Homemade Raspberry Icecream

Click on the link below to cook this with children!

The icecream maker was grinding along at full pelt last night and produced the most delicious icecream, made with local cream and a handful of raspberries from the garden.  The great thing about making your own icecream is that there are no preservatives, you can use the freshest ingredients and I think that it is tastier.  But, I'm biased.   

Of course, it is possible to make by hand; it is just a little more time intensive.  Instead of putting into a machine, use a freezer proof shallow dish and cover with cling film.  Over a period of 2 to3 hours, use a spatula to mix vigorously every 30 minutes.  It'll be a bit more grainy (due to the ice crystals) but no less tasty.

Save time and make this with.....crumble!  Double the ingredients for the custard part of the recipe and then use a pint as fresh custard (just thicken a little bit more).  Save the icecream for another day.

1/2 pint (280ml) milk

4 egg yolks

100g (4oz) caster sugar

1/2 pint (280ml) double cream

a handful of raspberries with a sprinkle of sugar, stored in fridge for upwards of 30 minutes

--------------

1.  Bring milk to boiling point very gently.  Take off heat.

2.  Whisk together eggs and sugar.  Whisk into the milk.

3.  On the heat, stir until it becomes a thin custard.

4.  Cool completely.  Add double cream and raspberries (strained to remove juice).

5.  Add to ice cream maker.  Set and enjoy!!  Try with strawberries and all sorts of other fruits...

Free download! Do you want to cook this recipe with your children? Click here to download a recipe sheet especially designed for children to read and have fun with cooking.

Mango ice lollies

Ice lollies are so delicious.  We always have some on the go!  Considering lollies cost up to £1 or more in shops and you need 1/2 carton of juice for 4, or even a mango (as below), this is a really thrifty solution to enjoying lollies.

1 mango, blended

a glass of orange juice

--------------

Mix together the juice and blended mango.  Put into the lolly maker.  Enjoy!

We also make orange juice and grapes/elderflower and strawberries.

Strawberry Biscuits

These cookies are a wonderful squidgy mix with hidden nutrition in the form of strawberries and whole flour.  Enjoy eating these with a glass of juice or milk on a summer's day.

100g (3.5 oz) self raising flour

210g (7.5oz) plain or whole flour

1 tsp baking soda

50g (1.5 oz) honey

125ml sunflower or other oil

2 eggs

a small punnet of strawberries

1 tbsp brown sugar

6 tbsp balsamic vinegar

3 tbsp cream cheese

4 tbsp icing sugar

----------------------

1.  Sprinkle some sugar on the strawberries and store in fridge (to draw out juices) for about 30 minutes.

2.  Heat 1 tbsp of brown sugar and vinegar until it becomes a syrup.  Cool slightly.

3.  Measure and mix the dry ingredients.

4.  Beat the egg, honey and oil together.  Strain the strawberries, add (and keep the juice).

5.  Mix all the ingredients together.

6.  Shape into walnut size balls and place onto a greased baking tray.

7.  Bake for 20 minutes in a 180 degrees C oven.

8.  Once cooled, mix 2 tbsp strawberry juice, cream cheese and icing sugar.  Ice and eat!

Plumb's Farm Summer (non-alcoholic) cocktail

For each glass

1/3 glass pineapple juice

1/3 glass orange juice

1/3 glass of lemonade/soda or sparkling water (according to taste)

a drop of grenadine syrup

--------------------

Drop in the grenadine after mixing the 3 other elements of the drink.  Ice up!

My Mum started making this delicious, refreshing cocktail when I was a teenager.  When I drink the sweet nectar, I am transported to lazy, stress-free teenage days.  I especially like the way that the grenadine sinks to the bottom of the glass to create a beautiful layered effect.

Scrummy Strawberry Muffins

These muffins did not last long; even my cake-phobic partner munched them.  It is the stewed apple (if you have any, otherwise chopped apple will do) that seems to create a scrumptious caramel flavour.  You'll notice that the sugar content is largely provided by the fruit and honey.  Enjoy baking with berries while the season lasts!  

