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It’s ice cream O’ clock!
Nothing compares to having ice cream when it comes to picking a blissful dessert in order to beat the heat. Store bought ice creams are delicious, but why not take them up a notch by turning these store-bought delicacies into delectable desserts?
And so, here are four recipes to turn your boring, boxed ice creams into decadent sweet treats. These are great to satiate your frosty cravings during summer, or anytime you are craving some cold and creamy goodness.
PROFITEROLES AND ICE CREAM WITH STRAWBERRY COMPOTE
This ice cream-based dessert comprises a triad of different components that sit harmoniously on the plate, complementing and enhancing the flavours of each other. It is amazing how the addition of a few simple elements can alter boxed ice cream to such a delightful form.
Ingredients
1 box vanilla ice cream
1 box strawberry ice cream
For the profiteroles —
½ cup flour
¼ cup water
¼ cup milk
2 eggs
5 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tsp granulated sugar
For the strawberry compôte —
1 cup strawberries
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp lime juice
Method
To make the profiteroles, combine milk, water, butter, and sugar in a saucepan. Place it over medium heat and allow the butter to melt. Once molten, stir to incorporate everything in the pan and wait till the mixture comes to a boil. Once boiling, immediately remove from heat and stir in all the flour at once, combining fully.
After this, put it back on medium heat and stir the dough constantly for about a minute. This will cook away the raw flour taste and release excess moisture. A thin film of dough will form at the bottom of the pan, which signals the time to take it off the heat.
Immediately beat the mixture rapidly to cool the dough slightly. Once it breaks apart in several little blobs of dough, crack in the eggs one at a time, incorporating fully after each addition. The mixture should turn into a thick ribbon consistency.
Preheat your oven to 220° C and pour the mixture into a piping bag fitted with a round nozzle. Line a baking tray with parchment paper and pipe round dollops of the mixture on it, leaving sufficient space for them to rise. Avoid creating peaks, and flatten any peaks with moistened fingertips. Let them bake for ten minutes, and after that, reduce the temperature to 180° C and let them bake for another 20 minutes. Cool completely before serving.
To make the berry compôte, add chopped strawberries, lime juice, and brown sugar in a saucepan over medium-high heat and let the mixture come to a boil. Once boiling, mush the berries and reduce the heat to low. Let this simmer for five minutes to reduce into a compote. To serve, plate it up with two profiteroles, two scoops of ice cream, and a dash of berry compôte.
FRUITY ICE CREAM SNOWBALL
This is as delicious to devour as it is soothing to stare at. Made with simple ingredients that are readily available during this season, it also comes together in no time. Here are three versions of ice cream snowball being tropical mango, tangy strawberry, and rich chocolate.
Ingredients
1 box vanilla ice cream
1 cup desiccated coconut
Sprinkles (optional)
For the chocolate ganache —
100g dark chocolate
¼ cup heavy cream
For the strawberry sauce —
1 cup strawberry purée
2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp corn starch
For the mango sauce —
1 cup mango purée
2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp corn starch
Method
To prepare the ice cream snowballs, generously spread a shallow, round bowl with desiccated coconut. Take one scoop of vanilla ice cream and place it on the bowl. Sprinkle the top with more desiccated coconut and carefully twirl around the edges to coat the entire ball completely. Carefully remove the snowball using a spatula and place it on a tray lined with baking sheet. Repeat this process for individual scoops of ice cream and allow them to freeze for an hour.
To make the chocolate ganache, melt dark chocolate and heavy cream on a double boiler, ensuring the boiling water does not touch the bowl of chocolate ganache. Stir occasionally until it is fully melted and allow the mixture to cool.
For the strawberry sauce, mix in sugar and corn starch with the strawberry purée. Let it cook over medium heat for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally. The mixture should thicken up and reduce to half of its original quantity. Once done, remove from heat and allow it to cool.
Repeat the same process to make mango sauce. Add sugar and corn starch to the mango puree and cook it on medium heat for about 5 minutes. The mixture will soon thicken and start to bubble and splatter, getting rid of excess moisture. Remove from the stove and let it cool.
Before serving, liberally pour the sauce or ganache in your ice cream bowl, and delicately place the frozen snowballs at the centre. You can top with sprinkles to add a bright pop of colour.
