If the name The Icecreamists is ringing a bell, that's because it's the same company - founded by Matt O'Connor - that hit headlines with their dish Baby GooGoo, which had breastmilk in it.
No offence chap, the idea is still pretty yuk to us, but that shouldn't overshadow some of the brilliant ice-cream recipes featured in his gorgeous recipe book.
We quite like that it isn't fluffy and vintage, but rather ice-cream recipes for punk rockers.
With the hot weather coming and going, keep this on hand for when the sun does feel like deigning us with its presence. Grrr...
GLASTONBERRY - SEASONAL BERRY SORBETTO
During our first gig at selfridges, back in 2009, we whipped up a mix of mercurial madness that wouldn’t have been out of place at Glastonbury, home of the mysterious Tor (tower) and the famous music festival. proposed events included the world’s first International Ice Cream Wrestling Championships, exploding ice cream vans and a man entombed in jelly for a week – the so-called ‘Jellymanjaro’.
Creating our first sorbetto was a far simpler proposition. ‘Glastonberry’ is a mesmerizing mix of seasonal berry sorbetto overloaded with low-hanging, throbbing fruity riffs and fuel-injected with a splash of something naughty.
• 120ml (3¾fl oz) water
• 120g (3¾oz) caster sugar
• 650g (1¼lb) fresh or frozen summer fruits (raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, etc.), sieved if frozen
• juice of 1 lemon
• shot of raspberry cordial
• dash of grenadine (optional)
• dash of aged balsamic vinegar (optional)
1. Pour the water into a saucepan and add the sugar. Place over a low heat and bring to the boil, whisking often, until the sugar
dissolves. Add the summer fruits, reduce the heat and allow to simmer for 10 minutes, continuing to whisk until the liquid turns into a syrup.
2. Pour the syrup into a heatproof bowl and set aside for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until cooled to room temperature. For more rapid chilling, half-fill a sink with cold water and ice and place the bowl of mixture in it for 20 minutes.
3. Add the lemon juice and shot of raspberry cordial, then sieve the mixture carefully to remove any pulp and seeds. You'll be left with a thick, rich liquid. If you'd like to spice up your sorbetto, add a dash of grenadine and aged balsamic vinegar now. Cover and refrigerate, ideally overnight, until thoroughly chilled (at least 4°C).
4. Pour the chilled mixture into an ice cream machine and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
5. When the churning is completed, use a spoon or spatula to scrape the sorbetto into a freezer-proof container with a lid.
Freeze until it reaches the correct scooping texture (at least 2–3 hours).
THE CUSTARDY SUITE - TRADITIONAL ITALIAN CREMA ICE CREAM
During my time at the university of adversity, I’ve been boiled, scrambled, poached and fried in many a custody suite by over-enthusiastic law enforcment officers. This ice cream, a traditional Italian Crema, is another arresting experience that will leave defendants dialling 999 to confess to a repeat offence. It is an eggier variation of OUR BASE MIX, and all the more delicious for it. Unadulterated eggstacy.
• 250ml (8fl oz) full-fat milk
• 125ml (4fl oz) double cream
• 4 egg yolks
• 88g (3¼oz) caster sugar
• pinch of sea salt
1. Pour the milk and cream into a large saucepan and heat gently, stirring occasionally, until the mixture begins to steam but not boil.
2. Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks in a heatproof bowl until smooth. Add the sugar and salt and whisk until pale and slightly fluffy. Gradually and slowly, pour the hot milk into the egg mixture whilst whisking continuously to prevent the eggs scrambling. Return the mixture to the saucepan and place over a low heat, stirring frequently until the custard thinly coats the
back of a wooden spoon. Do not allow to boil.
3. Pour back into the bowl and set aside for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until cooled to room temperature. For more rapid chilling, half-fill a sink with cold water and ice and place the bowl of mixture in it for 20 minutes. Never put the hot
mixture into the fridge.
4. Once cooled, cover the mixture and refrigerate, ideally overnight, but at least for 6 hours, until thoroughly chilled (at least 4°C). Pour the chilled mixture into an ice cream machine and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions. If making by hand, see the instructions on page 15.
5. When the churning is completed, use a spoon or spatula to scrape the ice cream into a freezer-proof container with a lid. Freeze until it reaches the correct scooping texture (at least 2 hours).
TAKING THE PISTACcHIO - PISTACcHIO ICE CREAM
While you can source great pistachios from Iran and Italy, the best in the world are the ‘green gold’ of Sicily, from the pistachio capital of Bronte.
Grown on the lava soil of Mount Etna, these smoky, ochre-green jewels carry a sweet, delicate aroma that can render the most outspoken aficionado speechless in a Mafioso-style code of silence. Sicilians curiously allege that the pistachio can ‘excite the ardours of Venus and increase the feminine humour’. for us it’s the ultimate nut job. For a totally nutty twist you can replace the pistachios with hazelnuts.
• 250ml (8fl oz) full-fat milk
• 125ml (4fl oz) double cream
• 2 egg yolks
• 88g (3¼oz) caster sugar
• pinch of sea salt
• 125g (4oz) shelled unsalted pistachio nuts, plus a few extra to decorate
• dash of almond extract (about ¼ teaspoon)
1. Preheat your oven to 150ºC/Gas 1. Spread 100g (3½oz) of the pistacchios on a baking tray and place in the oven for 10 minutes, until lightly browned. This will release locked-in flavour. Allow to cool a little, then put into a coffee grinder or food processor and grind to a fine powder. Transfer to a small bowl, add the almond extract and mix well.
2. Pour the milk and cream into a large saucepan and heat gently, stirring occasionally, until the mixture begins to steam but
not boil. Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks in a heatproof bowl until smooth. Add the sugar and salt and whisk until pale and
slightly fluffy. Gradually and slowly, pour the hot milk into the egg mixture whilst whisking continuously to prevent the
eggs scrambling.
3. Return the mixture to the saucepan and place over a low heat. Add the pistacchio powder and cook, stirring frequently, until
the custard thinly coats the back of a wooden spoon. Do not allow to boil. Whilst hot, whizz the mixture thoroughly with a stick blender. Strain into a bowl – once through a fine sieve, and then through a muslin cloth to remove all the nut pieces but leave the flavour, then stir in the almond extract.
4. Set aside for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until cooled to room temperature. For more rapid chilling, half-fill a
sink with cold water and ice and place the bowl of mixture in it for 20 minutes. Never put the hot mixture into the fridge.
5. Once cooled, cover the mixture and refrigerate, ideally overnight, but at least for 6 hours, until thoroughly chilled (at least 4°C). Pour the chilled mixture into an ice cream machine and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions. If making by hand, see the instructions on page 15.
6. When the churning is completed, chop the remaining pistachios and fold into the ice cream. Use a spoon or spatula to scrape the ice cream into a freezer-proof container with a lid and freeze until it reaches the correct scooping texture (at least 2 hours).
7. Decorate each serving with chopped pistachios.