kaffir lime leaf
and
ginger
ice cream

500g quality cream
5g powdered kaffir lime leaves [1]
2g kaffir lime rind [2]
40g p/w ginger, finely grated
1g pandan essence – optional
5 extra-large egg yolks
100g powdered caster sugar [3]
20g powdered glucose [available from most chemists]

digital thermometer
about 1L of ice

Weigh the cream, powdered kaffir lime leaves, rind and pandan essence into a microwave-safe bowl. Stir well and bring to the boil on high heat in a microwave. Give the cream a stir, and set a timer for 10 minutes to allow the aromatics to fully infuse.

For references CLICK HERE

22 February 2025 AO

when the timer goes

When the timer goes, whisk the egg yolks, sugar and glucose until they are pale and fluffy. Bring the cream back to the boil and whisk into the egg mix. Immediately check the temperature of the ice cream base it needs to be 80C. If not return the ice cream base to the microwave on thirty-second bursts until you reach temperature.

Strain pressing hard against the sieve, chill over ice and churn.

serving suggestions

A verrine seems to have gone out of fashion, but I love them, and if you have the freezer space, they can be done before your guests arrive, just watch for freezer smells and make sure you cover them carefully to avoid cross-contamination. Pictured above lightly poached Satsuma plums, kaffir lime and ginger ice cream, a tiny scatter of violet crystals and a couple of native violets. The violets are, of course, a last-minute addition. A verrine is a great opportunity to use your favourite spoons and glasses, and even a random mix of glasses and spoons is lovely.

PICTURED ABOVE, GINGER ICE CREAM TERRINE, BRANDY SNAP SEPARATORS, PISTACHIOS, CITRON AND GINGER SYRUP

I love a dessert that doesn’t require too much last-minute prep, but even in a commercial situation pre-cut ice cream terrine slices work brilliantly.

Try brandy snaps, add a punnet of blueberries to the just churned ice cream, layer the churned ice cream between brandy snaps. Serve with garnish blueberries, a slither or two of citron and some ginger syrup.

references

[1] I hate seeming like and ad for Nutribullet, however, I find I am using mine more and more. The grinding blade is excellent and works brilliantly for dry ingredients. I figured I had nothing to lose by giving kaffir lime leaves a go and to my astonishment it powdered them in seconds.

In the images, it shows that I did not stem my leaves and I realised that whilt this was fine for ice cream it wasn’t for many of my Thai dressings. Lesson learned, so stem and powder and freeze is the go….mightily handy and time-saving.

[2] Blessed with a kaffir lime tree, in the fruiting season I grate and freeze the rind.

[3] When working on a commercial basis I used my Thermomix for this because I was doing large quantities at a time….I now use the Nutribullet with the grinding blade. Powdered sugar makes so much sense when making just about anything where you want a smooth texture, or just to dissolve it quickly. Especially good for sponges and butter cakes.