Beetroot Halwa

Beetroot halwa is a lovely Indian dessert. Its usually prepared during festivals or when there is a guest at home. It has the taste, the colour. Its rich and a great treat for your tastebuds. I learned about this recipe from my mother-in-law. She prepares this dessert real good. This recipe, the one below is one of my version which includes sweetened condensed milk which makes the dessert rich and creamy and gives totally a different taste and texture.

Here is the recipe for this ultimate dessert.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 big Beetroot(600gms), washed, peeled and grated
1 cup Milk
3 cloves
1/3rd tin Sweetened Condensed Milk
50 gms Sugar
3 Tbsp Ghee
1/2 tsp cardamom powder

For Tempering:
1Tbsp Ghee
3 Tbsp Broken cashew nuts
1 Tbsp Raisin

Method:

First prepare the tempering. Take a thick bottomed pan and fry the cashews and raisans in a tbsp of ghee till golden brown and keep aside.

In the same pan, combine grated beetroot along with milk and cloves and let it cook on a medium heat without the lid on for about 30 to 40 minutes, till most of the milk is absorbed. Keep stirring in between.

Stir in the condensed milk and sugar and  keep stirring till the mixture becomes thick and starts leaving the sides of the pan. 

Finally add ghee and cardamom powder. Add the tempering.

Serve hot or at room temperature.



Storage: Can be kept in room temperature for a day. Can be refrigerated in an air tight box for a week.

Daring Bakers - Lasagne of Emilia-Romagna (Lasagne Verdi al Forno)

Daring Bakers March 2009 Challenge

The March 2009 challenge is hosted by Mary of Beans and Caviar, Melinda of Melbourne Larder and Enza of Io Da Grande. They have chosen Lasagne of Emilia-Romagna from The Splendid Table by Lynne Rossetto Kasper as the challenge.

Lasagne is a dish that has successfully transcended borders and is today made around the world, albeit with many variations from the Italian original. Even within Italy, there are many variations and each region has its own lasagne tradition. But, as Lynne explains in her introduction to the recipe –and Enza, as our Italian expert for this dish, also agrees - the dish should always be a “vivid expression of the ‘less is more’ philosophy of cooking. Mere films of béchamel sauce and meat ragu coat the sheerest spinach pasta. Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese dusts each layer. There is nothing more; no ricotta, no piling on of meats, vegetables or cheese; little tomato, and no hot spice. Baking performs the final marriage of flavours. The results are splendid.”


(Serves 8 to 10 as a first course, 6 to 8 as a main dish)

Preparation Time: 15 minutes to assemble and 40 minutes cooking time

10 quarts (9 litres) salted water
1 recipe Spinach Pasta cut for lasagna (recipe follows)#1
1 recipe Bechamel Sauce (recipe follows)#2
1 recipe Vegetarian Bolognese Sauce
1 cup (4 ounces/125g) freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1 cup grated Mozzarella cheese (my touch)


Method
Working Ahead:
The ragu and the béchamel sauce can be made up to three days ahead. The ragu can also be frozen for up to one month. The pasta can be rolled out, cut and dried up to 24 hours before cooking. The assembled lasagne can wait at room temperature (20 degrees Celsius/68 degrees Fahrenheit) about 1 hour before baking. Do not refrigerate it before baking, as the topping of béchamel and cheese will overcook by the time the center is hot.

Assembling the Ingredients:
Have all the sauces, rewarmed gently over a medium heat, and the pasta at hand. Have a large perforated skimmer and a large bowl of cold water next to the stove. Spread a double thickness of paper towels over a large counter space. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celsius). Oil or butter a 3 quart (approx 3 litre) shallow baking dish.

Cooking the Pasta:
Bring the salted water to a boil. Drop about four pieces of pasta in the water at a time. Cook about 2 minutes. If you are using dried pasta, cook about 4 minutes, taste, and cook longer if necessary. The pasta will continue cooking during baking, so make sure it is only barely tender. Lift the lasagne from the water with a skimmer, drain, and then slip into the bowl of cold water to stop cooking. When cool, lift out and dry on the paper towels. Repeat until all the pasta is cooked.


Assembling the Lasagne:
Spread a thin layer of béchamel over the bottom of the baking dish. Arrange a layer of about four overlapping sheets of pasta over the béchamel. Spread a thin layer of béchamel (about 3 or 4 spoonfuls) over the pasta, and then an equally thin layer of the ragu. Sprinkle with about 1&1/2 tablespoons of the béchamel and about 1/3 cup of the cheese. Repeat the layers until all ingredients are used, finishing with béchamel sauce and topping with a generous dusting of cheese.

