Ice, ice BABY

fill up your freezer with our lip-smacking selection of deliciously chilled desserts

White chocolate popsicles with plum and star anise swirl

Makes 8

For the white chocolate base

* 150g white chocolate, preferably Green & black’s or a similar white chocolate with vanilla, finely chopped * 75ml condensed milk

* 200ml whole milk

* 150ml single cream

* ½ tsp vanilla extract

For the plum swirl

* 60g golden caster sugar

* 1 whole star anise

* 300g ripe purple plums (about 6-7), stoned and roughly chopped

* ½ lemon, juice only

To make the plum swirl, put the golden caster sugar in a medium saucepan with 75ml water. Heat through, stirring, until the sugar dissolves. Add the star anise and bring to the boil. Simmer for 5 minutes before adding the plums. Turn the heat down slightly and simmer for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the plums soften and begin to break down (the timing will depend on their level of ripeness). Set aside to cool, then remove the star anise.

Blitz the plum mixture in a small blender or with a handheld blender, until completely smooth. Chill until needed (the plum mix can be made up to 4 days ahead of time and kept, covered, in the fridge).

Put the white chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Heat the condensed milk, milk and single cream in a small saucepan set over a medium heat. As soon as the mixture begins to boil, remove it from the heat and pour straight over the chocolate. Leave for 1 minute, then add the vanilla extract and stir until smooth (the chocolate should have melted). Cover the surface directly with clingfilm and leave to cool.

Whisk well to emulsify, then transfer to a jug to make pouring easy. Have eight 150ml lolly moulds and wooden sticks ready. Pour a little white chocolate mixture in the base of each lolly mould, followed by a tablespoonful or so of plum purée. Follow this with a bigger pour of chocolate and another tablespoon of plum until you reach the top of each mould. Now, using a skewer or a slim teaspoon handle, give the inside of each lolly mould a brief stir around to ‘marble’ the mixtures together. Be careful not to overmix or the marbled effect will be lost.

Freeze for 40 minutes, then stick a lolly stick vertically into each mould – it should stand upright as the mixture will be quite thick by now. Freeze for a minimum of 3 hours, until solid. To turn out, dip the outside of each mould into very hot water for a couple of seconds and gently pull the lolly out by the stick (repeat the hot water dip if the lolly still isn’t budging).

Fills a large loaf tin

150g marzipan, chopped into 1cm cubes

3 large eggs

1 large egg yolk

200g golden caster sugar

500ml double cream

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 ripe and fragrant peaches or nectarines, diced waffle cones and toasted, flaked almonds, to serve (optional)

Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4. Spread the marzipan cubes out on a baking sheet lined with non-stick baking paper. Cook for 10 minutes, gently stirring halfway through, until evenly golden brown.

Set aside for 20 minutes to cool completely, then crumble into pieces.

Place the eggs, extra yolk and golden caster sugar in a heatproof bowl. Place the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, making sure the base isn’t touching the water, and whisk for about 6 minutes, using a hand-held electric mixer, until the mixture is thick and pale. Remove from the heat and allow it to cool for 10 minutes, whisking every now and then.

Whisk the cream until the peaks hold their shape. Gently fold the cream through the egg mixture with the vanilla extract, diced peaches or nectarines and toasted marzipan. Spoon into a large loaf tin lined with baking paper or clingfilm. Wrap in clingfilm and freeze for at least 6 hours, or overnight, before turning out and slicing or scooping straight from the tin. This semi-freddo is perfect scooped into waffle cones with toasted, flaked almonds scattered over.