BAKED ALASKA
Level up your ice cream game by concocting this sinfully indulgent dessert that is perfect to feed a crowd. The crown-like structure of baked Alaska will definitely be the showstopper on your dessert table. Needless to say, your guests will not stop praising your effort and creativity!
Ingredients
500ml tub chocolate ice cream
500ml tub strawberry ice cream
For the vanilla cake —
2 eggs
½ cup sugar
¾ cup vegetable oil
1½ cup flour
¾ cup milk
½ cup chocolate chips
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla essence
For the meringue —
2 eggs
½ cup icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence
¼ tsp cream of tartar
Method
Line the interior of a round bowl with clear wrap and drop scoops of chocolate and strawberry ice cream arbitrarily. Fill the bowl up to three-quarters, ensuring the top has a diameter of roughly six inches. Cover the top with clear wrap and let it freeze for 2 hours.
To make the sponge cake, preheat your oven at 160° C. In a large bowl, crack in 2 eggs and beat them on high speed for 8-10 minutes until they double in volume and turn pale and fluffy. Add in the sugar slowly and continue beating until fully combined. Then, pour in oil and vanilla extract and beat it till it becomes a homogenous mixture.
Next, turn down the speed to low and sift in the flour and baking powder. Mix for a couple of minutes to incorporate. Pour in milk and mix it just until combined. Lastly, throw in the chocolate chips and fold them in using a spatula. In a greased 6-inch round baking dish, pour in the cake batter and let it bake for 20-30 minutes.
To make the meringue coating, separate the egg whites and beat them with cream of tartar on high speed for about 5 minutes until soft peaks form. Then, gradually add in caster sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form, which should take another 5 minutes.
To assemble, cut the top of the vanilla cake to flatten it and carefully invert the ice cream dome atop. Spoon dollops of the meringue to cover the entire dome and use the tip of your spoon to create swirls and peaks. Using a kitchen torch in the lowest setting, toast the meringue topping to give it a golden-brown appearance.
NEAPOLITAN ICE CREAM PARFAIT
This pretty dessert in a glass is more of an assemblage of several components of various textures and taste that go perfectly well altogether. This includes crumbly, creamy, sweet, fruity, and chocolaty ingredients. Layered pleasantly in Neapolitan style, this ice cream treat is synonymous to being an eye candy.
Ingredients
10-12 vanilla crackers
1 cup chocolate ice cream
1 cup strawberry ice cream
1 cup vanilla ice cream
2 tbsp desiccated coconut
For thestrawberry layer —
1 tbsp sugar
¾ cup strawberries
For the chocolate layer —
100g dark chocolate
¼ cup heavy cream
Method
Grind some vanilla crackers in a food processor, or bash them in a zip lock bag using a wooden spoon or rolling pin. Attain completely fine crumbs that represent a sand-like texture. Mix in 1 tablespoon of desiccated coconut into this and incorporate well to attain homogeneity. Start assembling in tall, cylindrical, and clear glass moulds. Equally divide the mixture among five moulds and compress the crumbs to harden them.
Next, make the chocolate ganache; use chocolate chips or break apart the chocolate bar into little pieces. In an ovenproof bowl, pour in heavy cream and chocolate chunks. Heat it in the oven for 30 seconds before taking it out and stirring. Repeat this process 3-4 times until the chocolate is fully melted. Pour this mixture over the first layer while it is still warm.
Next, slightly melt the chocolate ice cream to receive a liquid consistency and pour this atop the second layer. Let this freeze for at least a couple of hours. After that, do the same with vanilla ice cream by melting it to get a pourable consistency and leave it to freeze for 2 hours. Once frozen, sprinkle 1 tablespoon of desiccated coconut evenly over each of the moulds.
After that, melt the strawberry ice cream and pour it atop. Leave it to rest in the freezer for another couple of hours before adding the final layer. For the strawberry layer, blitz the strawberries and sugar in a mixer to get a smooth purée. Finally, pour this delicately over the strawberry ice cream layer without distorting the layers below.
Let this cool and creamy dessert chill in the freezer for at least an hour before serving.
By Fariha Amber
Food and Photo: Fariha Amber