The Middle Eastern one: Sheep’s milk yogurt ice cream
This Turkish-style ice cream is wonderful on its own and pairs beautifully with regional toppings such as pistachios, cinnamon and halva strands. If you ask me, the best way to serve it is with, and on top of, knafeh.
Tip: Despite the name, you can make this ice cream with any yogurt, including cow’s milk, goat’s milk or even vegan yogurt, as long as it contains more than 5% fat.
Ingredients: Makes 1 1/2 liters ice cream
- 800 grams sheep’s milk yogurt, at least 5% fat, preferably 8%
- 1/2 cup / 100 grams sugar
- 1 teaspoon high-quality vanilla extract
- Optional: 1/2 teaspoon rosewater extract
- Optional toppings: crushed pistachios, peanuts or nuts, ground cinnamon, dried rosebuds, halva strands
Preparation
- Place the yogurt, sugar and vanilla in the bowl of a mixer, and add the rosewater if using. Beat on high speed for about 2 minutes, until the mixture becomes relatively airy and creamy
- Transfer to a suitable container, cover and freeze for about 30 minutes. Remove and stir several times with a fork, then return to the freezer. Repeat twice more every 30 minutes: remove, stir and return to the freezer. Freeze for at least 6 hours
- Remove the ice cream from the freezer about 5 minutes before serving. Add any toppings you like and serve
Storage: Up to two months in the freezer
The vegan one: Wine-grape sorbet
Ice cream made from grapes used for winemaking has recently become a fashionable hit. That is lovely, and if you manage to get your hands on wine grapes, go for it. But I promise this sorbet will turn out beautifully even if you make it with any kind of purple table grapes.
Bananas give the sorbet a rounder, more ice-cream-like texture. A little fruit liqueur brings the whole thing together into a sweet, three-ingredient pleasure.
Ingredients: Makes 1 1/2 liters ice cream
- 800 grams / 5 cups wine grapes or purple grapes
- 2 bananas, frozen if desired, no need to thaw
- 1/4 cup / 60 ml fruit liqueur of your choice, such as grape, cherry or plum liqueur
- Optional for serving: fresh fruit
Preparation
- Place the grapes, bananas and liqueur in a food processor and process until smooth
- Transfer to a suitable container, cover and freeze for 2 hours, until the mixture reaches a frozen and stable but still relatively soft texture
- Remove from the freezer and scrape the surface with a fork. Return to the freezer for another 2 hours
- Serve. Add fresh fruit if desired
Storage: Up to two months in the freezer
The boozy one: Mojito ice cream
A frozen treat adults will love, cheerful, delicious and perfect for celebrating romance. If you do not like rum, you can replace it with a lemon liqueur such as limoncello.
Ingredients: Makes 1 liter ice cream
- 3 containers / 750 ml heavy cream
- 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons / 150 ml lemon or lime juice
- 1 tablespoon grated lemon or lime zest
- 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon / 100 ml rum
- 1 1/2 packets / 150 grams powdered sugar
- Optional for serving: grated lemon or lime zest
Preparation
- Place the cream in the bowl of a mixer and beat on high speed for 1 to 2 minutes, until soft whipped cream forms. Add the lemon or lime juice and zest, rum and powdered sugar, and continue beating for another 1 to 2 minutes, until the mixture has a soft whipped texture
- Transfer to a suitable container, cover and freeze for at least 6 hours
- If desired, sprinkle with grated lemon or lime zest before serving
Storage: Up to two months in the freezer
The exotic, pareve one: Coconut and black sesame ice cream
This ice cream has a soft, airy texture thanks to a lot of whipping, so be prepared. Its deep, distinctive flavor comes from the heavenly combination of coconut and black sesame.
You can also make it with regular sesame seeds and it will still be excellent, but the beautiful black color the sesame gives the ice cream is part of the appeal.