Baking and Serving the Lasagne:
Cover the baking dish lightly with foil, taking care not to let it touch the top of the lasagne. Bake 40 minutes, or until almost heated through. Remove the foil and bake another 10 minutes, or until hot in the center (test by inserting a knife – if it comes out very warm, the dish is ready). Take care not to brown the cheese topping. It should be melted, creamy looking and barely tinged with a little gold. Turn off the oven, leave the door ajar and let the lasagne rest for about 10 minutes. Then serve.

This is not a solid lasagne, but a moist one that slips a bit when it is cut and served.

#1 Spinach Egg Pasta (Pasta Verde)

Preparation: 45 minutes

Makes enough for 6 to 8 first course servings or 4 to 6 main course servings, equivalent to 1 pound (450g) dried boxed pasta.


2 jumbo eggs (2 ounces/60g or more each)
10 ounces (300g) fresh spinach, rinsed dry, and finely chopped; OR 6 ounces (170g) frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry
3 & 1/2 cups (14 ounces/400g) all purpose unbleached (plain) flour (organic stone ground preferred)

Working by Hand:

Equipment

A roomy work surface, 24 to 30 inches deep by 30 to 36 inches (60cm to 77cm deep by 60cm to 92cm). Any smooth surface will do, but marble cools dough slightly, making it less flexible than desired.

A pastry scraper and a small wooden spoon for blending the dough.

A wooden dowel-style rolling pin. In Italy, pasta makers use one about 35 inches long and 2 inches thick (89cm long and 5cm thick). The shorter American-style pin with handles at either end can be used, but the longer it is, the easier it is to roll the pasta.
Note: although it is not traditional, Enza has successfully made pasta with a marble rolling pin, and this can be substituted for the wooden pin, if you have one.

Plastic wrap to wrap the resting dough and to cover rolled-out pasta waiting to be filled. It protects the pasta from drying out too quickly.

A sharp chef’s knife for cutting pasta sheets.

Cloth-covered chair backs, broom handles, or specially designed pasta racks found in cookware shops for draping the pasta.

Mixing the dough:
Mound the flour in the center of your work surface and make a well in the middle. Add the eggs and spinach. Use a wooden spoon to beat together the eggs and spinach. Then gradually start incorporating shallow scrapings of flour from the sides of the well into the liquid. As you work more and more flour into the liquid, the well’s sides may collapse. Use a pastry scraper to keep the liquids from running off and to incorporate the last bits of flour into the dough. Don’t worry if it looks like a hopelessly rough and messy lump.

Kneading:
With the aid of the scraper to scoop up unruly pieces, start kneading the dough. Once it becomes a cohesive mass, use the scraper to remove any bits of hard flour on the work surface – these will make the dough lumpy. Knead the dough for about 3 minutes. Its consistency should be elastic and a little sticky. If it is too sticky to move easily, knead in a few more tablespoons of flour. Continue kneading about 10 minutes, or until the dough has become satiny, smooth, and very elastic. It will feel alive under your hands. Do not shortcut this step. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap, and let it relax at room temperature 30 minutes to 3 hours.

Stretching and Thinning:
If using an extra-long rolling pin work with half the dough at a time. With a regular-length rolling pin, roll out a quarter of the dough at a time and keep the rest of the dough wrapped. Lightly sprinkle a large work surface with flour. The idea is to stretch the dough rather than press down and push it. Shape it into a ball and begin rolling out to form a circle, frequently turning the disc of dough a quarter turn. As it thins outs, start rolling the disc back on the pin a quarter of the way toward the center and stretching it gently sideways by running the palms of your hands over the rolled-up dough from the center of the pin outward. Unroll, turn the disc a quarter turn, and repeat. Do twice more.

Stretch and even out the center of the disc by rolling the dough a quarter of the way back on the pin. Then gently push the rolling pin away from you with one hand while holding the sheet in place on the work surface with the other hand. Repeat three more times, turning the dough a quarter turn each time.

Repeat the two processes as the disc becomes larger and thinner. The goal is a sheet of even thickness. For lasagne, the sheet should be so thin that you can clearly see your hand through it and see colours. Cut into rectangles about 4 by 8 inches (10 x 20 cm). Note: Enza says that transparency is a crucial element of lasagne pasta and the dough should be rolled as thinly as possible. She says this is why her housekeeper has such strong arms!

