Long before the days of modern refrigeration methods there was ice-cream and frozen desserts - the Roman emperors would have snow and ice brought down from the Alps to satisfy their desire for cold sweets and chilled drinks. Marco Polo returned from his long visit to China with recipes for sorbets. In England many a stately home still has an ice house hidden away somewhere. Blocks of ice would be broken from the surface of lakes and stored underground where it would remain until needed on warmer summer days.
Nowadays there are many flavours available ready made - even savoury ones - one parlour in North Wales has on its menu 'Pea' ice cream - and no, I haven't tried it. Despite all the flavors out there it is good sometimes to make your own - no preservatives for one thing - you will know exactly what is going in there and what comes out will be delicious. There are a number of ice cream makers out there, some excellent, if rather expensive , but I never seem to have enough room in the freezer to cool the equipment so tend to use just a plastic box, perhaps a food processor and a fork. The latter is necessary to stir the mixture at least once, preferably 2 or 3 times , as it is freezing. This will serve to break up any large ice lumps that form and keep your ice cream smooth. The important thing is to keep everything scrupulously clean.
Coconut Ice Cream
I cup of double cream ( heavy cream)
½ cup milk
½ cup coconut flakes ( dessicated coconut - if you use the sweetened kind don't worry the mixture tastes rather sweet as freezing lessens the effect).
8 oz ,200g coconut cream
Combine, beat well and place in freezer. After an hour stir with fork and repeat each hour until frozen firmly - probably about three hours. This I serve with a sauce made by melting 6 cubes of dark chocolate, adding a good pinch of ginger and a teaspoon full of lime curd or lime marmalade. Serve with a crispy wafer biscuit at the most sophisticated of dinner parties - it has however also been enjoyed at a barbeque
Peanut Butter Ice-cream
½ pint, 250 mls double ( heavy ) cream
½ pint , 250 mls evaporated milk ( you could use single cream / light)
2 oz, 50 g brown sugar
½ cup of chunky peanut butter
3 drops of vanilla extract.
Adding some crushed choc chip cookies is also good - about 1/3 -1/2 cup
Heat the cream, evaporated milk, sugar and peanut butter gently, stirring until the sugar has dissolved and the peanut butter has been well mixed in. Add the vanilla extract when it has cooled, plus the biscuit crumbs if using and transfer to plastic box for freezing. Again, stir with a fork every hour until frozen solid. I like this with a sauce made from cream with a spoonful of maple syrup stirred in. It is also good beside stewed fruit such as apricots.
You can make ice cream using packets of instant custard so I'm told. This is a more traditional Custard Ice Cream
1 ½ cups of castor sugar,
2 tablespoons of all purpose flour
4 eggs
3 pints of milk
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.
Heat the milk to the point where very tiny bubbles are beginning to form. Mix the flour and sugar together. Stir in the eggs. Pour the heated milk into this mixture. Stir well and then return to the heat. Stir with a wooden spoon until it thickens enough to coat the spoon. Remove from heat and add the vanilla extract. This is a rich but basic mixture to which you can add whatever your imagination and availability allows - try sweetened stewed rhubarb and chopped strawberries for an unusual combination. As it is so rich it is perhaps best served after a very light main course and in small portions.
Related Articles
How to Make an LED Light Up Bottle
By: Suie Roberts | 22/10/2007 | Education
You can find lots of unusual things in bottles, ships and messages, so why not fill a bottle with LED lights? What a bright idea! This attractive bottle is a great talking point; it makes a nice table decoration or a festive night-light.
Homemade Ice Cream - Easier Than you Think!
By: Scott Byers | 20/08/2006 | Health
If you are looking for some great fun and a delicious treat any time of year, you will want to know about making homemade ice cream. This is a fun thing to do alone or with someone else. No matter what you are doing or what the temperature is outside, you will want to have some homemade ice cream for a great snack or treat. You will love making it along with eating it as well.
Painted Recycled Glass Gifts
By: Suie Roberts | 22/10/2007 | Environment
Nowadays everyone is concerned about recycling to save the planet. The 20th century "throw away" society, where everyone threw out their unwanted items with no thought as to what would happen to them is gone. The media clearly shows us what happens to our rubbish, it goes to land fills. Holes in the ground filled with hundreds of tons of rubbish. Our rubbish takes thousands of years to corrode and rot.
