Life’s Sweet
“We only have ice-cream when it’s hot.” Mini Rajah’s accumulated wisdom (all three years of it) was quick to point out.
“Ah, how wrong you are young Jedi,” the metaphor completely lost, “you see Ice-cream is agnostic when it comes to the seasons, which means..” I lost him to Peppa Pig, as he scurried to glue his eyes to the TV. “Which means that once I’ve whipped these egg yolks, folded in the cream, mango and liquid cardamom it’s perfect anytime of the year, and it’s a million times better than Peppa Pig,” my voice escalated.
His response? Nothing, I may as well have been speaking to the air.
I knew however, that once I’d made the ice cream (ok parfait – but it’s pretty similar and a lot less hassle to prepare) he’d have a tough job prising the spoon out of my hand, regardless of age when it comes to ice cream Urban Rajah ‘doesn’t share’ . The proof of its yumminess however, is aptly in this case, in the tasting of the pudding.
A day later and after gently coercing the Indian ice cream out of its mould (submerging the Tupperware in a little warm water) it cuddled up to the caramel sauce. Armed with a tablespoon I went in for the kill, in the nano second between the spoon making contact Mini Rajah face planted the mango parfait extending his tongue around the plate lapping up the caramel... “Mmm..is there any more?” His parfait smeared face articulated the moral of the story. Ice cream no matter how refined, is designed to bring out the kid in us, abandon decorum and re-discover your childhood, and this recipe is a good place to start.
How To Make Parfait
Serves 6+
Ingredients
- 4 egg yolks
- 300ml double cream
- 200ml mango purée
- 1 tsp cardamom essence
- ½ tsp cardamom powder
Whisk the egg yolks until almost fluffy. Using a separate bowl whisk the cream until it reaches the ribbon stage i.e. not runny, careful don’t over whisk it. Now fold in the egg, stirring until mixed through, now add in the mango purée and spoon in the cardamom essence and sprinkle the cardamom powder in as well. Keep stirring until all the mix has become a gentle a orange glow.
Decant into a mould of your choice, ideally little freezer proof bowls or alternatively ice lolly moulds. I used baking rounds and then popped them into an air tight tupperware container. Freeze for 4 hours or more.
Serve with pouring salted caramel.
How To Make Salted Caramel Sauce
- 80ml water
- 200g unrefined caster sugar
- 25g unsalted butter
- 1tsp vanilla essence
- 120ml double cream
- Quality sea salt flakes
Take a medium sized pot or non-stick pan and over a medium heat pour in the water, gently add in the sugar and turn up the heat. Let it simmer for 4-5 minutes, until the sugar melts and bubbles. Now take it off the heat. Mix the vanilla essence into the cream and then pour into the pan, gently whisking in the butter until it the sauce has honeyed and turned an irresistible finger dipping consistency. Take a friendly pinch of sea salt flakes and toss into the sauce, it’s ready to use alongside the parfait, or decant and keep some for caramel latté or milk steamer.
Life’s Sweet
“We only have ice-cream when it’s hot.” Mini Rajah’s accumulated wisdom (all three years of it) was quick to point out.
“Ah, how wrong you are young Jedi,” the metaphor completely lost, “you see Ice-cream is agnostic when it comes to the seasons, which means..” I lost him to Peppa Pig, as he scurried to glue his eyes to the TV. “Which means that once I’ve whipped these egg yolks, folded in the cream, mango and liquid cardamom it’s perfect anytime of the year, and it’s a million times better than Peppa Pig,” my voice escalated.
His response? Nothing, I may as well have been speaking to the air.
I knew however, that once I’d made the ice cream (ok parfait – but it’s pretty similar and a lot less hassle to prepare) he’d have a tough job prising the spoon out of my hand, regardless of age when it comes to ice cream Urban Rajah ‘doesn’t share’ . The proof of its yumminess however, is aptly in this case, in the tasting of the pudding.
A day later and after gently coercing the Indian ice cream out of its mould (submerging the Tupperware in a little warm water) it cuddled up to the caramel sauce. Armed with a tablespoon I went in for the kill, in the nano second between the spoon making contact Mini Rajah face planted the mango parfait extending his tongue around the plate lapping up the caramel... “Mmm..is there any more?” His parfait smeared face articulated the moral of the story. Ice cream no matter how refined, is designed to bring out the kid in us, abandon decorum and re-discover your childhood, and this recipe is a good place to start.
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