Dry the pasta at room temperature and store in a sealed container or bag.

#2 Bechamel Sauce


Preparation Time: 15 minutes

4 tbsp (2 ounces/60g) unsalted butter
4 tbsp (2 ounces/60g) all purpose unbleached (plain) flour, organic stone ground preferred
2 & 2/3 cups (approx 570ml) milk
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Freshly grated nutmeg to taste

Method:
Using a medium-sized saucepan, melt the butter over low to medium heat. Sift over the flour, whisk until smooth, and then stir (without stopping) for about 3 minutes. Whisk in the milk a little at a time and keep the mixture smooth. Bring to a slow simmer, and stir 3 to 4 minutes, or until the sauce thickens. Cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes, until the sauce thickens. Season with salt, pepper, and a hint of nutmeg.

Enjoy!!

Buttermilk Scones

Makes 12 triangular or 24 rolled scones

Think of scones as British biscuits. They are made in a manner similar to biscuits and, in fact, share biscuits' buttery-layered texture, but their name, their shape, and the fact that they're served with tea rather than gravy lift them to the level of fancier fare.
Here are scones two ways: the traditional triangle and the rolled--tender buttermilk dough rolled around chopped fruits, nuts, and/or jam. Whichever way you choose, they're luscious: à la the British, with tea and whipped cream, or served the American way, with coffee and a gloss of jam.

These scones had a very thin crisp outer crust and a soft, flaky and moist bread/cake like inner crumb. Rolled scones were a nice idea as they already had jam filled in and no other accompanyment was required. These scones can be served as a great snack along with coffee or tea.

This post is my contribution to Egg Substitute - Yogurt/Buttermilk Event , an event hosted by Madhuram of Eggless Cooking.

Recipe adapted from "Baking with Julia" by Dorie Greenspan.

Ingredients required:

3 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar (i added plus 1/4 cup)
2 1/2 tsps baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 sticks (6 ounces) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 cup (approximately) buttermilk
1 tablespoon grated orange or lemon zest

1/2 stick (2 ounces) unsalted butter, melted, for brushing
1/4 cup sugar, for dusting

4 tablespoons jam or jelly and/or 4 tablespoons diced or small plump dried fruits, such as currants, raisins, apricots, or figs, for filling (optional)

Here we start..

Position the oven racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat the oven to 425 deg F (220 deg C).

Mixing and Kneading:
In a medium bowl, stir the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together with a fork. Add the cold butter pieces and, using your fingertips (the first choice), a pastry blender, or two knives, work the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. It's OK if some largish pieces of butter remain--they'll add to the scones' flakiness
Pour in 1 cup buttermilk, toss in the zest, and mix with the fork only until the ingredients are just moistened--you'll have a soft dough with a rough look. (If the dough looks dry, add another tablespoon of buttermilk.) Gather the dough into a ball, pressing it gently so that it holds together, turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface, and knead it very briefly--a dozen turns should do it. Cut the dough in half.

To make triangular shaped scones:
Roll one piece of the dough into a 1/2-inch-thick circle that is about 7 inches across. Brush the dough with half of the melted butter, sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of the sugar, and cut the circle into 6 triangles. Place the scones on an ungreased baking sheet and set aside while you roll out the rest of the dough.

To make rolled scones:
Roll one piece of dough into a strip that is 12 inches long and 1/2-inch-thick (the piece will not be very wide). Spread the strip with half of the melted butter and dust with half of the sugar. If you want to spread the roll with jam and/or sprinkle it with dried fruits, now's the time to do so; leave a narrow border on a long edge bare. Roll the strip up from a long side like a jelly roll; pinch the seam closed and turn the roll seam side down. Cut the roll in half and cut each piece into six 1-inch-wide roll-ups. Place the rolled scones cut side down on an ungreased baking sheet, leaving a little space between each one. Repeat with the remaining dough.

Baking the scones:
Bake the scones for 10 to 12 minutes, until both the tops and bottoms are golden. Transfer the scones to a rack to cool slightly. These are best served warm but are just fine at room temperature.

Storing:
If you're not going to eat the scones the day they are made, wrap them airtight and freeze; they'll stay fresh for a month. To serve, defrost the scones at room temperature in their wrappers, then unwrap and reheat on a baking sheet for 5 minutes in a 350 degree F oven.

