tsp lemon juice
Method:
Line an 8 x 4-inch (21 x 10 centimetres) loaf pan with plastic or use a silicone loaf pan
Strawberry Sauce: In a small saucepan, add the strawberries, sugar & lemon juice & bring to a slow simmer Using a hand blender, pulse to a sauce consistency & cook for 4-5 minutes to reduce slightly. Remove from heat, cool & pass mixture through a fine-meshed sieve. Refrigerate until well chilled or until required.
To Assemble & Serve Semifreddo: In a medium bowl, whip the cream until stiff peaks form, fold in the yoghurt & vanilla extract & chilled strawberry sauce. Pour into the prepared loaf pan, cover with plastic wrap & freeze overnight