Lemon and Basil Ice Cream

Ice cream is one of those simple yet near perfect dessert treats. This Lemon and Basil Ice Cream recipe is just the ticket for your dinner party dessert menu.

Serves 6

You Will Need:

300 ml milk

30 large basil leaves, roughly torn

Rind of 1 lemon, cut into thin strips

4 egg yolks

150 g castor sugar

Juice of 1 lemon

150 ml double cream

green food colouring, optional

Method:

Heat the milk until just at boiling point remove from heat and add the basil leaves and lemon rind. Leave to infuse for about one hour.

Separate eggs into two bowls. Discard or refrigerate whites for later use.

Put yolks in a large bowl add sugar and immediately whisk until light and pale coloured.

Strain the milk mix pressing the basil and lemon to extract the last bit of flavour. Stir this into yolk mixture. Put a medium sized saucepan on the stove with a couple of centimetres of water and bring to the simmer.

Make a makeshift bain-marie by putting your bowl into the top of the saucepan of simmering water. Stir the liquid in the bowl constantly until it thickens slightly. Test for correct consistency by wiping your finger across the mixture on the back of a spoon. If it leaves a definite path then your custard is ready if not then continue to cook slowly stirring constantly until desired consistency.

Immediately pour into another bowl and leave to cool.

Add the lemon juice to the custard and beat the cream until just thickening.

Add the cream to the custard. At this point you may wich to add a drop of green food colouring – mixing well.

Transfer mixture to ice cream maker if you have one, alternatively you can cover bowl and freeze for several hours, removing to stir every two hours during the freezing process.