Ice cream flavours

Ice cream is in our DNA, and although there are local ice-cream makers that provide us with those luscious and delicious tropical flavours, nothing compares to homemade ice cream.

Growing up my mother always made sure there was an abundant supply of coconut ice cream in our freezer, and to this date coconut still remains one of my favourite flavours of ice cream, now there are so many more local flavour options available to make our experience even more enjoyable.

Ice cream making is a great weekend challenge for yourself. I’m sure that many of you have an ice cream maker somewhere in the depths of that kitchen cupboard where we store seldom used kitchen appliances, I know I do. But making ice cream with an electric maker is a cinch, all you need to stock up on is salt and ice, make your mixture one day ahead of time so it gets properly chilled. On the day that you are ready to make your ice cream, layer the salt and the ice around the cannister, pour in your ice cream mixture, cover and turn on, in about 20 minutes you’ve got creamy, dreamy, wildly delicious ice cream.

Coconut Ice Cream with Tonka

4 tbs instant custard powder

1 cup full cream milk

1/2 cup granulated sugar

4 cups fresh coconut milk, (from 2 dried coconuts)

1 tbs grated tonka bean

1 tin condensed milk (395gm)

1 cup heavy cream

1 tsp vanilla

Combine custard powder, milk, sugar and coconut milk d Tonka bean in a heavy sauce pan.

Heat gently and cook until cook until thick.

Cool then stir in cream and condensed milk and vanilla.

Pour mixture into an ice-cream maker and proceed according to manufacturer’s directions.

Trini Chocolate Ice Cream with coca nibs

6 ozs dark Trinidad chocolate: 70 per cent cocoa solids

1 tsp grated tonka bean or 1 tsp good quality vanilla

1 cup full cream milk

½ cup brown sugar

1 cup heavy cream

¼ cup cocoa nibs

Melt chocolate over a double boiler, remove and set aside.

Place tonka, milk and sugar into a sauce pan, and gently heat, stirring until sugar is melted.

Stir in cream and nibs, stir.

Add melted chocolate and stir.

Cool at room temperature them place in your ice cream maker to spin.

Makes 8-10 servings.

Ice Cream Roll with Caramel Rum Sauce

3 eggs

1 cup sugar

1/3 cup water

1 tsp vanilla

3/4 cup flour

1 tsp baking powder

2 pinch salt

1 litre ice cream any flavour

Beat eggs until fluffy, add sugar and continue beating until doubled in volume and fluffy.

Sift flour with baking powder and salt. Add water to beaten eggs, fold in flour.

Spread batter onto a greased cookie sheet and bake in a preheated 350F for 15 to 20 minutes until done or cake springs back when done. Turn cake onto a tea towel sprinkled with icing sugar, remove lining if used, starting at the long end roll up cake and cool.

Unroll cake and spread with ice cream, re-roll cake and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Freeze overnight before slicing. Serve with rum sauce. Serves 10

Caramel rum sauce

1 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup evaporated milk

1/4 cup dark rum

In a heavy saucepan melt sugar and cook until it turns a caramel colour.

Averting your face add the milk gently, it will bubble vigorously.

Stir until smooth.

Add rum and serve warm.

Makes approx. 11/2 cups.

Quick Ice Cream Cake

1 litre ice cream

1 9-inch round sponge cake sliced into 3

1 9-inch spring form pan

1/2 cup chopped nuts

Place one section of cake into pan, spread with 1/3 ice cream, sprinkle with nuts.

Cover with second piece of cake, spread with ice-cream and sprinkle with nuts, cover with the last piece of cake, spread ice cream and sprinkle with nuts. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze overnight. Serves 8 to 10

Mango-lemon Ice Cream

This ice cream is particularly creamy and delicious, it’s a good way to use up bruised or overly ripe mangoes what better a time to try this recipe as mangoes are in season, remember everyone loves homemade ice cream!

2 cups ripe mango flesh, diced

1 cup sugar

2 cups milk

5 egg yolks

1 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

Combine the mango with the lemon juice and 1/4 cup sugar in a medium-sized glass bowl; refrigerate until ready to use.

In a heavy saucepan scald the milk.

In a large mixing bowl whisk the egg yolks and 3/4 cup sugar. Whisk in the scalded milk. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook uncovered over medium heat until mixture thickens and coats the back of a wooden spoon. Make sure the mixture does not boil or the eggs will curdle.

Strain the custard in a bowl and cool.

Add the cream to the custard and mix until mixture is smooth.

Add the mango mixture to the custard stir. Taste the mixture and adjust the sugar if you like.

Put the mixture into an ice cream freezer and process according to manufacturer's instructions.

Serves 6

Fresh Pineapple Ice Cream

2 cups milk

4 eggs

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup heavy cream

1 small pineapple, peeled, cored and finely chopped (use a food processor)

About 2 cups

1 tsp vanilla

Beat the eggs with sugar until thick. Heat milk and combine with sugar and eggs, add vanilla and return to the heat. Cook until custard is thick and coats the back of a wooden spoon, do not boil.

Remove from heat, strain and cool slightly.

Add cream and stir in pineapple. Chill for 4 hours.

Place in an ice cream freezer and process as per manufacturer’s instructions.

Makes 1 quart