Lemon Ice Cream in Brandysnap Baskets

Two fabulous flavours in one delicious pudding.   This is the world's easiest and richest lemon ice cream recipe, originally from the River Café Cookbook, which I heard on the radio and promptly looked up.  It's rich and smooth, just like the best kind of husband!

Ice cream is best made in an ice-cream maker, or you have to freeze it in an open container and stir it regularly to stop big ice crystals forming in it.

The brandysnap baskets look elegant, and are actually quite simple to make.  I remember my mother suffering agonies making traditional brandysnaps - we were allowed to eat the ones that didn't work.   Bliss!   The basket below has been made using rice flour, as I wanted to do a gluten-free recipe for some of my gluten-averse friends.  It works, but is a little granular in texture.

This, and other recipes, including new ones exclusive to the book, are in my cookbook, available off the website www.katespuddings.co.uk

Lemon Ice Cream in Brandysnap Baskets

Lemon Ice Cream

3 Lemons, grate the zest from one of them

8oz/225g caster sugar

1pint/450ml double cream

½ tsp salt

  

Put the juice and grated zest into a large bowl and add the sugar.   Then add the cream and the salt, which thickens the mixture.  Freeze in either an ice-cream maker or bowl. 

Brandysnaps

2oz/50g butter or margarine

2oz/50g castor sugar

2 tbs golden syrup

2oz/50g plain flour (or rice flour)

½ level tsp ground ginger

1tsp brandy (optional but highly recommended)

grated zest of half a lemon (use one of the ones above)

For baskets, use little metal tins, or small upturned jars (washed!), lightly greased.  Line 2-3 flat baking trays with parchment or non-stick paper.   Preheat oven to 180deg C

Melt the butter, sugar and syrup over low heat.  Take off heat and stir in the rest of the ingredients.    Put spoonfuls (about ¾ dessertspoon) of the mix on the baking sheets – as far apart as you can, as they spread!   Bake a sheet at a time in the oven for up to 10 minutes until golden and bubbling – watch them carefully as they turn dark VERY quickly.    When you take them out, they look almost lacy, and are very floppy, then they will slowly harden.   When you can pick one up and it is still floppy, but doesn’t break, drop it over the upturned tin and hold it with your hand to smooth it at the base and try to get a frilly edge.    Repeat with the next ones. 

If the mixture is too soft, it will break when you pick it up – just push the broken bit back and let it harden slightly.  If it is too hard, pop it back into the oven for a moment and it will soften again.    I do find myself cutting off the darker bits if they’ve over-browned!     Remember, the mistakes taste just as good.