Vegetarian Spaghetti Bolognese Sauce

Bolognese sauce, one of the best loved Italian pasta sauces, is traditionally made with ground meat, tomatoes and seasoning but here's a satisfying vegetarian bolognese tomato sauce that will add a hearty, wholegrain flavor to any pasta or lasagna dish. Its a vegetarian version and is loaded with vegetables and nutrition. Use the sauce to top freshly cooked spaghetti and you'll love it.


Ingredients Required;

3 tbsp Olive oil
3 cloves of Garlic, finally chopped
1 Onion, chopped
1 Red Capsicum(Bell pepper), chopped
1 Carrot, grated
1 Zucchini, chopped with skin
300 gm Mushrooms, canned or fresh
800 gms chopped canned tomatoes
2 Bayleaves
1 tbsp Chilli powder
1 tsp Light soy sauce
1 tsp Oregano
2 tsp Basil
5 tbsp thick tomato paste
1 cup Soya chunks, blended into powder
Salt to taste

Method:

First, before you start, take the powdered soya in a small saucepan. Add hot boiled water till the powder is completely immersed. Add a tsp of olive oil and set aside.


Heat 3 tbsps of olive oil in a large pan. Fry garlic for about half a minute and then add onions. Fry till the onions turn translucent. Add all the vegetables, capsicum, carrot, zucchini, mushrooms and tomatoes. fry for 2 to 3 minutes.


Then stir in the bay leaves and cilli powder. Keep it on low to medium heat.

Add the rest of the ingredients, the prepared soya along with the water, tomato paste, soy sauce, oregano, basil and salt to taste.

Simmer and cook till all the vegetables are soft and done and the sauce has reduced to the required thick consistency.


Vegetarian Bolognese Sauce is ready. Serve pasta with large ladlefuls of sauce and sprinkle generously with grated parmesan or cheddar cheese. Enjoy!

Storage;
Can be kept for 3 days covered and refrigerated. It also freezes well for up to 1 month.

French Apple flan

This tart is one of the easiest and delicious tart i have ever made. It takes just few ingredients and can be made in minutes. Can be a great treat for your guests. It can be served as a starter as well as a dessert.
When cutting a round from puff pastry make a number of short cuts around the plate rather than drawing the knife around, as this can stretch the pastry.


Serves : 4

Ingredients required:

350gm puff pastry sheets
2 apples, peeled, cored and seeded
1 tbsp caster sugar
25 gm chilled unsalted butter

Apricot glaze, to decorate (any fruit glaze can be used)
2 tbsp apricot jam
4tbsp water

Method:

First of all, lets make the apricot glaze. Put the jam in a small saucepan with water and heat gently until the jam melts. Increse the heat and boil for a minute, remove from the heat and press through a fine sieve. Keep warm until it is needed.

Take the puff pastry sheets on a lightly floured surface and roll out a little bit. Using a 14cm (5 1/2 inch) plate as a guide, cut out four rounds and put each one on a baking sheet. Place a slightly smaller plate on each pastry and score around the edge to form a 1cm (1/2 inch) border. Prick the centers with a fork and chill for 30 minutes.

Arrange the apple slices in a circle over the pastry and scatter over the sugar. Grate over the butter and bake in a preheated oven, 220 deg C (425 deg F), for 20 to 25 minutes or until the pastry and apples are golden.

Reheat the apricot glaze until it is warm and brush over each tart while still warm.

Serve with vanilla ice cream.

Gujiya

Gujiya is a special sweet dish prepared during Holi. Holi is a "festival of colours" celebrated in India. Its a festival which has an ancient origin and celebrates the triumph of 'good' over 'bad'. The spring season, during which the weather changes, is believed to cause viral fever and cold. Thus, the playful throwing of the coloured powders has a medicinal significance: the colours are traditionally made of Neem, Kumkum, Haldi (Turmeric), Bilva.


Makes 16 Gujiyas

Ingredients


For filling
1/2 tin Milkmaid
150 gm Coconut (fresh scraped)
25 gms Fine Semolina
2 tbsp. Almonds (chopped)
2 tbsp. Cashewnuts (chopped)
2 tbsp. Raisins
1/4 tsp. Cardamom powder

For Dough
125 gm Maida (All purpose flour)
20 ml (4 tbsp) Oil
1/4 Cup Water

Oil to deep fry

Method

Roast Semolina, and mix together all other ingredients for the filling. Cook till mixture is dry.

