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Telegraph
24-06-2025
- General
- Telegraph
Tonka bean ice cream with baked peaches
Tonka bean, the seed of the Dipteryx odorata tree that's native to South America, has intrigued me for a long time. It tastes of vanilla crossed with nutmeg, and also almonds, hay and dry grass. Some detect cherry stones as well. This ice cream flavoured with it is very much worth making. Requires cooling, churning and freezing time Overview Prep time 20 mins Cook time 45 mins Serves 5 Ingredients 300ml whole milk 300ml double cream 125g soft light brown sugar 1 tonka bean (available at 3 large egg yolks 1 tsp vanilla extract For the peaches 4 medium or small ripe peaches, halved and pitted juice of 1 lemon 3 tsp vanilla extract 75ml apple juice, or dessert wine such as sweet Marsala 3 tbsp soft light brown sugar Method Step Put 300ml whole milk and 300ml double cream into a medium-sized pan. Step Add 60g soft light brown sugar. Step Grate 1 tonka bean directly into the pan, using a fine zester if you have one. Step Bring up to almost boiling, then immediately pull the pan off the heat. Leave to infuse for 30 minutes. Step When the 30 minutes is nearly up, prepare some water with ice cubes in the sink (this will help to cool the ice-cream mixture later). Step Beat 3 large eggs yolks, 1 tsp vanilla extract and 65g soft light brown sugar together in a bowl until pale and increased in volume. If you lift the beaters the mixture should form ribbons on the surface. Step Slowly add some of the milk and cream mixture, stirring all the time, then add the rest. Pour this into a clean saucepan. Step Heat gently, stirring all the time – you must not boil this or the eggs will scramble – until it is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon (about 10-15 minutes). If you run your index finger through the custard it should leave a channel. Step Pour the mixture into a bowl and set it in the sink of cold water containing ice cubes. This helps it cool quickly. Stir it every so often until it's cool. Step Transfer to an ice-cream machine and churn. Step When it's ready, spoon it into a plastic box with a lid, covering the surface with cling film. Place the lid on top. Keep the ice cream in the freezer to set fully. Step If you don't have an ice-cream machine, freeze as above but transfer the mixture to a food processor about three times during the freezing process and whizz it. This helps to break down the crystals and make the ice cream smooth. Return the mixture to the freezer after each whizz. Step Take the ice cream out of the freezer 15 minutes before you want to serve. Step Meanwhile, to bake the peaches, heat the oven to 190C/180C fan/gas mark 5.
Telegraph
27-05-2025
- Health
- Telegraph
Floral fancies
The prettiest of cakes for a spring or summer tea. There are places to buy both fresh and dried edible flowers online. Try for fresh ones and for dried pressed flowers, and crystallised ones as well. Overview Prep time 35 mins Cook time 10 mins Serves 16 Ingredients For the sponge 3 large eggs 75g caster sugar 50g plain flour butter, for greasing For the filling 100g butter, at room temperature 175g icing sugar, sifted, plus extra for dusting 3 tbsp full-fat milk For the glacé icing 185g icing sugar lemon juice, as needed edible flowers, to decorate food colouring of your choice (optional) Method Step Butter a 32 x 23cm Swiss roll tin, line it with baking parchment and butter the parchment too. Heat the oven to 190C/180C fan/ gas mark 5. Step Beat the eggs with the sugar for 10 minutes, until the mixture is pale, thick and increased in volume. Sift in the flour in 2 batches, using a large metal spoon to fold it in completely after each addition. Try not to knock the air out. Pour the mixture into the Swiss roll tin and smooth the top with the back of a spoon or a palette knife. Step Give the tin a little tap on the kitchen surface to knock out any small bubbles. Bake the sponge for 8-10 minutes. It should be golden and coming away from the sides of the tin. Leave to cool in the tin and cover with cling film. Step To make the buttercream filling, beat the butter until it's pale and smooth. Add the icing sugar a little at a time. If you add it all at once the sugar billows. The mixture should become smooth – you also need it to be light, so add the milk a bit at a time. It should be spreadable. Step Lay a piece of baking parchment – larger than the sponge – on the counter. Sift a light dusting of icing sugar on top. Remove the cling film from the Swiss roll tin and invert the sponge on to the parchment. Step Remove the parchment on top of the sponge. Halve it widthways. Spread the filling on one of the sponge halves, working right to the edges. Put the other half on top. Slide the parchment on to a baking sheet, cover the top with cling film, and put it in the fridge for 2 hours. Step Make the glacé icing by sifting the icing sugar and adding 1 tbsp of water. Stir this together and add lemon juice a little at a time until you have the right consistency. It has to be thick enough to pour on the squares and run down the sides. You can make different colours by dividing the icing into 2 or 3 different bowls. Put a tiny dot of whatever colours you want on the end of a cocktail stick then mix it in. I do really mean a tiny dot as you want the colours to be pale. Step Use a serrated knife to cut the sponge into 16 squares. Put these on a wire cooling rack set over a baking sheet so the icing can drip off there. Ice the squares, letting it run down the sides.