Ingredients: Makes one 25-centimeter loaf pan
- 2/3 cup / 140 grams fresh black sesame seeds, available at Asian grocery stores and some supermarkets
- 3 large eggs, separated
- 4 level tablespoons / 40 grams sugar
- 500 ml coconut cream, 17% fat or higher
Preparation
- Place half the sesame seeds in a food processor, or a spice grinder, and process into a paste
- Prepare a double boiler: Pour a little water into a saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Place the egg yolks and sugar in a large heatproof bowl and set it over the saucepan, making sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. Whisk for 3 to 4 minutes, or beat with a hand mixer, until the mixture becomes pale and fluffy. Remove from the heat and set aside
- Place the egg whites in the bowl of a mixer and beat on high speed for 4 to 5 minutes, until very firm peaks form. Stop the mixer. Add the egg-white foam to the yolk cream and fold until combined
- Place the coconut cream in the mixer bowl, no need to clean it first, and beat on high speed for 4 to 5 minutes, until firm. Stop the mixer. Add to the yolk and egg-white mixture and fold together. Add the sesame paste and the remaining whole sesame seeds, and fold until evenly distributed
- Line the loaf pan with plastic wrap, leaving wide overhangs on the sides to make it easier to remove. Pour in the ice cream mixture and smooth the top. Fold over the plastic wrap and seal with another layer of plastic wrap. Freeze for at least 4 hours
- Remove from the freezer about 5 minutes before serving, then serve
Storage: Up to two months in the freezer
The elaborate one: Ice cream-filled mochi balls
Mochi is originally an ancient Japanese sweet: a ball made from a sheet of sticky, chewy rice dough, filled with various pastes made from nuts, soybeans, black beans and more.
In recent years, mochi has become a global hit after the Japanese began filling it with ice cream and serving it frozen. Rightly so, because it is one of the most delicious things around, and with a little effort, yes, it does take some work, you can make a homemade version that is perfect for a romantic meal.
Ingredients: Makes 8 pieces
- 1/2 liter / 500 ml ready-made vanilla ice cream
- For the wrapper
- 3/4 cup / 75 grams glutinous rice flour, available at specialty stores, or regular rice flour
- 1/4 cup / 60 ml water, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup / 50 grams sugar
- 1/2 cup / 70 grams cornstarch, plus more if needed
Preparation
- Line a wide airtight container that fits comfortably in the freezer with plastic wrap. Using an ice cream scoop, or two spoons, form 8 small balls of ice cream and place them in the container. Freeze for at least 2 hours
- Make the wrapper: Place the rice flour, water and sugar in a microwave-safe container with a lid and mix well. Cover and microwave for about 1 minute, until the ingredients are hot and begin to melt. Mix, cover again and microwave for another 1 to 1 1/2 minutes, until a sticky, flexible dough forms in the bowl
- Line a baking sheet or tray with parchment paper. Sprinkle about 1/3 cup of the cornstarch on a clean, dry work surface. Dust a rolling pin with cornstarch as well. Place the dough, carefully because it is hot, on the cornstarch and roll it into a sheet about 1/2 centimeter thick. Transfer to the tray. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, until the dough is cold
- Dust the work surface with the remaining cornstarch. Transfer the chilled dough to the surface and cut out 8 circles, each 8 centimeters in diameter
- Remove the ice cream balls from the freezer and place one in the center of each dough circle. Wrap the dough around each ice cream ball to seal completely. If the dough has trouble sticking, brush the edges with a little water. Place gently in the container used for the ice cream balls. Freeze for at least 3 hours
- Remove the mochi from the freezer about 15 minutes before serving, then serve
Storage: Up to two months in the freezer
Tip 1: How to make chocolate mochi
Add 1 tablespoon cocoa powder to the bowl with the dough ingredients before heating. Mix and continue according to the recipe. Fill with chocolate ice cream
Tip 2: What to do with leftover dough
Cut it into small strips and mix into vanilla ice cream. For lovers of rice dough, it is the dessert of dreams