Cherry ripple ice cream bars recipe

This fruity recipe is the perfect refreshment on a hot summers day.

Ingredients

1. 400ml whole milk
2. 6 large free-range egg yolks
3. 375g caster sugar
4. 450g cherries, stalks removed, pitted and halved
5. 2 tbsp lemon juice
6. 2 heaped tbsp flaked almonds, toasted
7. 600ml double cream
8. 16 ice-cream wafers to serve

Method

1. 1. Bring the milk slowly to the boil in a non-stick saucepan. Meanwhile, beat the egg yolks and 200g of the sugar in a mixing bowl until pale and fluffy. Gradually stir in the milk, then return the mixture to the cleaned pan and stir over a low heat until it thickens sufficiently to coat the back of the wooden spoon. Pour the custard into a bowl, leave to cool, then cover and chill overnight.
2. 2. The next day, put the halved cherries, the lemon juice and 125g of the remaining sugar in a saucepan, place over a low heat and leave until the sugar dissolves into the juices to make a syrup. Leave to simmer gently for 25 minutes or until the cherries are very tender, then scoop the cherries into a bowl with a slotted spoon. Return the syrupy juices to the heat and boil for 2 minutes. Cool slightly, then stir back into the cherries and leave to cool completely. The mixture should be quite thick and almost jam-like.
3. 3. Line a baking sheet with baking paper. Put the final 50g caster sugar in a small pan with 2 tbsp water. Leave over a low heat until the sugar has completely dissolved, then boil rapidly until it has turned into a deep orange-coloured caramel. Remove from the heat, quickly stir in the almonds, then pour onto the paper-lined tray and spread out in a thin layer. Leave to cool completely, then transfer to a small plastic food bag and coarsely crush with the end of a rolling pin.
4. 4. Line a shallow, 20-23cm square loose-bottomed brownie tin with baking paper. Stir the cream into the chilled custard and churn the mixture in an ice-cream machine until frozen. (If you don’t have one, pour the mixture into a shallow container and freeze until almost solid, then scrape into a food processor and blend briefly until smooth. Return to the container and freeze once more. Repeat this procedure once or twice until the mixture is very smooth.)
5. 5. Spoon the ice-cream mixture into the lined tin, then spoon over lines of the cherry mixture. Scatter the crushed almond brittle on top, then zig-zag the handle of a wooden spoon through the mixture to create a ripple effect. Freeze for at least 6 hours or overnight.
6. 6. To serve, remove the ice cream from the tin and leave it to soften slightly at room temperature for 20-30 minutes. Cut in half lengthways, then slice widthways into 8 evenly sized bars. Sandwich between pairs of ice-cream wafers and eat with your hands.
7. Cherries in a jam?
8. The British cherry industry has had a tough time of late. To find out more about the Cherry Aid campaign, including advice on which cherry varieties to look out for, where to pick your own cherries around the country, and details about National Cherry Day, visit www.foodloversbritain.com and click on Cherry Aid.

Nutritional info

Per serving: 685kcals, 44.3g fat (25.1g saturated), 7.4g protein, 68.2g carbs (57.4g sugars), 0.2g salt, 0.7g fibre

Chef's tip

If you have egg whites to use up after making this ice cream, the pistachio pavlovas would put them to good use. The remainder can be kept frozen for 3 months.