Ginger Ice-Cream with Minted Lychees

Ingredients
1 x 4 pints ctn vanilla ice-cream, softened
1 x 4.5 oz pkt glace ginger, chopped
3 x 20 oz cans lychees in syrup
1/2 cup shredded fresh mint

Directions:
Combine the ice-cream and ginger in a large bowl. Transfer to an 4 x 8 inch (base measurement) loaf pan and cover with foil. Place in the freezer for 2 hours or until firm.
Meanwhile, combine the lychees and mint in a large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge to macerate.
Turn the ice-cream out onto a clean work surface and cut into thick slices. Divide slices among serving plates and top with minted lychees to serve.

Poppy Seed Ice-Cream with Orange Sauce

Ingredients
2 pints basic vanilla ice-cream
1 cup poppy seeds
1 cup caster sugar
2 oranges, zested
1/4 cup brandy
Directions:
Stir poppy seeds into ice-cream during final beating or just before finished churning in ice-cream machine. (If using bought, soften in fridge for 15 minutes, then stir through the poppy seeds.) Freeze until firm.
Place the sugar in a heavy-based saucepan with 75ml water and stir over low heat until the sugar dissolves.
Continue to cook until the mixture is a pale, golden colour, then, very carefully, add 1/2 cup boiling water (be careful as it will splatter) and the orange zest. Continue to cook until the toffee melts and you have a smooth sauce.
Stir in brandy, then transfer to a bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve.
To serve, cut the ice-cream into squares, and drizzle with the orange sauce.

Fried Ice Cream

Ingredients
4 oz maderia cake, crumbled
4 scoops vanilla ice-cream
Caramel topping, to serve
Directions:
Place the cake crumbs in a large non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 4-5 minutes or until golden brown and crisp. Transfer to a plate and set aside for 5 minutes to cool.
Working with 1 scoop of ice-cream at a time, roll the ice-cream in the crumb mixture. Place in serving bowls. Drizzle with caramel topping to serve.

Chocolate Ice-Cream Balls

Ingredients
4 pints vanilla ice-cream
3 x 13 oz packets choc melts (we used white, milk and dark)
Method
Line 3 trays with baking paper.
Using a small ice-cream scoop or melon-baller, scoop ice-cream into balls and place onto trays (place tray into freezer as soon as you have 17 on a tray). Freeze for 2 hours, or until very firm.
Empty 1 packet of melts into a heat-proof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Stir until melted.
Remove 1 tray from freezer. Press a toothpick into each ice-cream ball. Working quickly, dip balls into chocolate and place back onto tray. Freeze for 1 hour. Repeat with remaining ice-cream balls and melts. Store balls in an airtight container in freezer until ready to serve.

Ice Cream Baked Potatoes

INGREDIENTS
1 pint vanilla ice cream
1 (1 ounce) envelope instant cocoa
4 tablespoons sweetened whipped cream
DIRECTIONS
Scoop out 4 balls of ice cream roughly the size and shape of small potatoes. Roll in the hot cocoa mix until coated. Place on a plate and top with a dollop of whipped cream. The ice cream will look like baked potatoes with sour cream on top. Eat and enjoy.

Tutti Frutti Ice-Cream

Ingredients:
2 pints vanilla ice-cream
5.5 oz coloured glace cherries
2 oz candied pineapple
2 oz candied orange peel
Ice-cream cones, to serve
Directions:
Remove the ice-cream from the freezer and set aside at room temperature for 30 minutes. Place the softened ice-cream in a bowl, add cherries, pineapple and peel, and stir to combine. Return to the ice-cream container and refreeze overnight or until firm. Serve in ice-cream cones.

Cassata

Ingredients:
Light oil or oil spray, to grease
1 pint pistachio ice-cream
1 pint strawberry ice-cream
2 pints chocolate ice-cream
Directions:
Brush or spray a terrine with a little oil and line with plastic wrap (oil helps the wrap stick better).
Remove the strawberry ice-cream from the freezer and soften slightly (you can do this by microwaving on high for 30 seconds). Spread the ice-cream into the base of the terrine, pressing down well and smoothing the top, then refreeze until hard. Repeat with the pistachio and chocolate layers, refreezing each layer before proceeding with the next, then return to the freezer to firm completely.
When ready to serve, dip the base of the terrine in a dish of warm water. Count to 40, then invert onto a plate, gently pulling on the plastic wrap to help ease out the cassata. Place on a serving platter and slice. Any leftover cassata can be wrapped in plastic wrap and refrozen.

Black Forest Ice-Cream Cake

The warm chocolate sauce gives this cherry-flavoured frozen dessert a touch of elegance.
Ingredients:
Melted butter, to grease
250g butter, at room temperature, chopped
1 1/2 cups caster sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups self-raising flour
3/4 cup plain flour
1 cup cocoa powder
1 cup milk
2 x 415g cans Woolworths Select Stoneless Black Cherries
1 tbs kirsch (optional)
2 cups vanilla ice-cream, softened
1 x 300ml ctn thickened cream
250g dark cooking chocolate, finely chopped
2 tsp vanilla extract, extra
Method
Preheat oven to 180°C. Brush a 23cm (base measurement) springform pan with melted butter to grease. Line the base with non-stick baking paper.
Use an electric beater to beat the butter and sugar until pale and creamy. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla.
Sift the combined flours and cocoa into a bowl. Use a large metal spoon to fold the flour mixture, alternately with the milk, into the egg mixture until well combined. Pour into the pan and smooth the surface. Bake for 1 hour or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Set aside in the pan for 10 minutes to cool. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Use a serrated knife to cut the cake in half horizontally. Place the base, cut-side up, in pan. Drain cherries, reserving 125ml (1/2 cup) of syrup. Add kirsch, if desired, to reserved syrup and stir to combine. Brush half the syrup over the cake in the pan.
Arrange cherries over the cake. Top with ice-cream and smooth the surface. Brush the cut side of the remaining cake with the remaining syrup. Place, cut-side down, in the pan. Press firmly to sandwich together. Place in freezer for 6 hours or until firm.
Remove cake from freezer and set aside for 15 minutes to make cutting easier. Place cream, chocolate and extra vanilla in a saucepan over low heat. Stir with a metal spoon for 5 minutes or until the chocolate melts and mixture is smooth.
Cut the cake into wedges and drizzle over the chocolate sauce to serve.

