Gingerbread Ice Cream

So I'm a little bit obsessed with gingerbread. Just a little warning this gingerbread ice cream is just the first of a number of gingerbread posts to come before Christmas, hopefully a new gingerbread house will be one of them. 

It seems people either go one way of the other with gingerbread, they either love it or they don't. I'm definitely in the 'love it' group and firmly believe this ice cream version is so good it might just convince others the same way.  It has the awesome flavours of gingerbread, the spices, the syrup all infused delicately into this deliciously cold and very creamy treat. In a climate as warm as ours anything in ice cream form would probably be pretty welcome. 

I had a few other ideas for this ice cream, maybe mixing through some crystallized ginger or some broken up cookies, maybe even making some ice cream sandwiches. After trying it I decided it was amazing enough just as it is. See all gone!

For the Gingerbread Ice Cream (picture free recipe at end of post)

1 1/2 cups full cream milk
1/2 cup sugar
1 decent sized piece of ginger (about 2 heaped tablespoons once peeled and chopped)
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger (Leave this out for more subtle flavour)
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
3 black peppercorns
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 vanilla bean (split with seeds scraped)
5 large egg yolks
1/2 cup golden syrup
1 1/2 cups thick cream

To make the Gingerbread Ice Cream- Add the milk, sugar, gingers, peppercorns, nutmeg, cinnamon and vanilla bean plus seeds to a medium saucepan, heat together until it begins to boil then remove from heat. Cover the pan and allow the flavours to infuse for at least one hour.

Rewarm the infused milk mixture, strain into a clean bowl and discard the solids.

Stir together cream and golden syrup in a separate large bowl. Set aside.

Add the egg yolks the the bowl of and electric mixer, using the whisk attachment quickly mix. Continue whisking while slowly adding the warm milk mixture, once combined return the whole mix to saucepan.

Put the saucepan back onto the stove and stir constantly over medium heat until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon.

Strain the mixture into the bowl with the cream and syrup and stir together.

Place the mixture in the fridge till cool stirring occasionally.

Pour the cooled custard mixture into an ice cream maker and churn according to your machines instructions.

Enjoy!!

Gingerbread Ice Cream (makes 1 litre)
1 1/2 cups full cream milk
1/2 cup sugar
1 decent sized piece of ginger (about 2 heaped tablespoons once peeled and chopped)
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger (Leave this out for more subtle flavour)
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
3 black peppercorns
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 vanilla bean (split with seeds scraped)
5 large egg yolks
1/2 cup golden syrup
1 1/2 cups thick cream

• Add the milk, sugar, gingers, peppercorns, nutmeg, cinnamon and vanilla bean plus seeds to medium saucepan, heat until begins to boil, remove from heat. 
• Cover pan,allow the flavours to infuse for at least one hour.
• Rewarm the infused milk, strain into clean bowl and discard solids.
• Stir together cream and golden syrup in a separate large bowl. Set aside.
• Whisk egg yolk in bowl on electric mixer. Continue whisking, slowly adding warm milk mixture, once combined return the whole mix to saucepan.
• Stir constantly over medium heat until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon.
• Strain the mixture into the bowl with the cream and syrup, stir together. 
• Place the mixture in the fridge till cool, stirring occasionally.
• Pour the cooled custard mixture into an ice cream maker and churn according to your machines instructions.

Ginger Macadamia Shortbread

My first post of 2012, happy first week of the new year! Before I kick things off for January there's just one last recipe to share from my Christmas baking, Ginger Macadamia Shortbread. I don't feel too bad about posting it late, its not like it screams Christmas (not that I'm saying that you cant eat cute reindeer cookies or cupcakes any time of year.)

I finally got to use the crystallized ginger that I got during a visit to the ginger factory last year. You can find crystallized ginger at the grocery store, but you don't get to hug giant gingerbread men while shopping.

I made this shortbread to give away as gifts, but somehow I managed to eat about half of it myself. Don't judge. The addition of the ginger and macadamia nuts made it oh so tasty. Although not all off it made it through, it was a great addition to my baked giftbags being so quick and simple to make.

For the Shortbread

100 grams macadamias

125 grams crystallized ginger

250 grams butter (softened)
1/2 cup caster sugar

2 cups plain flour

1/2 cup rice flour

1 tablespoon caster sugar extra

icing sugar for dusting

To make the shortbread- preaheat oven to 150 degrees c. and line at baking tray with baking paper. Spread the macadamia nuts over the tray and bake for 5-10 minutes until fragrant and lighty golden.

Cut the ginger and macadmia nuts into small pieces.

Beat the butter and sugar together with an electric mixer until light and fluffy

Add the flours, using a small knife cut the flour into the creamed butter and sugar.

Stir in the nuts and ginger.

Scoop the dough up and place on the sheet of baking paper. I used my flutted tart tin as a mold to get the perfect shape and egdes. Alternatively, press the dough out into a 20 cm circle and pinch around the edges.

Prick the dough all over with a fork and score into wedges using a knife. Sprinkle over the extra caster sugar and bake for about 35 minutes until firm and lightly golden.

Allow the shortbread to cool on the tray before cutting into wedges. To finish dust with some icing sugar.