Crape Paper Christmas Ball Decoration
By: Suie Roberts | 22/10/2007 | Home & Family
This three dimensional ball can be made from crape paper or tissue paper. The ball is made to hang from the ceiling or miniature balls can be hung on the Christmas tree.
To make a paper Christmas ball decoration you will need...
How to Make Paper Mache Christmas Dishes
By: Suie Roberts | 22/10/2007 | Home & Family
Paper mache has been used for many years to create decorative objects. The Victorians would make paper mache boxes and dishes to sit on their dressing tables for jewellery and other trinkets. Paper mache is quick, cheap and easy to use and creates sturdy objects. Of course these objects can not be washed because they are just made from newspapers.
Never Burn the Bottoms of your Cookies Again!
By: Monica Brooks | 03/11/2006 | Women's Issues
If you are like me, you love to bake cookies, but hate the all-too-familiar problem of burning the bottoms. During the past couple of years, I have discovered some techniques that have ended my burnt cookie bottoms frustrations. I know these techniques will work for you as well. Happy baking!
Need a Dessert for a Dinner Party? Try a Cheesecake
By: Ted Goldberg | 03/09/2008 | Desserts
The best quick and easy dessert, in my opinion, is to have someone else make it and then have it delivered. Who wants to spend extra time in the kitchen? Even if all you want to do is make some gelatin, you have to wait hours for it to set. But, there are some interesting ideas that you might not have thought of.
Baking 30 Minute Desserts
By: Jill Seader | 03/01/2008 | Home & Family
Three dessert recipes that you can get done in 30 minutes or less.
Got a Question? Ask.
Ask the community a question about this article:
Frequently Asked Questions
Fish allergry herediaty?
By: zebbie26 | 18-10-2008
My partner has a severe fish allergry and our son is 6 months old I am supposed to give him fish when he reaches 7/8 months is there a risk he will have the same allergy?
Goldfish sexes
By: ChloeBug | 13-10-2008
How do you tell the male and female goldfish apart?
Conversion of stock and bonds
By: udouglas | 10-10-2008
With the stock market where it is, should I convert my holdings to gold? I am 67 years old. ZED
How much iodine do 4 capsules of Sealogix fish oil ...
By: sandy | 09-10-2008
How much iodine do 4 capsules of Sealogix fish oil have? I recently had a thyroid uptak etest and am wonderingif the fish oil affected my test results.
Who wants to buy a ice cream truck
By: ANN | 09-10-2008
who wants to buy a ice cream truck
What does Pollack taste like?
By: Chelle | 08-10-2008
what does pollack taste like?
Q&A Powered by:
Latest Food and Beverage Articles
What to Expect From a Cheap New York Hotel
By: Brooke Coin | 17/11/2008
Cheap does not necessarily mean a bad thing especially when we are talking about a New York hotel. You will just have to be extra careful because some establishments abuse the word cheap and they would offer horrendous services. A stay in a New York hotel need not be expensive and while you may want to spend a little on it, you can still get at least the basic accommodations and necessities anybody would expect.
Chic Boutique Hotel Rooms in New York
By: Brooke Coin | 17/11/2008
These visitors may have a lot less budget for vacation but they are most deserving for a decent stay in the Big Apple. They would need chic and comfortable New York hotel rooms regardless of the size and shape. However, with the country’s dollar rates going down and the sales demand of hotels in New York City going up, these desires would be very difficult to attain. Of course, that’s true if we can’t help…
How to Choose the Right New York Hotel
By: Brooke Coin | 17/11/2008
New York City is like the melting pot of the world. It is probably the only place on Earth where you can find every nationality. It is also a melting pot of cultures brought about by the migration of the early part of the 20th century. Some say that this migration is not yet finished because year in and year out there are still many people coming to New York. Well, you may not be migrating to New York City but if you are planning to visit it one day, you should probably think about a few importa
How to Find a Cheap New York Hotel
By: Brooke Coin | 17/11/2008
Your first stop for information in finding a New York hotel would be your travel agency. With all probability, they have a list of partner hotels where they can recommend you and perhaps even easily book a good and cozy room for you. Ask for it outright when you first deal with them about your travel plans. I'm sure they would just be very happy to help you out.