To prepare dough, rub oil into maida, add water and make into dough. Knead the dough till pliable. Keep aside covered with moist cloth for 5 - 10 minutes.

Knead dough once again. Divide into 16 balls. Roll each ball into a round shape of about 4 - 5 inches. Roll it very thin.

Divide the fillings into 16 parts so that the filling will be equally distributed.

Place filling, fold over and shape into Gujiya joining the edges with water.

Deep fry in hot oil till golden brown.


Enjoy!!

Hazelnut Baby Loaves

These small loaf cakes develop a thin, light, sugary crust and a soft, tender inner crumb due to the addition of cream to the batter. The loaves are beautifully flavoured and scented with ground hazelnuts. They taste lovely as it is without any accompanyment.



Recipe from Baking with Julia


You'll need the following ingredients..

1/3 cup hazelnuts, peeled (see below)
1 cup sugar
1 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 tsps baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pure almond extract ( vanilla will do..)
1 cup creme fraiche, homemade or store-bought, OR
heavy cream, at room temperature
1 stick(4 ounces, nearly 100 gms) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 large eggs, at room temperature

Melted butter, for greasing the pans
little flour for dusting the pans

Here we go..

To skin the hazelnuts, bring a cup of water to a boil in a medium saucepan, add 1/2 a tsp of baking soda and the nuts, and boil for 3 to 5 minutes, until the water turns black. To test if the skins have loosened sufficiently, drop a nut into a bowl of cold water and rub lightly against the skin. if the skin just slides off,the nuts are ready to go. Turn the nuts into a colander and run cold water over them. Slip off the skins, toss the nuts into a towel, pat dry, and use as required.


Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 deg F(180 deg C). Brush a light coating of butter over the insides of 8 mini-loaf pans, each 4 1/4 by 2 1/2 by 2 inches. Dust the inside of the pan with a little flour and tap out the excess.

Place the hazelnuts and 1 tbsp of sugar in a mixer or processor and just process until the nuts are finely ground, taking care not to overdo this or you'll end up with hazelnut butter. Its absolutely fine if its not totally ground. Whisk or stir together the ground hazelnuts, flour, baking powder, and salt just to combine; set aside.

In a separate bowl, add the almond extract to the creame fraiche and stir to blend and loosen the creme fraiche; reserve.

Put the butter and the remaining sugar in the bowl of a paddle attachment, or use a hand-held mixer, and beat on a medium-high speed until the mixture is smooth and creamy, scarping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. The butter and sugar must be beaten until they are light, fluffy, and pale, so dont rush it- the process can take 3 to 4 minutes with a heavy-duty mixer or 6 to 8 minutes with a hand-held mixer.

Reduce the speed to medium and add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pans, filling the pans between half and two-thirds full, then give each pan a couple of raps against the countertop to settle the batter.


Place the pans in the oven and bake for about 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cake comes out clean. (Test a couple of the cakes to be certain.) Remove from the oven, turn them out of their pans onto a rack and cool.


The loaves can be served warm or at room temperature. Serve one loaf to a person, either slicing the loaves in half diagonally or cutting them into thin slices.


Storage: The cakes can be kept covered at room temperature for about 2 days or wrapped airtight and frozen for a month. Thaw still wrapped, at room temperature.

For the Love of Chocolate - Flourless Chocolate Cake

A Daring Bakers’ February 2009 Challenge

The February 2009 challenge is hosted by Wendy of WMPE's blog and Dharm of Dad ~ Baker & Chef. We have chosen a Chocolate Valentino cake by Chef Wan; a Vanilla Ice Cream recipe from Dharm and a Vanilla Ice Cream recipe from Wendy as the challenge.

Chocolate has many associations – godliness, health-giving, mood altering, and addicting. Bless the ancient Mayans and Aztecs for developing the cocoa bean into the delicious luxurious chocolate drink that the Spanish explorers brought back to Spain. How the Spanish kept chocolate a secret for 100 years is a mystery that perhaps can only be explained by the lack of the internet!
It is no wonder that February, the month for honoring love on St. Valentine’s Day, is best represented first by the heart and then by chocolate or better yet a chocolate heart. The potency and power of chocolate can only be rivaled by vanilla, and then they make a wonderful combination!


