Three ways with ... Frozen summer treats
Choc-dipped ice cream blocks are a little fiddly to make but will bring a smile to any kid’s face.
It looks like summer hasn’t turned up yet for most of us, but that doesn’t mean ice creams are off the menu. Indeed, I have a feeling that the nastier the weather, the more you need some kind of frozen sweet treat to cheer you up. If it’s too cold or windy to consider a walk to the shops, try one (or all) of these icy delights. None of them require any fancy kit and you can look up warmer holiday destinations on the internet while you wait for them to freeze.
Choc-dipped ice cream blocks
Serves 4-6 Preparation time: 20 minutes (plus freezing time) Cooking time: 5 minutes These are a little bit fiddly, but a whole lot of fun. Consider it a good project for a wet weekend or the last gasp of the school holidays. Kids – of all ages – love them.
1 litre ice cream – I recommend vanilla, hokey pokey, or boysenberry
350g dark chocolate (I use a mix of Whittaker’s 50 per cent and 72 per cent cacao) 1 tablespoon coconut oil The trick with these is to keep the ice cream as frozen as possible. Start by lining a metal dish with foil and putting it in the freezer. Cut the ice cream into 2cm chunks, then transfer them to the cold metal dish. Freeze for at least an hour.
Melt the chocolate by putting it in a bowl set over a pot of simmering water. Add the coconut oil and stir, then set the chocolate aside to cool slightly.
Take the ice cream out of the freezer and, working quickly, dip one chunk at a time in the melted chocolate. The best way to do this is to spear the ice cream on a fork, then use a small spatula to help spread the chocolate over it. Lift out carefully and return it to the cold tray. When all the chunks are coated, return the tray to the freezer for at least 15 minutes (if you can stop them from being eaten as you dip them).
Cinnamon and tangelo sorbet
Makes about 1 litre Preparation time: 20 minutes (plus 8-10 hours freezing) Cooking time: nil Sweet, juicy tangelos are still in plentiful supply – here’s how to whiz them into a refreshing taste of summer. 1 cups caster sugar 1 cups boiling water 1 teaspoons ground cinnamon 2 cups freshly squeezed tangelo juice (about 6 tangelos, depending on size) 2 free-range egg whites
Put the sugar, water, and cinnamon in a small pot set over medium heat. Stir well, then simmer for five minutes, until the sugar is dissolved. Set aside to cool while you juice the tangelos.
Pour the sugar syrup and tangelo juice into a large, lidded plastic container. Stir well, then cover and put in the freezer. Leave it for at least six hours, until it is mostly frozen.
Transfer the mixture to a food processor and add egg whites. Whiz until smooth – the mixture will lighten and increase in volume. Pour into the plastic container, cover, and freeze again until firm (another two to four hours).
Coconut-berry freeze
Serves 1-2 Preparation time: 5 minutes Cooking time: nil A luxurious breakfast treat – made in minutes from frozen berries and coconut cream. It makes good for pudding too.
cup coconut cream (I use the Amoy brand)
1 cup frozen berries (a mix of blueberries, boysenberries, blackberries, and raspberries) tsp pure vanilla extract Put all the ingredients in a blender or food processor and whiz until smooth. Eat immediately, or freeze for later. More of Lucy’s recipes at kitchen-maid.blogspot.co.nz