Visit the Sights After You Have Found Your Perfect New York Hotel
By: Brooke Coin | 17/11/2008
New York City is the largest city in the United States and by far, the home of world famous tourist attractions. Just think about the Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty and Central Park just to name a few. These are just a few of the reasons why millions of tourists visit the city annually. Therefore it is considered a sin if you just stay in your New York hotel room and don't go out to see the wonderful things the Big Apple can offer you.
Colorful Fruits and Vegetables
By: Justin Skinner | 17/11/2008
It's important that we eat plenty of different fruits and vegetables every day. Diets rich in fruits and vegetables may reduce the risk of cancer and other chronic diseases. Fruits and vegetables provide essential vitamins and minerals, fiber, and other substances that are important for good health. Most fruits
Building a Well Balance Diet
By: Justin Skinner | 17/11/2008
According to the United States Department of Agriculture, a healthy diet as one that Emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products; includes lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs, and nuts; and is low in saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, salt (sodium), and
Boost Your Sex Life With Superfood
By: Justin Skinner | 17/11/2008
Every aspect of a food - its color, shape, scent and texture - can make it sexy. In addition, certain foods contain substances that make us feel good by interacting with our hormones or stimulating our brain. Consider incorporating some of the following into your next candlelight dinner to help you and your
More from Guido Nussbaum
Google Adwords Explained
By: Guido Nussbaum | 13/11/2008 | Internet
How Google Adwords works:
You write your ads and choose keywords or key phrases.
You bid on your chosen keywords or phrases in an attempt to get top placement.
Your ad appears on pages with the keyword you have bid on, if you bid enough.
When a person searches your keyword they have the...
Free Traffic With Search Engine Optimization
By: Guido Nussbaum | 09/11/2008 | Internet
Of all of the different types of traffic that you can get your website, free traffic has got to be the most enjoyable. Knowing that you're getting people from all over the world who are interested in what you have to offer can be a real rush, especially when you...
Free Traffic is Right Under Your Nose
By: Guido Nussbaum | 09/11/2008 | Marketing
A lot of us are interested in getting traffic to our website but there are very few of us that are able to pay for it on a consistent basis. Yes, some of the larger websites have people behind them who tend to have very deep pockets. For most of...
Digging For Gold With Affiliate Marketing
By: Guido Nussbaum | 09/11/2008 | Marketing
Whenever somebody first starts in affiliate business, they usually make a mistake that leaves them frustrated. I've been successful with affiliate businesses for several years now and if there's one thing that I've learned, it's that you need to focus your efforts. It is not always going to be necessary...
Can You Build an Ezine With Youtube?
By: Guido Nussbaum | 05/11/2008 | Internet
Of all of the different types of marketing that is available on the Internet, video marketing is one of the newcomers on the scene. Although it is important that you never ignore some of the good old standbys, such as article marketing and search engine optimization, you should make sure...
Building a Quick List For Testing a Product
By: Guido Nussbaum | 04/11/2008 | Marketing
One of the most frustrating things can be organizing a product launch and not having any way of testing it. Not only will you be flying blind whenever the product launches, you will be unable to give any potential affiliates a real example of what you're product is able to...
The Perfect Article Marketing Resource Box
By: Guido Nussbaum | 01/11/2008 | Marketing
Article marketing is an excellent affiliate marketing strategy. It is a source of free advertising that is relatively painless. Almost anyone can do it. With a good article marketing campaign, you can enjoy almost a limitless source of free website traffic.
The number one tip for good article marketing is to...
Calculate Your Body Fat - Measure Your Body Fat
By: Guido Nussbaum | 29/10/2008 | Health
There is more than one way to calculate your body fat, but to be able to get anything even close to an accurate measurement (without going to a doctor), you will need to have some flexible measuring tape and a calculator. There are several methods of calculating boy fat, and...
Food & Beverage 
