Caribbean people love ice cream; it's the ultimate after-lunch dessert, and the most welcome refreshing snack for young and old. But we share the love for this creamy delight with many countries. Italians adore their version of ice cream, gelato–rated as the best in the world–as do many other nations.
Local ice creams have come of age, with lots of tropical flavours to choose from: soursop, barbadine, coconut, passion fruit, even Guinness! You name it, someone has made ice cream from it. But ice cream is not just for enjoying solo. It's also made to be a main ingredient in many a splendid dessert. Sandwiched between layers of light choux pastry and drizzled with melted chocolate or rolled into a sponge slice, sprinkled with nuts and served with a caramel rum sauce–just two variations of using this tantalising treat in delicious desserts.
TOASTED ALMOND AND ICE CREAM
ROLL WITH CARAMEL SAUCE
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3 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup water
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
pinch salt
1/2 cup toasted chopped almonds��
1 litre ice-cream
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Beat eggs until fluffy, add sugar and continue beating until doubled in volume and fluffy. Sift flour with baking powder and salt. Add water to beaten eggs, fold in flour. Spread batter onto a greased cookie sheet and bake in a preheated 350F for 12 to 15 minutes until done or cake springs back when done. Turn cake onto a tea towel sprinkled with icing sugar, remove lining if used. Starting at the long end, roll up cake and cool. Unroll cake and spread with ice cream, sprinkle on almonds, re-roll cake and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Freeze overnight before slicing.
Serve with rum sauce.
�2 Serves 10
Caramel Sauce:
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup evaporated milk
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In a heavy saucepan melt sugar and cook until it turns a caramel colour. Averting your face, add the milk gently–it will bubble vigorously. Stir until smooth. Serve warm.
�2 Makes approx 1 1/2 cups
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PROFITEROLES WITH ICE CREAM
AND CHOCOLATE SAUCE
1/2 cup butter cut into cubes
1 cup water
1 cup all purpose flour
4 eggs
1 tsp salt
1 litre ice cream
4 ozs good quality chocolate
Preheat oven to 425F.
Place butter in water in a saucepan on low heat until butter melts, and bring to a boil. Remove pan from heat and add flour all at once. Stir quickly until dough comes together and forms a lump in the pan or balls up in the pan. Cook for about five minutes longer. There should be a film on the inside surface of the pan.
Remove from heat. Beat in eggs one at a time, beating well between additions. The pastry should just hold its shape when lifted with a spoon. Grease or line a baking sheet and drop batter by spoonfuls by piping them 1 1/2 to 2 inches across with a piping bag.
Bake for 20 minutes at 425F, then lower the temperature to 375F and bake for ten to 15 minutes longer. Pierce and return to the oven for five minutes to dry out. Cool puffs and slice into half. Melt the chocolate carefully in a double boiler.�Fill each puff with one scoop of ice cream and drizzle with melted chocolate. Sprinkle with icing sugar and serve at once.
�2 Makes about 12 large puffs