February’s challenge is a Flourless Chocolate Cake, Chocolate Valentino, inspired by Malaysia’s “most flamboyant food ambassador”, Chef Wan. Recipe comes from Sweet Treats by Chef Wan

Preparation Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

16 ounces (1 pound) (454 grams) of semisweet chocolate, roughly chopped
½ cup (1 stick) plus 2 tablespoons (146 grams total) of unsalted butter
5 large eggs , separated

Method:

1. Put chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl and set over a pan of simmering water (the bottom of the bowl should not touch the water) and melt, stirring often.


2. While your chocolate butter mixture is cooling. Butter your pan and line with a parchment circle then butter the parchment.
[ I used small ramquins.]


3. Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites and put into two medium/large bowls.


4. Whip the egg whites in a medium/large grease free bowl until stiff peaks are formed (do not over-whip or the cake will be dry). {link of egg whipping demonstration}


5. With the same beater beat the egg yolks together. Add the egg yolks to the cooled chocolate.


6. Fold in 1/3 of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture and follow with remaining 2/3rds. Fold until no white remains without deflating the batter. {link of folding demonstration}

7. Pour batter into prepared pan, the batter should fill the pan 3/4 of the way full, and bake in a preheated oven at 375F/190C

8. Bake for 25 minutes until an instant read thermometer reads 140F/60C.
[I baked it for just 20 minutes and i dint use any thermometer but instead used a toothpick and it appeared still wet when i took it out of the oven. ]

Note – If you do not have an instant read thermometer, the top of the cake will look similar to a brownie and a cake tester will appear wet.

9. Cool cake on a rack for 10 minutes then unmold.
[ As i used small ramquins, it was easier for me to cut the cake with my cookie cutter and the shape turned out perfect!! ]

Dharm's Ice Cream Recipe - Classic Vanilla Ice Cream

Recipe comes from the Ice Cream Book by Joanna Farrow and Sara Lewis

Preparation Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients :

1 Vanilla Pod (or substitute with vanilla extract)
300ml / ½ pint / 1 ¼ cups Semi Skimmed Milk – in the U.S. this is 2% fat (or use fresh full fat milk that is pasteurised and homogenised {as opposed to canned or powdered}). Dharm used whole milk.
4 large egg yolks
75g / 3oz / 6 tbsp caster sugar {superfine sugar can be achieved in a food processor or use regular granulated sugar}
5ml / 1 tsp corn flour {cornstarch}
300ml / ½ pint / 1 ¼ cups Double Cream (48% butter fat) {in the U.S. heavy cream is 37% fat)

{you can easily increase your cream's fat content by heating 1/4 cup of heavy cream with 3 Tbs of butter until melted - cool to room temperature and add to the heavy cream as soon as whisk marks appear in the cream, in a slow steady stream, with the mixer on low speed. Raise speed and continue whipping the cream) or use heavy cream the difference will be in the creaminess of the ice cream.

Method:

1. Using a small knife slit the vanilla pod lengthways. Pour the milk into a heavy based saucepan, add the vanilla pod and bring to the boil. Remove from heat and leave for 15 minutes to allow the flavours to infuse
Lift the vanilla pod up. Holding it over the pan, scrape the black seeds out of the pod with a small knife so that they fall back into the milk. SET the vanilla pod aside and bring the milk back to the boil.

2. Whisk the egg yolks, sugar and corn-flour in a bowl until the mixture is thick and foamy.

3. Gradually pour in the hot milk, whisking constantly. Return the mixture to the pan and cook over a gentle hear, stirring all the time

4. When the custard thickens and is smooth, pour it back into the bowl. Cool it then chill.

5. By Hand: Whip the cream until it has thickened but still falls from a spoon. Fold it into the custard and pour into a plastic tub or similar freeze-proof container. Freeze for 6 hours or until firm enough to scoop, beating it twice (during the freezing process – to get smoother ice cream or else the ice cream will be icy and coarse)
[I got the perfect scoop and i dint use any ice cream maker.]

By Using and Ice Cream Maker: Stir the cream into the custard and churn the mixture until thick (follow instructions on your ice cream maker)

Raspberry sauce:

Ingredients:

6 ounces fresh or 10 ounces frozen raspberries (about 1 1/4 cups), plus more for garnish
3 tablespoons confectioner's sugar
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

Method:

1. Puree raspberries, sugar, and lemon juice in blender.
2. Strain through sieve into bowl, pressing with a spatula.
3. Adjust consistency with water, if necessary.

"Love is like swallowing hot chocolate before it has cooled off. It takes you by surprise at first, but keeps you warm for a long time."