I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream!
The scorching heat of the Aussie summer is upon us. Keeping cool, hydrated and refreshed becomes a survival strategy to beat the unrelenting heat which would otherwise wreak havoc on our bodies.
The best way to stay hydrated is, of course, by drinking plenty of fluids such as water, fresh fruit and vegetable juices, buttermilk, or coconut water. Stay away from or minimise your intake of caffeinated beverages like colas and coffee; these only tend to leave you dehydrated.
When it comes to food, it is best to eat light for easy digestion and to aid your metabolism. Stay clear of the ghee-laden curries or the rich, thick stews and instead include summery, fresh salads made from seasonal produce in your daily diet.
Don’t forget your sunscreen! This is the magic potion that your skin cannot do without in the Australian heat.
In spite of the soaring temperatures, bush fires and other undesirable things that summer brings, this season is also the most awaited time of the year. It is the festive, entertaining, holiday season; a time meant for sharing, fun and love with friends and family.
Summer’s also the time to indulge in ice creams, icy poles, frozen desserts and all things deliciously cool. Here we have a refreshing, summery ice cream terrine with raspberries, white chocolate and pistachios.
The history of iced desserts dates back to 400 BC, when the Persians used to flavour snow with grape concentrate and other ingredients as a way of cooling off during the intense summers. The Arabs and Chinese were also known to have traditional iced desserts or ice creams using ingredients like saffron, nuts, rice or milk.
Frozen sorbets, ice creams and flavoured ice soon spread to other parts of the world. It was brought by the Arab traders to India, and ice used to be brought down from the Hindu Kush using relays of horsemen to prepare fruit sorbets for the Mughal emperors.
Today, there are so many ice cream making equipments in the market that are quite affordable and can be used to prepare a range of ice creams and frozen desserts at home. The best thing about this is that you can enjoy ice creams that are natural, free of preservatives and chemicals and control the ingredients that you would like to use, especially if anyone in your house suffers from allergies. You can also incorporate any flavours that you enjoy.
But you don’t need any fancy equipment to make this simple ice cream at home. A few easily available ingredients and a couple of simple, easy-to-follow steps is all that is involved in making this deliciously smooth and luscious ice cream terrine. After all, who wants to slave away in the kitchen in the heat!
Don’t worry if you do not eat or include eggs in your diet; just replace it with condensed milk in the recipe and you still have a great ice cream on your hands. Also, you can use any type of berries, fruits or flavours to tweak this recipe to your needs.
So, here’s how you make this berrylicious ice cream terrine with indulgent white chocolate and crunchy pistachios.
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ICE CREAM TERRINE WITH RASPBERRIES, WHITE CHOCOLATE AND PISTACHIOS
INGREDIENTS
300ml Pura thick cream (use any brand you wish to)
300gm frozen raspberries (if sour, use only 200gm)
100gm white chocolate
2 eggs, separated
½ cup icing sugar
¼ cup pistachio nuts, shelled and coarsely chopped
METHOD
Thaw half the raspberries and crush slightly with a fork.
Shave ¼ of the white chocolate with a peeler and reserve for garnish. Finely chop the rest.
Also reserve 1 tbsp of pistachios for garnish.
Beat the egg whites till stiff peaks form and then gradually add the sugar, beat to mix. Gently mix in the egg yolks and the thick cream.
Gently mix in the crushed raspberries, chopped white chocolate, pistachios and a handful of whole raspberries into the cream mixture. Do not beat, just mix.
Spoon into a baking paper lined terrine or loaf tin and freeze overnight or until firm.
Remove the tin 10 minutes before serving; unmould onto a platter and garnish with reserved raspberries, chocolate shavings and pistachios.