200g (7oz) self raising flour

1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

70g (2.5oz) light brown sugar

4 tbsp honey

40g (1.5oz) porridge oats

3 large spoons stewed apple

a large handful of strawberries

3 eggs

110g (4oz) melted, unsalted butter (cooled so that the mixture does not curdle)

75ml milk

--------------

1.  Mix together the dry ingredients and the honey.

2.  Add the stewed apple and strawberries.

3.  Mix together the eggs, butter and milk.

4.  Fold together the wet and dry ingredients.

5.  Spoon into muffin cases (why not plop a small strawberry on the top) and bake for 20 minutes in a medium (180 degrees C) oven or until brown.

Elderflower cordial

It is June in the UK and we have a two week window to gather elderflower heads for cordial.  It is best to gather the flowers when they are in full bloom.  I understand that the 'sambucus nigra' (elder bush) is predominantly found in Europe.  Let me know what is found in the 'hedgerows' to make cordials in your country.

1.8kg caster or granulated sugar (white)

2 pints of boiling water

80g citric acid (from a pharmacy or amazon)

2 lemons

20 heads of elderflower

------------------

1.  Mix the water and sugar together until the sugar is dissolved.  Cool.

2.  Add the citric acid and stir.

3.  Cut the lemons in half and squeeze out juice into the mixture.  Don't worry about pips.  Put the halved lemons in the bowl too.

4.  Add the elderflower heads and stir.

5.  Leave overnight, strain (through muslin if you are picky) and bottle.

--------------------------------

Thanks to my friend Rachel Newenham for this recipe.  I have taken a shot of the scribbled recipe because it holds memories for me.

Pasta Caprese (pasta salad with mozzarella, sundried tomatoes and basil)

Click on the link below to cook this with children!

This salad is a go-to salad for my daughter (aged 7) to make for us for a meal.  And, for a child who is sensitive to strong flavours, I think that the milk creaminess of the mozzarella is appealing.  She loves getting together the ingredients together and assembling/presenting the dish.  The better quality the ingredient, the better it will taste.

Make extra and save the pasta for another salad the next day.

Ingredients (serves 4 small portions):

Cooked pasta (any type that takes your fancy), 300g (11oz), cooled.

5-10 sundried tomatoes, chopped

1 or 2 balls of mozzarella

5 basil leaves, torn

3 tbsp olive oil

--------------------

1.  Pour the olive oil (you can use the oil from the sundried tomato jar) into the pasta and mix.

2.  Tear the mozzarella into the pasta.

3.  Add the chopped tomatoes and basil and season.

4.  Mix and eat or store in the fridge.

Lemon juice and olives could also be added.  The authentic 'caprese' recipes differs, I imagine, from region to region in Italy, and omits the pasta or olives.  However, this is an excellent take on it and on getting a balanced meal in one plate.

Free download! Do you want to cook this recipe with your children? Click here to download a recipe and activity sheet especially designed for children to read and have fun with cooking.

Minted pea soup

This recipe is inspired by my Mum and Mark Hix.  Not difficult to make at all; in fact very, very quick.  It can be cold with some ice cubes in and cream/creme fraiche in the summer.  It really does taste delicious when strained to become very smooth.  You can use the thicker remains as a dip.  The leek, onion and peas are all great nutrients, and you can jazz it up by adding some croutons, or perhaps serving it with dips, grated cheese and carrot salad (with a yoghurt and mayo dressing) and pitta breads (old ones) or old bread toasted in the oven for 5/10 minutes with lashings of olive oil.  I like making this because it is a super quick 'green vegetable' soup, to add the greens to any snacky meal, without having to resort to the usual tomato, avocado, cucumber, pepper combo.

Makes enough for 4 people

olive oil
1 onion
1 small leek
2 bacon rashers or ham added after cooking or indeed crispy bacon added to the top (thanks, AE!)
500g (1lb 2oz) frozen peas
fresh mint
1 litre stock (I use whatever is in the cupboard, and low-salt preferably)

------------

1. Fry the onion and leek (and bacon if using) until soft.

2.  Add the peas, mint and stock.  Simmer for 10 minutes.

3.  Strain through a thin sieve and serve hot or cold.