You could say that my daughter Emma and I have two pets: the first is a lively black French bulldog called Norma, who came to live with us a few months ago from her previous home in New York and has since brought great joy into our lives. The second is a rather large Italian ice cream maker that requires very little care yet is given plenty of treats.
It can make fresh ice cream in a flash, and in summer there’s nothing better than a freshly-whipped, extra-creamy, fruity, refreshing ice cream straight from the gelato machine.
The secret to making extra-creamy ice cream lies in the added cooling time that the mixture is given once prepared, before it goes into the machine for freezing. The ice cream needs time to develop, and its starches and fats need to bind and set. If the ice cream mixture contains stabilizers such as egg or gelatine, these need to thicken. This improves the ice cream’s texture, lending it the desired smooth and creamy consistency.
Here’s how to make a delicious blueberry ice cream – extra-creamy of course – for the summer: slowly bring 120 g icing sugar, 120 ml double cream and 150 g blueberries to the boil and simmer gently for 2 minutes. Leave to cool, then combine with 380 g soured cream and 40 ml lemon juice and leave to set in the fridge overnight. Freeze in the ice cream maker the next day.