Coffee lover’s delight

Just because it’s winter it doesn’t mean you can’t indulge in luxurious home-made ice cream. In fact, after all the heavy puddings I’ve been having lately, the idea of sitting down in the warm of my living or dining room with a bowl of creamy, cool ice-cream sounds like the perfect end to an Italian dinner – or any meal for that matter! I also love my granita recipe but do feel it’s best enjoyed during summer months, but for those who like icy delights in icy weather should definitely give it a go.

This dessert recipe comes courtesy of the great British cookery write Elizabeth David. Famous for being the woman who dragged England out of the culinary dark ages, away from tinned goods and flavourless food, Elizabeth David introduced them to the world of French and Italian cuisines and showed how one could cook deliciously tasty and interesting dishes at home.

Back then there wasn’t the smorgasbord of ready-made ice-creams to choose from as there are now, but even today I think there is something special about sitting down to a home-made version. Unless you’re prepared to spend a pretty penny on gourmet concoctions, the quality of store bought really doesn’t compare to the heavenly dessert recipe given below. Not only this but Elizabeth David has also given us a less fancy version of this ice-cream dessert recipe using the coffee beans and simple ingredients.

If you’re after a divine coffee flavoured cake instead, try this brilliant bitter chocolate and coffee concoction!

Dessert recipe: Coffee ice cream

Ingredients – Serves 4

• 115g freshly roasted coffee beans – choose a light-medium roast
• 560ml single cream
• 145ml double cream – lightly whipped
• 3 egg yolks – preferably organic, well beaten
• 1 strip of lemon peel
• 85g of brown sugar
• 1 tbps. white sugar

Method

Using a mortar and pestle, lightly crack the coffee beans so they are broken into large pieces, making sure you do not crush them into rubble. Tumble them into a saucepan, followed by the single cream, beaten egg yolks, lemon peel and sugar. Slowly cook these ingredients on a low heat, stirring continuously, and watching for it to thicken. When it has thickened you can removed it from the stove and allow it to cool but keep stirring it intermittently. Decant mixture into a large bowl, straining it through a fine sieve. Allow to cool even further and when you are confident it is quite cool, gently fold in the whipped double cream and the white sugar. Pour into a plastic or metal contained suitable for freezing and cover with lid or foil. Freeze on maximum temperature for at least three to five hours, stirring every hour after the first and second hours to ensure it does not form icicles and stays super creamy.

Elizabeth David says you can retain the used coffee beans and put them in a less expensive, simple ice cream. For this version use 5 egg yolks and a 570ml of milk.

Want a coffee and ice-cream end to the meal but have no time to cook? Try affogato instead!