Caramel Fried Ice Cream

Ingredients:
1 sheet refrigerated pie pastry
1-1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 quart vanilla ice cream
1/2 cup honey
Oil for deep-fat frying
Directions:

Unroll pastry onto an ungreased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan. Combine sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over pastry. Prick thoroughly with a fork. Bake at 400° for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes.

Place pastry in a large resealable plastic bag; coarsely crush. Transfer to a shallow bowl. Using a 1/2-cup ice cream scoop, form eight scoops of ice cream. Roll in pastry crumbs. Cover and freeze for 2 hours or until firm.

In an electric skillet or deep-fat fryer, heat oil to 375°. Fry ice cream balls for 8-10 seconds or until golden. Drain on paper towels. Immediately place in chilled bowls; drizzle with honey and serve. Yield: 8 servings.

Sour Cherry and Black Pepper Ice Cream

Ingredients:
1/2 cup dark rum
2 cups dried sour cherries
16 egg yolks
10 ounces granulated sugar
4 cups creme fraiche or sour cream
4 cups homemade condensed milk, recipe follows *make recipe 1 1/2 times
4 cups heavy cream
2 tablespoons cracked black pepper
1 vanilla bean (cut lengthwise)
In a small saucepan, bring rum and dried cherries to a simmer, cover and remove from heat. Let stand for 30 minutes.
In a mixing bowl, whisk together egg yolks, sugar and creme fraiche. In a 2 quart saucepan, let simmer for 5 minutes the condensed milk, heavy cream, black pepper and vanilla. Strain and chill.
Stir the cherries into the chilled custard, discarding the rum. Pour into an ice cream maker and process according to manufacturer's instructions.
Homemade Condensed Milk:
6 cups nonfat milk
5 tablespoons sugar
Pour the milk into a medium heavy saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the sugar and continue simmering 10 to 15 minutes or until reduced to 3 cups. Strain. Homemade condensed milk can be refrigerated up to a week.

Good News for Ice Cream Lovers

Good news for ice cream lovers: A recent Swedish study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition shows that women who have at least one serving of full-fat dairy products a day gain less weight than women who don't. Researchers aren't entirely sure why, but it's believed that a compound in milk fat called conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) may aid weight loss. Health.com: Top 5 foods for women
Not all studies support the dairy-aids-weight-loss claim. But Gluck feels there's more evidence for than against, even if full-fat dairy's secret is simply that it's more satisfying. "Many women find that low-fat versions of dairy products like ice cream and cheese just aren't satisfying," she says, "so they may eat a lot of them -- downing hundreds of calories in the process, trying to fulfill their craving -- when just a little bit of the full-fat stuff would have done the trick."

Best way to enjoy it: Have a little cheese, ice cream, or a glass of milk each day. "You really can't go wrong with that," Gluck says. "Dairy should be part of your diet, whether you're trying to shed pounds or not. You need the calcium to maintain strong bones. And the vitamin D and CLA in milk both have cancer-fighting properties."

The 15 Most Popular Ice Cream Flavors

1. Vanilla, 29%
2.Chocolate, 8.9%
3.Butter pecan, 5.3%
4.Strawberry, 5.3%
5.Neapolitan, 4.2%
6.Chocolate chip, 3.9%
7.French vanilla, 3.8%
8.Cookies and cream, 3.6%
9. Vanilla fudge ripple, 2.6%
10. Praline pecan, 1.7%
11. Cherry, 1.6%
12. Chocolate almond, 1.6%
13. Coffee, 1.6%
14. Rocky road, 1.5%
15. Chocolate marshmallow, 1.3%
All others, 23.7%Source: International Ice Cream Association, 888 16th St., Washington, D.C., 20006.

Whats your favorite flavor?

Cherry-Vanilla Ice Cream

INGREDIENTS
1/2 pounds cherries, pitted
1 cup sugar
2 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
1/2 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped and reserved
8 large egg yolks1 teaspoon lemon juice
PREPARATION
1. Make the cherry syrup: Place 1 pound pitted cherries and 1/3 cup sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat and cook until cherries soften - about 10 minutes. Run the cherries and any liquid through a food mill, strain the mixture, discard the solids, and return the liquid to the pan. Cook the cherry mixture over medium heat until it reduces to about 1 cup - 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl and cool completely.
2. Make the ice cream base: Fill a large bowl with ice and water and place a fine sieve over another medium-sized bowl; set both aside. Combine the cream, milk, and vanilla bean and seeds in a medium saucepan and cook over medium-high heat until mixture just comes to a boil. Whisk the egg yolks and remaining sugar together in a large bowl until thick and pale. Whisking constantly, add the hot milk in a slow, steady stream to the yolk mixture. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly using a wooden spoon, until the mixture coats the back of the spoon - about 2 minutes. Strain the mixture through the fine sieve into the bowl and place bowl in the prepared ice bath to cool.
3. Make the ice cream: Cut the remaining cherries in half, toss with the lemon juice, and set aside. Once the ice cream base is completely cool, stir in the cherry syrup and the food coloring, if desired. Process in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions. Fold in cherry halves, transfer to an airtight container, and freeze until solid. Ice cream will keep for up to 1 month in a freezer.